Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1901-09-28
BRITONs ARE AsTOUNDED.

BRITONs ARE AsTOUNDED.
Success of the Beers Are Entirely
Beyond Comprehension.
To say that all England is astounded
by the successes Of the Beers on two
successive days Is to put it mildly. The
people are absolutely dumbfounded at
the news, and clamor as loudly against
war office methods as they did in the
days when Metheun and other British
generals were trapped by the burghers.
There Is no further talk now about
droves of Beers coming in WIN flags
Of truce to surrender and there Is no
reasonable doubt that the war, such as
it is, will be prolonged another year
unless the government takes steps not
hitherto planned.
Only a few weeks ago talk was SAN
guine of the removal Of 10000 troops
from South Africa, with the resultant
lifting Of so much financial burden from
the country. Then the optimists Of
Lombard street did not believe that an
other large government loan would be
required before the end Of the year.
Now 1t seems likely that we shall hear
before many weeks demand for more
funds.
The situation, as seen by the average
Englishman, now is: The Beers began
their third summer campaign this
week. The opening engagement within
two days resulted, so far as the British
censorship discloses, in 80 British killed
and $40 wounded and taken prisoners.
as we'll as five guns captured. This ex-
ceeds the loss in the opening fights In
October, 1899, when the combatants
first met.
It would be a serious mistake to as
some that, because about 10000 Boers
are prisoners, it would be impossible
for battles Of the magnitude of the first
struggles at the Tugela and Modder
rivers to be repeated. The Beers in the
past year have probably recruited 5000
colonial Dutch, while the Republican
forces are now at their fullest available
strength, instead Of as originally. leav-
ing one man of each family to reside on
the farm. On the other hand, Lord
Kitchener's army. although five times
the strength Of General Buffers first
force, does not represent a proportion
ately greater combatant capacity. Be-
fore the invasion Of the Boer republics
the total British force was available
for seeking and engaging the Beers. but
now nearly 5000 miles Of railway must
be guarded so closely that adjoining
posts meet daily and nightly.
Commander-in-C Chief Botha's present
plan Is simple and apparently worka-
BILE. AS soon as Lord Kitchener's date
Of September Is for the general surren-
der Of the burghers. lapsed, and the
Boer leaders were placed under the ban
Of the forfeiture Of their property and
lifelong exile, it was obvious that, hav-
ing decided not to surrender. they could
serve no purpose by remaining In the
republican territory. They therefore
struck Immediately into the British COL
onies, where they were enabled to make
immediate reprisals on their enemies
subjects. 1t is significant that there is
no record Of their releasing prisoners
during the present weeks engagement.
If the British authorities attempt any
particular severity in the new phase OF
the war, the fact that the Beers are
able to collect armed hostages when
ever they try, may induce the English
to pause.
The present position thus remains diff
ficult, though in different way from
what 1t was two years ago. Many Of
the British troops. particularly the
mounted men, are in a very unsatis-
factory condition. The infantry has
long since succumbed to the fatalistic
idea that they are trudging after an
agile will-o'-the-w wisp. whom they never
expect to catch, while the recent impor-
tations of British horsemen, like the
BOurDOHS, leetIH hothhii5 "N
nothing.
Secretary of War Broderick's most
notable contribution to the field force
was in sending out $4,000 yeomanry.
Lord Kitchener's criticism of them, In
a report which the war office was con-
strained to publish, was: Many of
them were unable to either shoot or
ride. and others are quite unsuitable
for the work in hand. Numbers Of
them had to be taught the elements Of
a soldiers business when they were
sorely needed at the front. Over 100 of
the 400 officers had to be sent home"
Weary and disgusted though the Eng
lish people are with the war, yet the
dangerous quicksand on which they
seem to see their generals, regulars and
volunteers alike, has compelled the
newspapers to give prominence to the
bad news of the week, and yesterday
and today the war-offlce messages sup
planted the rest of the worlds news for
prominence in all the journals. The
misgivings in regard to the future have
been deepened by the announcement
that Secretary Of War Broderick, af-
ter his professions that proved compe-
tence alone would entitle man to pro-
motion, has appointed Sir Redvers Bull