The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-10-28
SPICY BOTHA
Boer General Amused at British
Tactics In Late War.
PLANNING AN OFFICIAL HISTORY

! FamOu Fighter Hopes to Arrange .
From the Eurghers' Side, Written
by Well know Leaders-Will visit
America For Relief Funds.
Since General Louis Botha intends
visiting the United States soon a rath-
er amusing interview which the Lon-
don Chronicle correspondent had with
him at Maritzburg is worth reading, as
it gives a Boer view of the not very
redoubtable British prowess in the
field, says the London correspondent
Of the Philadelphia Press.
The correspondent describes Botha
as follows: Louis Botha is a big man,
full six feet high and stoutly built.
His shoulders in particular are i'm
mense, and his huge brick red hands
are carried clumsily swinging. He
wear a dropping brown mustache;
small, pointed beard, that does not
conceal a firm, round chin, and short
hair. His face is full and pleasant;
light blue eyes twinkle below heavy
brows. The small, beautifully carved
nose that often accompanies Huguenot
descent is his best feature. He was
magniticently brOnzed and looked like
a very fit south Of England farmer
rather than a fighting general. With
him We're Jan De Wet, younger broth
er of Christian of that ilk, and his own
brother, Commandant Christian Botha,
whom all South Africa knows as Chris.
Jan De Wet would insist on inter-
preting, for Louis Botha has but little
English and, l suspect, is apt to tell
the truth without discrimination to all
who approach him in the Taal, where
as the urbane Jan is q barrister of the
inner temple and has even dipped into
journalism. So l had to speak Eng.
lish, but my notes were of Louis b.
tha's answers and not Of JAMS render
ings.
!, There is every prospect of a lasting
peace" said the general, "if people will
sink their individual feelings and work
together for the good of the country.
It's time South Africa had a chance"
'Now, about the war. How did the
Beers look upon blockhouses?
Jan De Wet laughed as he put the
question, and Louis Botha smiled
broadly.
II Think" said the latter, %chuckling,
"they We're useful in finding employ
ment for men who were not t o be
trusted. with horses"
This was a facer, and l showed my
establishment plainly.
stTho h1ool, ho1So limos Oovor ctonpo1
me from going where l wanted to co."
added the general, land they never
stopped De Wet"
"De Wet broke the fences with cat
tie, did he not?" l asked.
Jan De Wet replied this time. "He
says he did so," he said, land l
can't see how it would be possible.
Cattle won't run in a mass unless
there are men leading them. You
can't drive them like horses" He
translated this to Louis Botha, who
nodded in agreement.
odd your experience lead you to re-
gard any particular arm of the British
service as specially efficient and dis
agreeable" vas my mex question.
THAT is too wide a question:" re-
piled the general. 81 got on pretty
well with all of them"
:The c%olonials, too?' | queried.
81 did not see much difference" he
answered.
"And what.about II intelligence de-
partment?'
Again the general was much amused.
cts all right" he said. II have inter-
copied a good many dispatches and
quite often found them reliable"
"Tell me something about your own
arrangements" suggested. "We heard
a great deal about the magnificent Or
ment. Had you such a thing?"
"Yes," he answered.; 1--WE had the
best system possible. Every one of my
burghers is an intelligence officer born,
and | had no need to single out any
one of them to do the work they all
did,
"Do you intend to visit England?"
EYES," replied the general; 81 am 60
ing to England with DE Wet and De-
going to the continent. too, and to
America"
"What is the object of the tour?"
1--WE want to get funds for the relief i.
of burghers ruined by the war. and es-
pecially for widows and orphans and
cripples."
Are you going to lecture" in
quired.
He laughed. II can't" he replied.
"But I don't know what we shall do
yet"
els there to be a book?"
II hope" he replied, ito arrange for
an official history of the war from the
Boer side. De Wet will write his share,
Delarey his, l mine, and so n l think
there ought to be such a book"
"It would be very Interestingly"