NOTES ON THE WAR.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 10637, 23 April 1900, Page 6

NOTES ON THE WAR.

(By an ex-Mshsks or the Ictmxxgznci Branch, South Atbxca.) The arrival of General Carrington at Beira is announced, and we are also informed that the Australian Bushmen's Contingent that debarked at thai, port have' gone up the railway in the direction of Salisbury. This is a very indefinite way of telling of tie movements of this force, as we may, and undoubtedly have to, rest content without any accurate idea of where it will detrain, and, consequently, remain as much in the dark as ever regarding the strength of Carrington's force, and its objective, as if we were never informed of its existence. Certainly, if the men are intended for use against the Transvaal, or for the relief of Maf eking, they will not go to Salisbury, as to send them to that place by rail would simply mean to add to the distance they would have to march in order to reach Bulawayo. If the Bushmen have gone to Salisbury, it must be to guard against native risings that have been stirred up by Boers from the Transvaal, assisted by the Boers that are located in Rhodesia.

Considerable numbers of Boers from the Free State, Transvaal, and Beshuanaland have settled in the country districts to the north of Umtali, as they found that country to be the best fanning and stock country in all South Africa, and it is just possible that these Boers have forgotten the assistance given them by Mr Rhodes in obtaining farms, and have turned traitors, hoping to obtain favours from the Transvaal Government in return for their services in attracting a portion of the British forces to the north, thereby reducing the number of troops that can be brought into the field to operate against the main Boer forces in the south. Ifc is difficult to account for the landing of these troops at Beira, on any grounds other than tboso we have named, as the information at our disposal ie of the most meagre description, and it is only local knowledge that enables us to form an opinion that ia worth anything. The protests of the Transvaal Government to the Portuguese Government against the passage of troops through Portuguese territory has elicited the answer that Great Britain had only taken advantage of a right she possessed by treaty since 1891. This naturally brings forward the question, Has Great Britain the same treaty rights over the other lines of railway in Portuguese East Africa, notably over the Delagoa Bay and Pretoria line? It is reasonable to suppose that if the British Foreign Office considered it expedient to arrange lor the passage of troops via Beira, that the question of the value of the Delagoa Bay line for military purposes would be also taken into account, and provision made for the use of the line in case of need. It is, consequently, very probable that Great Britain has the same treaty rights over the Delagoa Bay route as she possesses over the Beira line. The reasons •for not taking advantage of the Delagoa route are very numerous, however. We will give sufficient for to show that the adtages of using the line are not as great as might be readily supposed, as the disadvantages may be said to be as follows: — First, Delagoa Bay arid the whole route to Komati Poort ia about as bad a strip of fever country as can be found in all* the length of the East Coast, and the Portuguese territory on each side of the line ia altogether umfit for military purposes on that account, and on the additional grounds of the country being aa fly country, it would be impossible to save the Jboroee and other animals while going up the country. At Komati Poort« the iJoera have kept a force to hold the Poort against any attempt that the British might make via that route ever since the war started, and the place is of great natural strength, and it is more than likely that the Boers have shown their customary ability in adding greatly to nature's work by constructing a system of defences similar to those they made" use of in the other fields that foey chose to defend. Then again, while treaty obligations may give the British the right to *e»di troops through Portuguese country, it does not mean that it gives the troops tie right to encamp and make use of friendly territory for all purposes of war such as tactical manoeuvring, etc., would be, eta the grafting of such right by Portugal would practically make lier the ally of England, and the Boers would be justified in making similar use of Portugueee soil. It now becomes necessary to stop all parties from entering the Transvaal under the guise of the Red Cross Ambulance Corps, which have been organised in various countries ostensibly for "Abe purpose of rendering aid to the Kick and -grounded; From the message sent by Mr Hay, American Consul at Pretoria, it is clear that'the «?-called ambulance corps that was organised in America was really intended for a combatant corps, and that the members of it only used the red cross to enable them to pass the Portuguese inspectors, and to avoid eaprure by British naval vessels. We sincerely hope that the members of this American gtng.ox cut-throats will meet the fate they merit; they do not deserve to be treated as soldiers. We commend the action of the Canadian Government in. asking Lord Roberts to select the best o£ the Canadians to fill the commissions in the British. Annv that have been offered to Canadians. When he picks out the 24 Canadians they will be the most likely lot of young cokmiaSe that it is possible to find in Canada's -regiments, and they will be much more Hkely ro be of the riebt stamp than any similar. Jot teat might be if picked by influence or by any other procesS in Canada. To New Zealanders who U any idea of going up for a cranaek>n, we recommend the letter published in

Saturday's "Press" signed "Forage Cop." The writer knows what he is talking about, aad his advice is thoroughly sound. If his letter is carefully considered, there will be fewer applicants for these commissions, but there will be fewer disappointments to record in years to come. The ktest neirs from tbe Free State is in direct contradiction to messages received some days ago, when we were informed that the Boers were evacuating thecr positions round Wepener and were retreating to the north. It now appears that instead of withdrawing, the enemy baa been heavily reinforced, and that they hold tbe whole of the Caiedon country. We hay© told our readers of the great grain and produce resources of the Cafedon Valley, and now we are told that President Steyn strongly urges the Boer commanders to keep the British from gaincng possession of these districts that furaisb. so much food and forage for the Boer armies. There is a certain "advantage in the extension of the jurisdiction of General Pretyman, as military governor of Bloemfontein, to cover all the Free State territory occupied by British troops, as it will avoid disputes as to jurisdiction. But we hope that General Pretyman will not recruit any more Boer police to dragoon the poor Kaffirs in the country districts, as he did in and about Bloemfontein. Whatever their faults, the natives ousht not to be turned over to the tender mercies of their Boer oppressors, and we sincerely hope that General Pretyman will have learned by experience that Free Staters are not to be" trusted to do justly by blacks who may have shown the slightest indication of pleasure when the Boers were defeated.