The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1901-06-22
DEFEAT OF BRITISH coLor1ALs.

1t affords us very great pleasure to
record the defeat of the British colonial
troops in South Africa, because they
offered their services for pay to fight
the gallant Beers and Travelled over the
seas to plumber and devastatc the
homes Of 4 people who never did them
an injury. We were glad when the
Canadians met their doom ut paarde-
burg, and we are exceedingly glad of
the fate that befell the Australians at
Welmansrust, when only two officers
and fifty men out of $50 escaped cap
t,rc and slaughter. Kitchener himself
tells the story in the following dis
patch:
"Near Welmansrust. twenty miles
south of Middelburg, $50 Victorian
mounted rifles from General Beaston's
column We're surprised in camp at
Steenkoolspruit by a superior force of
Beers at $50 p. M. June IL. The
enemy crept up to within short range
and poured a deadly fire into the camp.
killing two officers and sixteen men,
and wounding four officers and thirty
eight men, of whom twenty eight were
slightly wounded. Only two officers
and fifty men escaped to General Bcas-
toms camp. The remainder were taken
prisoners and released. Two pompoms
were captured by the enemy. Full de
tails have not yet been received"
This is disastrous blow to the
colonial troops from the antipodes, and
one which will bring sorrow into the
homes Of their relatives far away.
They lost 80 per cent i'm killed, wound
ed and prisoners, and the news has a
saddening effect upon Britons every
where
The British accounts during THE last
few weeks are not very encouraging,
and the consequence is that peace meet
lngs are being held in England, at
which Chamberlain and Salisbury arc
Missed for continuing the war. A year
ago the meetings would have been
broken up by the agents of the ingoes
but now they are not disturbed. The
Beers are determined to fight to the
bitter end, and in recent engagements
have come off victorious.
1t is observed THAT after Boer vic
tory comes British victory as an off
set to placate the English at home.
After the bloody battle of Vlakfontein
about two weeks ago, it was said in a
so-called Associated Press dispatch
from Pretoria that the Beers received
a severe drubbing, but such was not
the case for 1t has since been Off
cially denied by Kitchener himself.
1t was said the Beers were nego-
tiating for peace and that Mrs. Botlha
went to Europe to bring about cessa-
tion Of hostihties. This news has been
contadieted by the wife Of the Boer
general. The Beers are demonstrating
their capacity to continue the war for
an indefinite period and will never Law
down their arms while the British re.
main in the country. Not only have
they retained possession Of the coun-
try remote from the railroads in the
Transvaal, Orange Free State and Ma
tai, but they are overrunning Cape
Colony and hold two-thirds of 1t under
their sway.
A writer in the Westminster Review
says that three months before the be-
ginning Of the South African war, a
British statesman declared that Eng
land was determined to take possession
Of the two South African republics az
soon as possible. He said: at is a
question Of life and death. If England
does not crush the Beers now. she her
self will be crushed by them later on"
Well, England has been trying to crush
them for two years and has not succeed
ed. She has conducted war of exter
mination against the brave farmers OF
South Africa and committed crimes
against humanity which orv RI hoovop