New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-10-18


there in the remoter districts, it is
true, some racial feeling still pre-
vailed, but taken as a whole this seems
absolutely to have died away. Briton
and Boer have come together in n
manner for which | believe | am right
in saying there is no precedent in the
history of the world. so shortly, at
any rate, after a prolonged and bitter
struggle TO the death. | might give
many instances. but | will only take
one. At Pretoria | was asked to in
spect company of Boy Scouts, and
there | found English and Dutch lads
serving side by side with the utmost
brotherhood. Again | met most of the
men who had been leaders of the Beers
in the war. One and all professed the
greatest loyalty to England. More
over. ] am certain that this was not lip
loyalty; il was from the heart. Espe-
cially was | impressed by that great
man, General Botha. with whom had
/ several conversations. | am convinced
/ that at this moment the King has no
truer or more faithful servant than
General Botha. Again and again did
| hear from prominent South Africans
OF Dutch or Huguenot extraction that
never more was there any chance of
]
know il is alleged by some that this
is because the Dutch feel that they
/ have on the whole made good bar
gain, having won absolute constitu-
/ tional liberty and the fullest powers of
self-government, plus the protection of
/ the British fleet. There may be some
/ thing IN this view, but | am sure that
/ the feeling goes a great deal deeper
/ than selt-interest. Mutual respect has
arisen between those who ten years ago
were enemies fighting each other.
Appeal TO Peoples Imagination.
Moreover, the Boer now knows a
great deal more of the British Empire
and what it means than he did then.
Lastly, the supreme generosity evinced
by Britain in giving Their enemy of
the day before every right AID privi
ioge that is owned by her other over
sea dominions with whom she has never
had a quarrel appeal deeply to the
imagination of the Dutch people. Now
the world sees the results. Germany,
which has miscalculated so much in
connection with this war and the part
that the British Empire would play IN
J il, calculated nowhere more than
/ il did in the case of South Africa. The
German war lords hoped that India and
Egypt would rise, they trusted that
/ Canada and Australia would prove
iukewarm. but they were certain that
South Africa would seize the oppor-
tunity to rebel. How could it be other
wise, they thought, seeing that but yes
/ ttrday she was at death grips with us.
Then came the great surprise. Lo
and behold! instead of rebelling, South
Africa promptly cabled to England
saying that every British soldier might
be withdrawn from her shores, and
/ further, that the burghers of the land
would themselves undertake the con-
Quest OF the German possessions OF
Southwest Africa for the crown. They
are doing so at this moment. | believe
that to-day there is no British soldier
left at the Cape, and | know that
now a. great force is moving on
Southwest Africa furnished by Boer
and Briton alike. Can the history OF
| the world tell us of any parallel case
/ to this? That a country conquered
within a dozen years should not only
need no garrison, but by its own free
/ will undertake war against the enemies
/ of its late victor. Surely, this is some
/ thing of which Britain may feel proud.
Deep Distrust of Germany.
Now, some of your readers may ask:
"Why is it? How did this miracle, for 1t
/ is little less, happen?" My answer IS
/ that il has been caused first by SUI
preme and glorious trust in the justice
( and generosity of England, which knows
: how to rule colonies as no other ma
/ ton has done in the history Of the
earth, and secondly by deep dlstrust
( of Germany. To my own knowledge,
/ Germany has been intriguing in South
- 81 1f.t-4 ru,.fsn fNf u
! | remember, ! suppose 1t must be al
most twenty years ago, sending to the
late Mr.. Chamberlain, who was then
Colonial Secretary, information to TINS
effect which reached me from un-
doubted sources in South Africa.
Again, not long ago, ! was shown a
document which was found among the
papers of the Zulu Prince Dinizulu, son
of King Cetewayo, who died the other
day. Ii was concluded between himself
and Germans, and under 1t the poor
man had practically sold ms country
nominally to a German firm, but DOUBT
less to more powerful persons behind.
In short. there is no question that Tor
many years Germany has had It's eye
upon South Africa as deslyable held
OF settlement for its subjects under the
German and not the British flag. NOW,
The Beers are perfectly we'll acquainted
with this fact and have no wish to eX-
change the beneficent rule of Britain
for that of Potsdam, the King Log OF
George V for the King Stork of Kaiser
Wilhelm.
You ask me if | think that the Beers
are likely to succeed in their attack
on Southwest Africa, where, it must be
remembered that the Germans have
very formidable force; indeed, | have
been told. do not know with what ac,
curacy, that they have accumulated
there the vast arsenal of war material
that was obviously intended to be used
on some future occasion in the invasion
of the Cape ! answer: "Certalnly,
thew will succeed, though not easily.
Remember what stock these Beers come
from. They are descendants of the
men who withstood and beat Alva IN
the sixteenth century.
Botha of HuguenOt Descent.
happen to be well acquainted with
that period of history wrote story
called "Lysbeth" concerning 1t, and to
do this ! found it necessary not only