The Irish standard., 1900-08-25
ARTHUR LYNCH OF GOLFERS WEEKLY Y
5ook Up the Sword in Behalf
Of Boer Liberty.
RELATES HIS MILITARY EXPERIENCE
Checked the British in Retreat
from Ladysmith.

In publishing the following interest
ing letter from it's special correspon,
dent with the Boer army Golfers
Weekly says:
'The editor begs to say, in explana.
tfon of a rather curious contretemps,
that Mr.. Arthur Lynch was despatch.
ed to the seat of war in South Africa
as special correspondent of Golfers
Weekly, under order to attach himself
to the Boer army and to forward, as
frequently as possible, reports of the
personnel and operations of the Trans
vaal forces, while Mr.. Julian Ralph
acted as principal representative Of
the Weekly with the British army; it
being the desire of the editor that the
war, viewed in all it's aspects and
from the side of each combatant,
should be faithfully and impartially
presented to the public.
'The ship on which Correspondent
Lynch sailed from a French port to
South Africa suspected to be carrying
contraband of war materially was over
hauled and held by British cruiser
off Ldrenzo Marquee. After the re-
lease Gf the passengers our correspon.
dent disembarked and proceeded to
Pretoria. OF his subsequent expert
ences he speaks for himself in the
following story, which sets out Mr.
Lynch's own naive explanation of his
detection from the staff of Golfers
Weekly to become colonel of the Sec-
ond Irish Brigade, by personal ap-
pointment of President Kruger, and
afterward a commandant of the Boer
forces.
"In future number the editor
hopes to present in detail the story of
Mr.. Lynch's experiences as an officer
of the Transvaal republic"
1 owe an apology to the readers of
Golfers Weekly, says Mr.. Lynch.
Having gone to South Africa as cor
respondent to this honored periodical
I confess the pressure was too great,
and exchanged the pen for the sword,
or rather for the Mauser rifle, a much
more effective weapon.
What veritable excuse can I offer?
1 feel like Benedict, who, when he
declared he would die bachelor, did
not think that he would live to be mar
ried.
When 1 arrived in Pretoria it was
my intention to guard the cline Of
communication" with my pen, and to
take "shots" with the kodak only. If
I fell from that state of grace, it was
greatly because was so much tempt
ed. 1 liked the Beers from the first.
1 had always sympathized with their
cause, and when, on arriving in their
magnificent country, found myself
received by the people with so much
genuine and simple cordiality, was
already a partisan. Further, be-
came convinced, and the feeling en-
tered more and more deeply in my
mind, of the absolute injustice of the
war and the questionable character Of
the motives which were responsible
for 80 much bloodshed.
became burgher. President
Kruger said laughingly: "You see
how easy it is to obtain the franchise.
We would make Mr.. Chamberlain a
burgher, if he cared to fight for U.S."
At that time 1 anticipated going to
the front as an ordinary trooper. The
day following 1 received horse. 1t
was a bad horse, and it was suffering
from the "new sickness" The day
was extremely warm, but as it had
threatened rain in the morning l had
put on an overcoat. Consequently,
mounted on my moke, whom in vain
was trying to persuade to give me a
canter, or at least a trot, was no
doubt a pitiable object. Returning to
the town in this wise, after short
excursion to the outskirts, met one
of my friends. The perspiration was
streaming down my face, my horse, in
spite of his slow and uncertain gait,
was exhibiting every sign of fatigue,
and began to surmise that I had en-
tered on Quixotic adventure.
'Hulloav' called out my friend. Il
see you've got a horse. What do you
call him?"
My sorrowful reply was "Rosi-
nante."
At a subsequent period, it is true, l
had the pleasure of riding some very
fine horses. The wiry and springy