Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1902-04-03
PROGRESS OF THE WAR.
Conditions in South Africa at the End
of January.

Conditions in South Africa at the End
of January.
On the accompanying map lines of
blockhouses and south African con-
stabulary posts are marked with small
crosses. 1t is not necessary to make
any distinction on the map between
the two, but where reference is made
in the text to constabulary posts they
will be so designated. The main diff
ference between these posts and
blockhouses is that, while the latter
are purely lines of defence, the former
are provided to a varying extend with
a striking arm. No hard and fast rule
but, generally speaking constabulary
posts are established at intervals of
five or six miles with occasional
blOckhOuses between them. The per-
imeter of each post is marked by four
or more blockhOuses, and within
these is the intrenched position for
the garrison and horses.
The blockhouses have spider web,
barbed wire ENHANCEMENT, the four
being connected with a barbed wire
fence. The strength Of the posts
varies between fifty and one hundred
men. The blockhOuses in between are
manned by a corporal and six men
A blockhouse line, on the other
hand, may consist merely of num-
Der of bloclhouses manned by from
seven to sixteen men, and set at inter
walls varying from 700 to 1000 yards.
All railway lines are "blockhoused"
in this way, and where possible the
blOckhOuSeS are connected with
barbed wire fencing, set sometimes
while trench has been dug on one or
both sides of the railway. 1t will
be understood that the whole of the
1900 miles of railway blockhoused
have not been connected with fencing
while the additional strengthening has
been confined to the more threatened
portions of the line In the case of
cross country lines Of blOckhouses
the smaller intervals are generally
employed; but here again the nature
of the country, questions of transport
and military exigencies play a con-
siderable role The custom is to in
trust to a column the task of running
out blOckhOuse lines. A start is made
from the railway and at first the
blockhOuses are erected with Won
derful rapidity, the builders being. as
a rule the infantry regiment that is to
garrison the line, assisted by a few
sappers and natives But as the
"blOckhouse head" recedes from the
railway the rate OF progress de-
creases. Material has to be labori-
Ously brought out by OK convoy. and
the supply of neither wagons nor
oxen is unlimited. If there is urgent
need FIR the completion of the line
land where is there not?) the work
will be hurried on by putting up the
blockhOuses at wider intervals, leav-
ing the spaces to be filed in and the
fencing to be completed later The
blockhouse must now be so familiar
an object to the British public that
description Of it here would be super
fiuOus. Once installed in their CORFU
gated iron home. the small garrison
set about strengthening their defences
Earth bags and barbed wire are the
customary material, while trenches are
assiduously cut all around. If the
fencing between their blockhouse and
those on either side is not complete,
the garrison will help to construct it,
and that finished, a trench from block
house to blOckhOuSe will be begun
each man digging a certain length
every day. To q regiment that has
been marching continuously fer many
months blockhouse duty comes as
welcome relief, and the life, though
naturally tending to be monotonous
after a while, is by no means unpopu-
lar with the men. Tommy rarely
fails to exercise his ingenuity in his
new home. and often the regulation
dummy sentry. the modest kitchen gar
den and the whole Enclosure within the
barbed wire are models of neatness.
At stated intervals in a long line
of blockhOuses there will be posts
resembling the constabulary posts
described above with the difference
that the garrison not being mounted,
is still meant for defensive purposes
only. These posts are responsible for
the blockhOuSes in their sections;
ratiOnS and water will be distributed
from them, and every blockhouse will
be visited during the day by an Of
ficer.-London Times