VILJOEN ON THE WAR.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIV, Issue 3, 3 January 1903, Page 3

VILJOEN ON THE WAR.

When. General Ben Vdljoen stepped on the platform at the Queen's Hail in London he was greeted with a hearty cheer of welcome. Before half a dozen sentences had passed from his lips he had gained the sympathy of his audience.

Well-set and stalwart, with featnres that spoke of his French anc«stry, Botha's second in command wore n sema-military tunic that 'buttoned u>) close to his neck-

A carefully groomed moustache ond imperial added to his martial appearance, while a hutnorotis twinkle in his eye irresistibly suggested the Hibernian,

General Viljoen was outspoken, but far too human to be offensive. If he gave free utterances to his views on the fault of British generals, he was equally frank in dealing , with the shortcomings of his own side. His English was good, and his accent not unpleasant.

General Viljoen's first engagement was Elandslaagte, and he described with a touch of humour how he escaped the oroel weapons of the Lancers.

For the British inifantry he had the highest praise, though he thought they. were over-disciplined, with the result that when their officers fell they too often became helpless.

The Boer forces had not discipline enough. The weaker brethren were prone to indulg-e in precipitate retreat. "And tixen," said the Boer soldier, grimly, "we found the sjambok a great help."

General Viljoen referred repeatedly to "newspaper generals." They were to be (found, he said, on both sides.

It was not thedr fault that the} , vere advertised, ibut in spite of themselves leg-ends grew up around them

"You in London.," he said, "were often told that De Wet was surrounded, that his escape was impossible, and this by men who knew no morp about his position, than ytra did.

"Then, when it was found that he was a hundred miles away, the officer who had; failed to catch him waa bound to make a report that would satisfy you."

"We had some bad generals at the beginning- of the war," said Viljoen, at another point, "men who were better suited to be parsons, or clowns, at London music halls. But we soon packed them, off to take charge of h>rds of cattle or women's laagers. I don't know," he added, ironically, "whether you did the saotne thing w-th yours."

The general testified to the Eoer respect for Buller. "If we had had a Toice in regard to the grant to Lord Eoberts we would hare given half ol it," said he, "to General Buller."

Lord Kitchener he eulogised highly. "We on our side respect him as a very fine soldier and a man of Ms wowf. I am sure if he returns to South Africa at any tdme there will be no Englishman who will be better received."

Viljoen took part in the siege of Ladysmith." The abandonment of Sipion Kop, he declared, amazed the Boers.

After it had been taken one Boer general r retired so precipitately that he left his ammunition waggons to their fate. "Whatever induced yon to abandon the key to our position I never could make out."

When Viljoen and his men captured the 4.7 gun at Helvetia they wer? highly elated to find that it had been christened "Lady Roberts," and bore the name of her ladyship on its breech.

The general described grimly hcwv he ran up against the Irish Regiment and captured the party after half their number bad been killed and -wounded.

"I again met the Royal Irish Regiment," continued Viljoen, with a shake of the head. "This time they ambushed me, and took me prisoner. The officers were very kind, and the Tommies treated us with great courtesy. But they didn't conoeal their enjoyment at having got hold of me." Viljoen had nothing- but good to say of Tommy Atkins, though he admitted that T.A. never smiled when compelled to change clothes with a Boer.

Some of the. captured officers were iarious at having to give up their putties, and if in the process of exelianging an eye-glass was loet, and conld cot be found, the owner was wont to rise to great heights of denunciatory eloquence.

In the prisoners' camp at St. Helena, Viljoen was anything but happy. In 500 tents there was a service of song night and morning, and from, each came a different tune.

Outside, the guards cried every quarter of an. hour in the night, "All's well" whether things were well or not. To add to the horrors a bugle sounded every half-hour, and Viljoen 'began to tremble ifor his reason.

Many of the Boers attempted to escape. One 'burgher took his departure in a tox -axidressed to London, and labelled "Boer curios." The porters who transported It to the quay unwittingly stood the unhappy man OE his head. He was caught on. board ship.

Coming to the futttre of Sotith Africa, General Viljoen declared it would 'be hypocrisy to suggest that the bitterness engendered by the war could be allayed in a moment. Btit ■with, tolerance on both sides there tvas every reason why peace and good will should reign.

The Bo«rs felt they had done their duty, and they were now anxious for r<*ace in order that they might return to their oHinary pursuits. A Tittle kindness shown towards them now in their hour of poverty would bear rich fruit In the future.

The general's lecture concluded amid loud applause, though the audience was not a very large one.