The Irish standard., 1900-02-17
THE SITUATION IN AFRICA.

THE SITUATION IN AFRICA.
Up to the present time Dom Paul is
on top in South Africa and the Ameri..
can people have but scant sympathy
with John Bull, the under combatant in
the fight. The third repulse of Gen.
Butler across the Tugela has been a
hard blow for the Britons to bear At
first, his attack was said to be "a feint' !;
then it was said the man in the balloon
reported that the Beers held an i'm
pregnable position and were leading
the British into a trap; and lastly Bull
Ter himself tells Roberts that Krantz
Hill was untenable from the fact that
no trenches could be dug to protect his
army from the Boer artillery, and
therefore he recrossed the river to
await developments.
Winston Churchill tells the English
not to blame Butler, to have confidence
in him; that he will do better next time.
But the English have no faith in "the
silent and bloodthirsty man." and now
turn to Roberts for consolation. The
lrishman has superseded Methuen at
Modder River, and great deal is ex-
pected from him. It is supposed he
will try to cross that stream to relieve
Cecil Rhodes at Kimberley, but Cronjc
and his men are waiting for him to hurl
his army back in confusion. Lady
smith is left to its fate and every effort
will be put forth to save the diamond
town where the chief conspirator and
instigator OF all the trouble is impris-
oned.
The friends of Cecil Rhodes at home
are alarmed at his fate and fear the
Beers will wreak vengeance upon him
when he falls into their hands. They
have i1nplored DR.. Leyds to Use his
good offices in behalf of their distin-
guishcd countrytnan and he has assured
them that hair of his head will not be
injured by his captors. He will be held
as hostage until the indemnity for the
jameson raid is paid to the last far
thing. Owing to subsequent develop
ments since then, the friends of Rhodes
must pay 100000 before he will be
set at liberty; but that is mere baga-
telle which the diamond king can easily
pay himself. He evidently prefers cap
ture to diet of horse flesh, which the
inhabitants have been devouring for the
past six weeks
1t is impossible to describe the feel
ings of the English people over the BIT
ter chalice which has been placed to
their lips by Judas Chamberlain and his
gang of marauders. They feel deeply
Inundated over the result OF the opera
tons in their own territories, and at
last realize how weak the British en-
pire is after all. The jingoes, however,
keep stiff upper lip and boast they
can raise half million men to subdue
the ignorant Beers But as Frank
Harris. former editor of the Saturday
Review, says in a pamphlet just pub
lished: Quality and not quantity is
what England needs to beat the
Beers" He recognizes the superiority
OF the Beers with the rifle and cries
out: Get TIP your corps of marksmen
now. Give them telescope sights and
the best rifles Train them as sharp
shooters, not as pugilists, and you will
beat the Bocrs yet, and not otherwise. F."
But sharpshooters are not made in a
day, and while they are practicing at
targets, the Beers may have annihilated
the British at the front.
A famous Russian military expert,
Herr Won Bloch, thinks that England's
task of subdung the Beers by massing
tremendous forces is impossible. In a
recent interview he says: "The ques-
ton of provision alone makes it seem
impossible that England could ever
concentrate tremendous force in that
country, and the farther they go from
the coast the more difficult becomes
the question. No, the chances of the
English will grow constantly worse. 1t
will come to complete stagnation OF
military movements. Troops will lie
watching each other for months, tor
nenting each other by little skirmishes.
So it may last for years until clearer
understanding d,;Ens or until stagna-
ton in the mon4H market causes COM
nercial circles to call halt"
Speaking of the probable capture Of