The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1902-06-13

The British have lost far more
than the Beers in the war that has
just closed. Not only have they
sacrificed q billion and a Quarter
OF dollars and $1,000 lives. but
they have lost prestige among the
nations that will do the empire
incalculable damage. Up to the
time Of this war the British en-
pire had been considered the most
powerful of the world. She was
not only the undisputed mistress
Of the sea, but it was supposed
that she could, if need be put into
the field an army eqnal to the
greatest nations of the continent.
In commerce she was supreme.
London was the financial center
of the universe. England was
the creditor nation of the world.
The other nations stood even more
In awe OF her bankers and mer-
chants than they did of her soldiers
and sailors, for money is as potent
factor in making war as great
navies aud strong battalions. On
hundreds of battle6elds and in
countless sea fights the Brilons
had built up a reputation for
dauntless courage and mastery
military skill that made their name
formidable whenever war with
them was considered. She girded
the world with her dominion and
dictated terms of war and peace
to humanity,
What wonder then that her
people should be the most arrogant
Of mankind. Nothing to them
seemed worth consideration that
did not have it's origin in their
tight little island. 1t was not
strange that they should overrate
their own Importance and under
rate the power of other nations
Especially was it natural that they
should despise the power of the
little South African republics.
These Lilliputian nations only
had population of about $50
600 people. At most their fight
ing men could not number above
$4,000, and these were nearly all
simple farmers. utterly ignorant
of the ways OF the outside world.
They had no knowledge of mill
tary tactics and were supposed to
be destitute Of munitions Of war
What had Britain with her
3aO, O)O, 900 subjects. her countless
wealth and her stupendous arma-
ments to fear from this handful of
ignorant farmers9
1t was rs though a gaint should
60 forth to do battle with pulling
infant. Kruger's warming that if
England won at all in the struggle
it would be at cost which stag
gered humanity was laughed to
scorn, and few thousand troops
were sent against the impudent
Burgbers with the confident be
lief that the insolent fellows would
be whipped into submission within
the course OF few weeks.
All the world knows how swift
and frightful was the disillusion-
ing. Ladysmith, Mafeking, Tuge-
la river, Spion Kop and hundred
other bloody fields where the
flower of British manhood went
down before the unerring aim of
the Burgher rifiemen were witness
ses of fall in pride such as no
nation ever before had to endure.
Mover in history was the rotten
ness of a military system built on
social favoritism rather than merit
more fatally exposed. The world
stood in amazement at the exhibi-
ton Of unspeakable stupidity on
the part of gilded officers whose on
ly merit was their physical courage
tho courage common to all fight
ing animals. Blunder after blum
der of the most idiotic sort, imbe-
oility in the field ineaiciency in
the war Office and rottenness
through and through was the
miserable record made for more
than two and q half years before
the gaping nations.
Instead of being word with
which to conjure fear, the name of
Britain became one of reproach
among other powers. Countries
that had feared to offend her took
heart and began to carry chips on
their shoulders in her presence.
What fearful results to England
may follow the future will show.
Certain it is that the empire is in
more danger of attack now than
ever before. Since her weakness
has been 80 exposed continental
nations have talked more conf
IDENTIFY than ever Of their ability
to successfully invade the island.
and it is not improbable that such
an invasion will DO the result.
At the same time the CONNER
cial prestige of the empire has
waned. The United States have
passed her in the race for COM
mercial supremacy and Germany