FROM OUR SPECIAL AT THE FRONT.

Evening Star, Issue 11152, 30 January 1900, Page 4

FROM OUR SPECIAL AT THE FRONT.

CAPE TOWN, January 5. There can be no peace or quietness in this country until there is a better understanding between the Afrikanders and the colonials. At present you cannot insult a man born of English parents more than by calling him an Afrikander, as he considers that this term refers to those who have Dutch blood in their veins; while, on the other hand, those people one of whose parents were Dutch like to call themselves Englishmen, and consider that they are quite as good as the others. I know myself many families who have sons or relations in the Transvaal or the Orange Free State, who, being burghers, have been commandeered to fight for the Boers, although their sympathies are with England. The position of such men is very hard, for in any case they are bound to lose everything they have and have their homes broken np. If they refuse to fight their property is confiscated and every living thing on their farms destroyed and the place wrecked, and if they fight ttyey will not get a farthing as compensation from the English Government. It will be some time after this war is over before the Dutch and English will settle down side by side, and therefore a large military force will be required to be stationed here for a considerable time. The Press, too, seem to take a peculiar delight in publishing letters from all sorts and conditions of men, the only stipulation, apparently, being that the most is made out of any trivial circumstance, and this, of course, does not tend towards healing the breach between the two nationalities. For instance, a few days ago, at a station not a hundred miles from Cape Town, a train bringing a number of Boer prisoners arrived, and several English, out of curiosity, went to see them, and naturally enough asked how they were getting on. This inquiry so roused the feelings of certain bondsmen that they

wrote to the papers describing the "disgraceful conduot of the British, who only met the prisoners in order to taunt them," etc., etc. Obher papers took the matter up, and both sides aro airing their different opinions freely through the Press. Tho English paper* are as mnch to blame in thisrespect, for they go oud of their way in order to wound the susceptibilities of those who are aa yet loyal. In this morning's paper I see that a great deal is made of a telegram from Mr Winston Churchill to the editor of the 'Standard and Diggers' News'saying that he will bo happy to explain how he escaped from Johannesburg about the middle of March next when the English will be in possession of that town, and suggesting that fche English volunteers should guard military prisoners for the future.

There can bo little doubt that disloyalty does exist in and about Caps Town, and I have no hesitation in sayiog that if the fo'lowing incident had occuned in any other British colony the military authorities or the Government would have gone further in the mattor than thoy have up to now in this country. lam referring to the escape of De Viljoenfrom H.M.S. Penelope, stationed at _ Simons Town, who was one of the 185 prisoners of war taken at Elandslaagte, and who was recaptured in a house at Observatory road, ouly four miles from the town, the inmates of the house knowing perfectly well who he was. Tne prisoner, who is a well set-op young fellow of about twenty years of age, had actually cpent the day in Cape Town, and-had a good look round this city. He informed me that Cnpe Town could not bear comparison with Johannesburg, and he fully expected to escape again. 1 have every reason to believe that he hwam ashore from the Penelope, which is only about 120 yds from the bvach, although I cannot givo you any further details. He was last seen ou beard at midnight, uud was missed at six o'clock in th« moining. He is a son of Commandant Dr; Viljoen, and wts in the post offic-i at Johannesburg. His fattier is very aritl-Hogl'sli, and used to amuse himself in Pretoria by giving txpresion to his proBoer sentimeou no evi-ry possible occasion. Just before, the war broke out he epouly ri liculeii, in Use btreeta vi J./haunesuu'g, Mi* preparations of the British Governing.,, »'*d challenged any >u present to a, duel uitii r fU». Tins orLsr wa.i uiemp ly ui-cep'.Bil, much to his surprise, and a isa» ouly through hi.-s irituds that he got, out of a very awhuard situation.

