Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1900-01-18


beloved president. They were pre-
pared to die. Nor did they mean to
waste their lives, but eXpend them
, where they would cost England dear
est. They were willing to endure all
the hardships accomplishing. The
Briton, on the other hand, had less at
stake. His pride was involved, but
not his liberty. England will exist,
even if the Beers should win. The
heart of the British soldier, from gen
eral to private, is not in this fight to
the extent that his foes is. If other
wise equal, this would turn the scale in
favor of the most determined antag-
onist.
So far as arms and equipment go,
the Boer service is superior, if any
thing, to the British. Nor will it be
easy for the latter to make up the de-
ficiency, at this stage of the game. In
spite OF all that the British navy can
do, the Beers will continue to receive
munitions as long As they have the
money to pay for them-and that will
last some time.
Instead of an Uitlander uprising in
the Transvaal, which should keep
Kruger occupied at home, the British
find themselves greatly troubled by
the detection of the Afrikanders in
Natal and Cape Colony. Thousands
have gone over to join the enemy, and
those who remain spy and otherwise
aid their kinsmen, with whom they
universally sympathize. The natives
have thus far maintained virtual quiz
essence, though the Beers accuse the
British of trying to employ them,
The Beers are an exceedingly mobile
enemy. Being largely mounted on
horses Injured to the section, unbur-
dened with the immense baggage en-
cumbranees of their foe, they can
move swiftly from place to place, deal
ing blows here and there, with the
agility of a skilful boxer, while the
British find it necessary to move slow
ly and cautiously and cannot get far
from their base of supplies and rail-
road communication with the coast.
So long as the British can neither
carry the entertainments in front of
them nor move swiftly enough to
flank their watchful enemy, they will
find it hard to advance.
In generalship we know that Jou-
bert and Cronje are the superiors OF
the British leaders who have so far
opposed them. Roberts and Kitch-
ener are unknown quantities rs yet.
They come with loud blare of trum-
pets-but so did Butler.
If ever there was country fitted by
nature for successful defence it is the |
Transvaal. 1t can be approached only |
by means of narrow defiles, leading |
among high, rocky mountains, where |
a handful of men can withstand a |
thousand. As the British advance, |
they will have to garrison their bases, |
thus constantly depicting their col |
umns. There are deep mountain |
streams to cross, too. 1t will be slow |
and costly business, every step marked |
by blood. Pretoria, the capital, is
said to be so strongly fortified as to be
impregnable. Appalling slaughter will |
ensue before it is reached.
The Boer is a hardy specimen of
Injured to toll and hardship,
and thoroughly familiar, of course.
with the country. Man for man. at the
kind Of warfare it will be necessary to
adopt if England is to win, he is worth
at least three British soldiers, some
say five. 1t is estimated that there are
100000 Afrikanders in arms now. Can
England summon force enough to con-
quer them? 1t is not certain that she
can. The fact that she has millions of
subjects does not of itself count. The
only force that avais is the one she is
able to bring into line of battle. She
cannot pour her last drop of energy
INTO the task, for she has great inter
ests elsewhere that might suffer if she 1
lid. OF course her reserve strength is
Of immense value to her and it is this.
il anything, that will pun her through.
In men and money she is rich. Even
f she lost three men to every one of
he Beers, she could win ultimately. if
nothing interviewed. But every dav !
Increases the chance that some foreign !
may arise that win dis
ract her attention and prevent her J
a crushing force. The :
Beers, too, are receiving some acces- G
ions from other countries of adyen- i
urers and sympathizers. They have
he moral support of the entire world