Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1900-02-16
SPIRIT OF THE PRESS
FACTS AND OPINIONS GATHERED
FROM CONTEMPORARIES.
TIE RoERs' ARMY.

THE Beers ARMY.
When Lord Chamberlain declared war
upon the Beers of South Africa he had
little conception of the magnitude of the
task he set for England As he saw It
African farmers, whose property he pro-
posed to seize, were a feeble and ignorant
few who could interpose no resistance
worth mentioning to Britain's power and
who would be forced without much diff
Guilty to give up their gold and diamond
mines and surrender their political rights
or be shot down like so many disagree
able beasts. His fellow pirates shared
his opinions. His commanding general
jauntily announced that he would eat his
Christmas dinner IN the Boer capital.
Cecil Rhodes organized new companies
to operate the mines that were to be
taken before New Years. Parliament,
in order to be sure that all expenses
would be provided for, voted ten million
pounds. The army embarked in its dress
parade uniforms for picnic.
Now, outgeneraled and outfought, on
their own territory, in which the farmers
met them, and stung and Inundated by
defeat, they are all accounting for the
disasters that have befallen them by
fairy tales as to the numbers, resources
and preparations of the Beers, beginning
with an estimate of the size of the army
that is holding them at bay, which is
stated officially to be $1,000 men, divided
as follows
Transvaalers 10000
Mercenaries 800
free Staters. 900
Foreigners. 2,JOO
Cape rebels. $500
That this is gross eXaggeration is
evident enough. In order to make an
intelligent estimate of the Boer strength
it must be remembered that it is only
the Transvaal and the Orange Free
State that are arrayed against Great
Britain that of the populations of these
two countries large part are colored
natives who take no part in the war and
that another portion is English and is to
be counted as such in this struggle. In
other words, that the army which con-
fronts the British troops consists of what
Beers can bel recruited in the few re-
publics and few of their race who are
residents of Cape Colony, Natal and
other English provinces.
According to census taken In 1896 the
total white population of all races of the
Transvial was 2i5 397, and of the Orange
Free State 71,7l6, making total of 1928,
113, and of this about ne half were
Beers. A later estimate by J. w Jag
ger, president of the united chamber of
commerce of Cape Colony, places the
BOer population of the Transvaal at S0-
900 and that of the Free State at 500.
Accepting this estimate. and also Null
halls statistics, which show that the
number of males between the ages of II
and 65 in any country Is but one-fourth
of the population, the Chicago Herald
demonstrates that if the Transvaal has
put into its army every boy and man
capable of carrying gun its army can
not exceed 10000. As the Orange Free
State is in the fight only as an ally of the
Transvaal, and as its Boer population is
smaller, its contribution can scarcely be
more than 1000 soldiers. making 30 600
As to the English colonies, from hich a
few Beers have undoubtedly gone out to
help those of their race in resisting Brit
ish aggression, Jaeger estimates the en-
tire Boer population of Basutoland at
300, of Natal and Zululand at $500. of
Rhodesia at 1900. The number is too in.
significant to be taken into account,
since relatively small ratio of these
people are taking part in the war. Cape
Colony and Bechuanaland, however,
have about 5000 Beers. and they
might furnish more than 800 men. But
they are under the severest restraint and
fear the punishment that would result
from an unsuccessful uprising.
That $1,000 of the citizens of these
colonies are to be found in the patriot
army is not probable, but if it is assumed
there are that number the total strength
is only 80 600 which is distributed as
follows:
Around Ladysmith.. .....................2 % 900
On the Orange ivcr......................lO 00l
In tie Kimberley dstrict.................l2 900
At Mafeking and minor points............ 1000
Total -. ........ ........................5OOO 900
Against these Great Britain has al
ready sent more than a hundred thous-
and, thus confessing that a Dutch farm
er fighting for his home. his liberty and
his country is the equal of at least two
of her trained soldiers bent upon con-
quest, subjugation and spOlation.-M
Tor and Farmer.
NEEDS OF VERMONT.
The old Green Mountain state will soon
enter in company with her sister states
the mystic circle of time known as the
10Th century. She must, however, work
out alone her own salvation and gain the
goal of success and prosperity by her