The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-01-14
The Queen and the Boer War.

According to a despatch from London
yesterday. Queen Victoria-probably at
the suggestion OF her redoubtable Se2re-
tary of State for the Colonies-has issued
a personal mandate to the effect that
something must be done to bring the war
in South Africa to an end. Royal com
mauds are not to be treated lightly. but,
at the same time. it may be said with
more or less truth that the wishes or the
will of princes do not always affect the
actions of the party of the other part in
the way desired.
Her Majesty. no doubt. is tired of the
African struggle. as who is not? She nay
desire her Ministers to send Lord Kitche-
ner the endorsements he wants, and is
necessarily demanding. The trouble is
that thirty thousand fresh men for ser
vice between the Cape and the upper end
of the Transvaal are not considered OBJ
tainable, except by CONSUMPTION and that
is something at which the Salisbury Gov
eminent as well as British public opinion
SHES violently.
Mr.. Chamberlain is high ins favor at
court just now, and as he represents the
aggressive policy always dear to the in
sular heart is also power with the
masses. This personal influence appears
to increase as the Premier ages and grows
less and less able to stand up under the
accumulated burdens of physical weak
ness and the strain of situation more
trying than any which it has been the lot
of any Minister to handle since the days
of the Napoleonic wars.
But the commanding position OF Mr..
Chamberlain, allowing him all the great
ness he would be first to ascribe to him
self will hardly put additional troops at
his disposal, or cause the Beers to quit
their exasperating habit of refusing to
consider themselves whipped. The in
vasion of Cape Colony goes on just the
same. British garrisons are surprised
and bagged at uncomfortably short inter
walls, and the Dutch leaders are not show
ing the smallest inclination to make
peace.
The hope in London seems to be that
they can be induced to accept some sort
of terms and stop fighting. That may not
be impossible; but just now there is little
10 encourage the idea. Botha, De Wet
Delarey. Steyn, and Hertzog with their
commanders. delare that they will die I'M
der arms rather than submit to the ex-
tinction of the South African States as
Independent republics. Should they con-
tinue in this mind. there is not much
question of tEeir ability to continue the
war for months 10 come or indefinitely
And this is prospect which no British
statesman can contemplate without alarm.
The prestige of the imperial army is badly
shattered. and with it has vanished Euro
pean respect for Great Britain as a mill
tary power on land. The clouds are gath
ering in the sky Of European politics. and
it is of the utmost Importance that the
South African preoeeupation should be Ter
minated. British impotency in present
circumstances is painfully illustrated in
the policy of concession which Lord Sails
bury has been compelled to adopt in China,
and which yet may call for further sub
missions and. perhaps. humiliations. In
short, the Hons claws are clipped. at any
rate for the time being. and no man can
guess what the ugly-looking future may
hold in store. The new century issopening
inauspiciously for John Bull