Washington sentinel., 1901-01-12
Home for the Boers.

London dispatches indicate that
the situation in South Africa is
more serious than the British Gov
ernment is willing to admit. The
Boer invasion OF Cape Colony has
precipitated a condition approxi
mating civil var. Martial law has
been proclaimed in many districts
of the Colony, and the loyal" in
habitants have been called to arms
to assist in repelling the Dutch
invaders. Guns from a British bat
tleship have been landed at Cape
Town, the defenses OF that city
have been strengthened, and the
Boer prisoners have been removed
to transports in the harbor. The
British colonies have been urged
to send additional volunteer com
mands to South Africa to help the
"mother country" conquer the
few thousand Dutch who are still
in the field. Altogether, London
seems to be in a state Of mind
bordering on panic mingled with
disgust.
Il the Dutch population OF Cape
Colony should rise in body and
make common cause with their
brethren in arms in the Transvaal
and Orange Free State the Beers
might yet be able to force Great
Britain into making substantial
concessions. mot a vestige OF
their independence shall remain,
said Lord Salisbury a few months
ago; but this declaration did not
crush the spirit of the burghers,
and ever since then they have been
waging war in their own way anc
inficting losses upon the enemy
Not quite two weeks ago Lore
Kitchener, the British commander.
in.chiei, made an address to par
oled burghers-under instruction.
from the Government, probably
in which he displayed a modera
ton that was in striking contrast
to Lord SalisburV's "uncondi
tional surrender" ultimatum.
No doubt .he British could sub
| jugate the Beers in time, even i
the latter should be reinforced BY
Cape Colony burghers. But the
continuation OF the war for an in
definite period will entail terrible
losses in men and the expenditure
OF an immense sum OF money. The
Dutch can carry on guerilla war
far for years, and as lone as there
are armed bodies Of burghers ir
the field cutting off railroad com
munication, attacking small Brit
ish garrisons and supplying them
selves with provisions, arms anc
ammunition at the expense OF the
enemy it will be necessary to keer
the bulk Of the British army in
South Africa. Under these cir.
cumstances the British people are
fast reaching the conclusion thai
the game may not be worth the
candle, and that while they are
exhausting their resources in the
South African war they may be
sacrificing their Interests in other
afsa- e7tial atTv' tiT+v'-ihPertanf fields. i
this conviction should become
widespread it is not impossible
that the Beers may get tterms which
will leave them "vestige OF their
independence" Lord Salisbury to
the contrary Notwithstanding.
1t is significant that one OF the
ablest and most influential London
daily newspapers, an organ OF the
Liberal party, will, under new pro-
prietorship, advocate peace with
the Beers Heretofore it has sup
ported the Government. There
are many thoughtful men in Eng
land who would gladly make terms
with the Beers on a basis perhaps
not OF complete autonomy, but
certainly involving liberal conces-
sions. The British public, which
is already heavily taxed to pay the
enormous costs Of the war, will not
be disposed to submit without a
protest to the additional expendi-
lures necessary to crush all Boer
resistance. Under the circum-
stances, therefore, IL is not improb-
able that the Beers, while not main
tanning the same measure OF inde-
pendence which they enjoyed be-
fore the war, may yet save some
thing from the wreck.