Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1906-03-28

than 700 or 500 armed and amunition-
ed- are still in the field but are beine
driven by conyerging columns. Luck.
lily for the Germans. the Ovambos in
the northeast, who had given some
cause for uneasiness. have not riser
and remain to be dealt with later on.
The country in which the operations
against the Hottentots are being con
Quoted is a very difficult one, situated
in the great Karras Mountains, with
steep hills and deep valleys strewa
with boulders and loose stones, the
approach TO the stronghold (Naradus1
as seen from the plain appearing like.
d wall of mountains. The object lat
terly has been to capture the cattle
and small stock-the key to the posi-
tion-and the Hottentots have made
many plucky attacks to regain these.
but in each case so far, unsuccessfuIly
General Won Trotha has recently is
sued proclamation to the natives stfll
in rebellion, warning them of a fate.
similar to that of the Herreros should
they continue Obdurate. and at the
same time promising not only pardon
to all with the exception of murder
ers) who surrender, and also Offering
rewards for the capture of ringlead.
ers.
The serious difficulties already al
luded to have been aggravated by cat
ue-sickness, which has been pronounc
cd by the Carupan ,-ata~iro,.;oo e. -
rinderpest, a most serious matter in a
country 50 dependent upon this means
of rranspOrt-it will be remembered
how cattle-disease swept Mashonalanu
during the local rebellion, and how the
oxen had 10 be supplanted by mules
and donkeys-and in consequence the
further importation of oxen and sheep
from British South Africa has been for
hidden, and thus a very lucrative trade
been stopped. At first the sickness
was put down to the drinking of
"brak' (saltish) water, which led 10
distension and death. but it is now
admitted to be rinderpest To replace
the oxen, camels have been introduced
and are said 10 be doing well, after be-
ing inoculated behind the ear These
animals, which come from Teneriffe
and have their Spanish drivers, are
Indispensable in the sandy belt, where
water is hardly to be had Boring
operations are being carried on vigor-
ously and an additional water-condens-
ing plant is being laid down at Swak-
opmund, water being paid for by the
civilians at three pfennigs per litre.
A considerable number of men have
gone from British South Africa to the
war, chiefly as transport-riders, wh)
are all, whatever their nationality.
termed Beers" and complaints al
peared in the Cape papers for sons
time concerning the alleged fiogging
and other ill-treatment of the British
subjects by the German officers.
Many of these men, however, are hard
cases '-Canadians Americans, Danes.
as we'll as English and Dutch-much
given to gambling and drinking 1t is
believed that cases did occur where
the sjambOk was used, but only in
outside the camp and, refusing to re-
turn, became mutinous and attacked
the officers. At General Won Trotha's
request these allegations were inuur-
ed into by Z representative of the Cape
Times, who reported that as a rule the
men were we'll treated and contented.
except in one case-that of Iieuten-
ant ven Trotha-where men were
both fiOgged and otherwise punished
in manner not N accordance with
military or civil custom in Germany
This case seems to have been the ex
ception, but the ordinary discipline OF
the Germans is little suited to the
men from British territory.
The difficulties encountered and the
sacrifices in blood and treasure invol-
we'd have provided Germany with Oh
object-lesson in colonial empire
making and may perhaps make her
less disdainfll or the embarrassments
of others; for instance, of Britain IN
South Africa in the case of the wal
with the Beers. In many respects the
situations are not dissimilar; the dis
lance from the ATotherland, the want
of water, the difficulties of the commits
sariat, and the advantage conferred
by superior mobility of the natives OF
the country. 1t must be remembered,
however that Germany embarked on
this little war without experience.
and, considering the obstacles in her
path, has not acquitted herself SO
badly. She still has a hard nut 70
crack But communications are the
key to such situations, especially in a
country like southwest Africa, and
if Germany is prepared to submit t.
the necessary expenditure of building
railways and roads, and is ready to
profit by her blunders in the past, she
can doubtless pacify the country per-
manently.