New-York tribune., 1901-09-25
THE OUTLOOK IN SOUTH AFRICA.


The 18th of September has come and gone.
| 1t was the latest of the days set for the ending
| of the war in South Africa. But the war con-
! tinues just as before. So far as is perceptible
4 In current news dispatches, Lord kitcheners
| portentous proclamation and the defiant reply
| of the Beers have both been void OF erect IL
| does not appear that single Boer has surren-
dered because of British threats, nor have we
| heard Of any Boer reprisals. We have however,
| heard much of the continuation of the war
| Boer commanders have been ambushing or sur
| prisng and capturing British detachments, and
| British troops have been pursuing and killing
or capturing Beers. And one of the latest items
of news is that marines are being landed from
| British warship for the defence OF Mossel
| Bay and Aliwal South.
Beyond doubt this state of affairs must be re-
| garded in Great Britain with much disappoint-
| ment and humiliation and some evaporation.
| Despite all that has been said and done. the
| war seems scarcely nearer end than it was
| year ago. Indeed, the of its operations
| is actually wider than it was then. The Trans
| vaal and the Orange State are not yet subdued
Rebellion is steadily spreading in Cape Colony,
| and Natal is threatened with renewed invasion.
Despite the number Of Beers killed and capt
| ured, the Boer forces seem to be as numerous
| as ever and to be we'll supplied with arms and
| ammunition. This latter circumstance appar-
| emily indicates one of two things. Either the
| Boer commanders being recruited from
abroad or the number of rebels in and from
| Cape Colony is ominousy increasing. Perhaps
| both are true. 1t is an open secret that the
| Boer army is and has from the outset been
| largely composed Of foreign mercenares. The
| Beers themselves boast of the fact. Germans,
! Frenchmen and Irishmen have flocked to the
| Boer standard, some for hatred Of England
some for love of fighting. and some for lust of
| gold. Whether more of them will be able to
get In to the scene of conflict is doubtful But
| there is no doubt that many have got in. and
| that supplies of arms and ammunition have
been Smuggled in.
The most serious feature of the case is, how
ever, the spread of rebellion in Cape Colony
| Whether not there in that colony before
| the war a reasonable conspiracy with the Beers
| against the British Government does not greatly
matter now What does matter is that such
conspiracy now exists and is being put into
practical execution. Thousands of British sub
jects all over the colony are in more or less
open revolt That greatly increases the formi
dableness of the war. Still more does II increase
the gloom OF the outlook for a settlement after
the war. The Beers of the Transvaal and
| Orange Colony may be treated as ordinary
! are on an entirely different footing They are
| to be dealt with traitors And either the
| British Government will have 10 eat its own
words and pardon traitors-something which 1t
| has been declaring would be sucldal-or II must
| score Cape Colony all over with scars which
| century may not be able to obllterate
| The outlook is a sad There Is little
| doubt as to what the British Government win
do. Whether or not it executes literally Lord
Kitchener's yet futile order, II will inexoraby
| keep on with the until-if necessary
| through sheer attrition the Boers and the alien
| mercenaries and the rebel colonsts are all worn
| out or destroyed That it will relent and offer
| TO the Beers the absolute independence which
| they demand as the sole price of peace Is sim
| ply unthnkable. That any other power will
| intervene in behalf OF the Beers is not 10 he
| expected. The German Emperor has just given
| strong hint against II, and 1t Is understood
| that the Arbitration Tribunal at The Hague
| will decline to consider the Boer appeal. The
passing of September - without result suiii-
ciently demonstrates the futillty OF any further
| parley or menace. Deeds, not words must set
| tie the dispute.