THE OUTLANDERS' VERDICT.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 274, 18 November 1899, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE OUTLANDERS' VERDICT.

"NO PEACE WITHOUT WAR."

An "Ou.tla.n3er" who arrived from the Rand last Saturday addressed the reporters who awaited the steame.T's advent as follows: —

"I know a good deal about the Boer. He is suffering from swelled head, and he. must be checked.. There will be no rest in South Af/rica. until he lias had a d —- good licking1. lam glad to hear that the press and public generally is supporting the British Government, for this thing must be gone through. Further delay is useless — in fact, dangerous, and is only ] jutting off the evil day. The Boer jfo-ke is growing heavier and heavier, a.nd no amount of moral persuasion will have any effect. The Boer is so hypocritical that you never know Avhen you have him. They even pretend. that England has treated them badly, and what surprises me is they have got some so-called Englishmen to- believe their story.'* Mr John B. ."Robinson, the famous Rand millionaire, has been interviewed by the "Daily News," and spoken very clearly. His remarks cover' two columns, but the drift of them is simple, viz., that war and nothing* but war will suit the Boers.

The real situation (said he) may be 'summed up in one word, war. For some weeks now the Boers have decided on it. As one member said, in a recent, discussion in the* Volksnaad, "There has to be a fire, so let us kindle the blaze that it may burn up and burn itself out quickly. Anything is better than this present state of affairs."

Mr Kobinson discoursed eloquently of the stupendous character of Boer ignorance. But said the interviewer: "There' must be a large proportion of the Boers who know something of the resources of out Empire. How can they for a moment think they can conquer us?". j "I have talked over this matter with many of them. First of all, they believe it would not be possible for us to bring' all the resources of our Empire to bear. They are taught by their newspapers that once we are engaged in a quarrel with them, Germany, Russia, France, in fact, all the woirid, will take advantage of the moment to fly at us. Next, they feel confident, because of their experience in the War of Independence, that they can easily piit to flight any force we may send against them. I have heard many of the old Boer warriors describe 'the battle of Laing's Nek. 'The red jackets left their "white temts in the morning about nine or ten;, after they had had their breakfast, and formed up,' they say. 'Their red coats could be seen by everyone,, their bayonets glittering1 in the suwshir*. The surveyors went and measured ovt spots where they had stand inlines; and then they formerd up, every man straight. The adjutant came and cocked his eye dowa along the ranks to see. no one was an inch behind the others. They numbered. He asked them if they felt comfortable and had had a .good breakfast, and when they said "Yes" the Colonel rode up. The Colonel was on a fine i horse, and had a beautiful sabretache. "Men," he said, "you see those rocks?

; The enemy are behind them, 101 l are to go and drive them out." Then . the men put their helmets on their i bayonets and waved them and cheered. , They marched up in rows. All this ' time" we were sitting- quietly, smoking, ! laug-hing, and jokjjng together. As i they got near the Commandant called ! out: ''Defend yourselves, men." Then Iwe put our gun muzzles from behind a shelter of rocks, took aim, picked out the officers and fired. Soon there I came a. rattle, and lead pattered all i round; but it all went over our heads, i for we were sheltered. We just picked j off all the leaders as ihey came up.' I "In short, under the old plan of i fighting, the Boers ran no risK whatever," Mr Robinson continued. "They used to greatly admire the bravery of the English officers. 'They were ■ brave men, too brave for this world,' they would say, •and so in a few minutes we made them angels, and i sent them all to heaven."