The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-09-24
NOT YET CONQUERED.

The dispatches from South Africa
show that the Beers are a long way
from being conquered. Indeed, they
seem to be giving the British a great
deal more trouble than they did a few
months ago. 1t has not been so very
long since it was confidently stated by
the British government that 1T would
soon be possible for Gen. Kitchener to
send home about 10000 of his men.
thus lessening the expense consider
ably of carrying on the war. In fact
the whole world was assured that the
war was practically at an end and
that Gen. Kitchener had only guerrilla
of course, that these bands were diff
cult to deal with, and Gen. Kitchener
thought an excellent way to suppress
them was to announce that the prop
erty of burghers who did not surrender
by certain date would be confiscated,
sent into lifelong exile. The date
fixed was Sept. Is. But the burghers
did not hasten to surrender. On the
contrary, they showed greater activ-
ity and a sudden accession of strength.
Several engagements have taken place
since that proclamation was issued.
and they were on such a large scale
that it can no longer be truthfully
said that the Beers are carrying on
only a guerrilla warfare.
The British war office is not giving
out the exact number of men Great
Britain has in South Africa, but it is
very large. The fact that the British
have to guard 5000 miles of railway
must not be overlooked in figuring out
the actual situation. The army posts
along the whole line have to be so close
together that the Beers cannot reach
the road and destroy the track. To
insure protection for the road many
thousands of men are required.
1t is estimated that there are about
$4,000 Beers in the field. In this num-
Der is included about every available
Boer. None is left at home now, as
in the early part of the war; to guard
the household and look after the farm.
The 10000 prisoners and the 1900 men
in the field comprise about all of the
fighting men of the Boer republics. 1t
looks as if 1t would take Gen. Kitch-
ener another year to capture the Beers
in the field-or at least a sufficient
number of them to convince the re-
mainder that further resistance is use
less.
In the meantime dissatisfaction in
England with the way the war is he
ing conducted is increasing. The feel
ing there over the South African out
look is of a gloomy character. The
British public see another big loan in
sight for war purposes. When the last
loan was made there were assurances
from the government that no further
loans would be necessary, and it is
probable that the government was sin
cere in the position it then took. 1t is
becoming apparent however, that 1t
greatly moderated the strength of the
Beers.
Perhaps the British public would be
better satisfied If money were spent
more freely in bringing the war to an
end. The impression is getting abroad
that the effort made to cut down ex-
penses-that is, to conduct the war on
a cheap plan-is going to prove to be
a costly one. There is no doubt of
course that the people of the British
colonies in South Africa are helping
the Beers, and it is within the bounds
of probability that these colonies will
openly join them. 1t is safe asser-
tion that they would join them at once
if there were good reasons for think
ing that the Beers chances for sue
cess were good. The English people
win rejoice when the South African
business is ended They have got
neither glory nor profit out of it.