“STONEWALL" KITCHENER'S BLOCKHOUSES.

Cromwell Argus, Volume XXXIV, Issue 1798, 2 September 1902, Page 7

“STONEWALL" KITCHENER'S BLOCKHOUSES.

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It is quite true that since Lord Kitchener was obliged to commandeer all our horses—says a South African Constable, in the “ King.” —the greater part of us have remained an infantry force without any experience of mounted work or horse mastership.

For all that the S.A.C., green hands, as most of them were, will have had a larger share in the bringing the war to a triumphant conclusion than many would suppose And the blockhouse lines which are slowly and surely strangling the desperate efforts of the Boer guerillas, are to a very great extent the work of Baden Powell’s indefatigable ” Navvy Brigade.”

When the war has become a bit of past history, and the Boer and Briton have joined forces in working out a common destiny, it should not be forgotten that the foundations of this vast country’s civilisation and development were literally built up by him who will bo remembered hereafter as “ Stonewall ” Kitchen-

To realize the completeness of the blockhouse system, you should remember that each of these diminutive forts is connected with its fellow at a distance of from six to seven hundred yards by a wire entanglement and telephone, by which latter the presence of the enemy at any point is communicated right up and down the line.

Before 1 came up here on the Limherg Kopies. 1 was guardiag a bit of line in the Orange River Colony. We had been fairly quiet, and I was deep in a game of chess with L.. when a sergeant put his head in the tent door.

” Rocket just gone up, sir. No. 509 report through the telephone that they are surrounded.” Up we jump. L., nearly mated, accidentally kicks over the chessboard. We seize our rifles and bandoliers, dash outside in a moment, and order everyone into the fort, except the sentries and patrols.

Telephone rings from 509. I rush for it. “ Yes, what is it ? ” *‘ Boers driven off ” comes the reply ; ” hit two —gone towards 510.” I try to ring up 510. Can't get them. Telephone evidently cut or broken. I telephone to Spitfontein for armored train, and, not getting any more messages through, suppose Boers have retired, when up goes another rocket against the evening sky and reports come in that our patrol has been driven back and the sound of heavy firing comes down the line, evidently moving across our front, engaging the patrols of blockhouses on our right, while two blockhouses are themselves in action.

Enemy in strongish force show up on a copje 800 yards away, and a few' bullets strike our stone w'orks as we send up another rocket for a guide to armoured train, whose searchlight we can see flitting along the hills.

The next moment a flood of white light hits the obnoxious copje. A bang from the approaching train is answered by a whorl of smoke, and a spitting crack on the Boer position, and the enemy are scouring oIT through the night. Shortly after I moved to my present position on the Limberg, among quite magnificent mountain scenery. We are, in fact, in a sort of eagle’s nest up here, and look down on the veldt from a tremendous height.

The grass, looking new-sprung and moist after the rains, makes the country far below us, green as an emerald, the general colouring softened by the vast distances and deep air spaces which lie between us. As we sit on our copje and gaze far and wide upon the scene below, numerous deserted Boer farmsteads meet the eye in all directions, half concealed amidst groves of fruit trees and bits of scattered woodland. There is not a sign of life among them all, and not even a dog remains to bark at the intruder.

A day or two back, one or two of us ventured as far as the nearest of these, lying about two miles away below the copje. It was quite deserted, but apparently in good condition. What pleased us most were the gardens around, full of all sorts of beautiful flowers, and extensive grounds stocked with magnificent fruit trees of excellent quality. We made a regular horticultural inspection. and found peaches, plums, apples, apricots, figs, and large orange and lemon groves.

The fruit will soon bo fit to eat, and we shall not let it all fall to rot. It was impossible to help thinking that when the war is over, this country, with proper care and systematic fruit cultivation, will make California and some other localities sit up in the London market The wealth of South Africa is not all in gold and diamonds.