Toe papers just now are very full of letters from t'.r'Ct corner e/miy, showing ih« way that, this war should bcMonrlucteu in order to bring hj u> a epetoy and successful tfrimuat.cn. Most ot the ideas propoui cltf.l aie lidiculoiiw, but there is mm which 1 think most sensible, uud which I propose to R ivo your readum hero. It is to torcj the iJni-rs lu fight iu the cpan and to allow tho. British to chcoie positions. With this object in view the writer proposes that 5» roon as rvmlorcements arrive at Modeler River 15,000 m:n, with trannport and provisions, sh.uld march up along the southern bank via Jicbidal to Bloemfoutein, a distance of ocly about Feventyfive miles, thus forcing the Boer generals to came out ot their fortifications at Spyfcntciu to trv and stop us. Meanwhile the trcopn left at Modeler River to protect our bsao could hinss the enc-my with their cauuon from morning till night, supposing, of cour.se, they left a hig forco t. prevent us from relieving Kimbddey. A further forco of 10,000 men could be de spatched from Cape Town aa soon as they arrived, who would follow up the column to Bloemfontein, and would always be in touch with them sujjpo?iog either were attacked. Modder River ia the key of the- situation for an advance on Bloemfontein, and if on trcops were poured into the Free State fron there they would have a good opeu country to pass through, wiih plenty of water by means of the Modder River. From Blomfontein the country is all in favor of tb« English right up to Johannesburg, and to save Pretoria every Boer in the country would have to scurry back, in order to save Paul Kruger from his intended trip to St.. Helena or some other island. Generals French and Gatacre, who are atNaauwpoort and Stirkstroom respectivelyj could co-operate from their positions and ultimately join the main army at BlomfonteiD, and keep open the lines of communication. Up to the preeent the English have always beon the attacking party, and it does seem folly to allow the Boer 3 to strongly entrench themselves and to dictate to /us where we are to atack them, as it were. Moreover, if we continue to proceed as we have done there will be two more battles at leist to bo fought over again—viz., Magersfontein and Colenso—and the Boers have been seen strongly fortifying themselvea at both places. The air has been very full of rumors the last few days. I do not know how maoy times Ladysmith, Kimberley, and Mafeking have been either relieved or the garrisonu have been forced to capitulate. The Boer army and the British, in turn, have been annihilated, and General Buller been wounded and taken prisoner. There can be little doubt but that these rumors are started by persons to serve their own purposes, and not by men in tbe streets.

I see, according to the Dutch papers printed in Johannesburg, that the English are employing Goorkas and other Indian troops, and the papers in question aro highly indignant at the fact, pointing out that it ia another instance of British treachery ; also that deserters, who are continually arriving at the Boer camp from Ladyemith, declare that the troops there are verv restless and dissatisfied, and that General White has had forty shot already for refusing duty.

The following is an account of the bursting of one of our lyddite shells, and was evidently written to order:—" We were standing close to one of our ' Long Toms,' which was doirjg a tremendous amount of execution to the enemy, when a naval gun landed a shell close to us. It made a tremendous noise as it buried itself 4ft in the ground, and made a hole large enough to bury a horse in. A burgher happened to be standing quite close when it burst and took not the slightest notice, but kept on fmoking his pipe, and even walked np quietly and examined the hole made. Thus another babble is burst, for the smoke even was not fatal." The best part of it all, though, is, the writer goes on to say, that when lyddite was experimented with in Pretoria it wbb found so unsatisfactory that the Government would have nothing to do with it, the true facts of the case being that the Boers have repeatedly tried it at Ladysmith, but could not get it to work properly ! It is pretty certain that the Boers have over 50,000 men in the field, as that number can bo accounted for thus : 2,000 three miles from Arundel, guarding the railway line to Bloirrfontein. 15,000 at least opposing Lord Methuen. 5,000 guarding the road through the Stormberg. [lt was this commando that checked General Gatacre's advance! 3,000) to /-investing Mafeking. 4,000 J , 3,000 scattered about guarding the Basuto and Swazi frontiers, bringing the total up to say—--28,000 This would leave only 20,000 at the very outside operating in Natal. From this number have to be deducted all the Beers casualties during the campaign, and I think 4,000 will bo a very low estimate to place them at. (Our correspondent's figures do not agree with those we published a few days ago, which gave tho Boers credit for doss on 75,000 men in the field. According

to Boer accounts C:onj; h+d 20.000 men, tie N.t»l commuuuoH have 25,000, there ar« 2.000 .'n front of Mafeking, «nd 5,000 before Kimberley (our correspondent omits tneie latttr), 4,000 occupy Coleshere, there are 11,000 at StortmVrg, and 3.000 guard the Fasu'oland fronti- r.—Ed. E.S.]