Lake Wakatip Mail. QUEENSTOWN, FRIDAY, FEB. 23, 1900.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 2300, 23 February 1900, Page 4

Lake Wakatip Mail. QUEENSTOWN, FRIDAY, FEB. 23, 1900.

A general sigh of relief and thanksgiving came from the heart of every loyal British subject when the news was flashed across the wires that Kimberley had been relieved. For months past eager watchers have been waiting for the relief of Ladysmith. Mafeking and Kimberley; now one is safe and in its relief the watchers on the hilltops see the signs of the coming dawn. On Thursday the 15th, the garrison of the beleagured town heard the sound of the guns of General French's column advancing to the relief and in a few hours the troops entered the town amid a scene of rejoicing and thanksgiving. The welcome which the rejoicing people would accord the troops can better be imagined than described. On the way General French completely dispersed the enemy south of Kimberley and captured a laager containing stores and ammunition, his advance completely surprising the enemy. The news of his success is the more welcome after the late depressing information of the retirement of General Buller's troops, and as the New Zealanders were attached to General French's column we may believe that they shared in the triumphant entry into Kimberley. Though Kimberley is of little or no strategic importance, to have surrendered it would have meant a blow, the significance of which could not be ignored, to British prestige. General Roberts' army has been victorious all along the line of march, but though his splendid success in all probability will prove the turning point in the war, Britain has still hard work to do. The bombardment of Ladysmith is becoming brisker, the Boers have re-occupied the Taaisbosch Hills and the British have had to retire from Rendsberg to Arundel, and before the enemy can be driven back from their strong holds near Ladysmith, Mafeking and Colesberg, some severe fighting must take place. Lord Roberts has promised Mafeking speedy relief and no doubt in his brain there is a plan maturing which will be brought into practice as suddenly and swiftly as the advance to Kimberley. At present he is occupying Jacobsdal on his way to Bloemfontein and in his advance on Jacobsdal borne fighting took place and the Boers were driven back with heavy loss across the Modeler River. That it, has been a victorious advance all along the line is proved when it is known that General Tucker drove the Boers across the Riet River east of Koffkrontein, and General Kelly-Kenny captured seventy eight waggons laden with stores, mausers and shells, and forced General Cronje in his retreat from Magersfontein, which the Boers are abandoning, to form a laager which the British guns are now shelling. To the east of Ladysmith, near the St. Lucia River in Zululand, the Boers have been raiding, thus violating a rule of modern warfare, and Mr Chamberlain has stated that the Natal Government could not be held responsible for the Zulus maintaining peace. Since the Boers had invaded native territory the natives would be encouraged and assisted to defend their lands. Mr Balfour stated that if the tacit agreement that the war should be limited to whites should be infringed, then Great Britain would re-consider her decision respecting the employment of natives, Sikhs, and Gurkhas. This means much more than appears on the surface. It is a rule of civilised warfare that natives shall not be employed while the war is limited to whites, but if the Boers force the Zulus into defending their homes, it will be open for Britain to draw reinforcements from her vast Tndian army of trained natives, and as amongst the Indian troops there are many regiments of natives thoroughly accustomed to guerilla warfare in mountainouscountry, it will be a sorry day for the Boers if they bring natives into the conflict.

In Pretoria itself there is anxiety and despondency, for while the troops of the Transvaal are gradually lessening in numbers the English are swarming into the land in myriads. When President Kruger embarked in this war, it was on a " Such a tide as moving seemed asleep " and he recked not of the resistless force of that tide when roused by the tempest. Of the far reaching power of the British Empire, her vast resources and the bravery of her troops the Boers dreamed not; they are awaking now to the fatal mistake they have made. They are a brave people led on by unscrupulous leaders, but they are making a brave fight and before the British troops can hope to make a triumphal entry into Pretoria, many severe battles must be fought. The invasion of the enemy's territory will be made almost entirely from the west. Provided the British generals can force their way a hundred and fifty miles east of Mafeking the war will be practically over for there is Pretoria. Another line of invasion might be taken from Lord Roberts' present position at Jacobsdal to Bloemfontein, the capital of the Free State, and from thence onwards through Kroonstad to Johannesburg and Pretoria, or to the east to Van Reenan's Pass in the Drakenberg Range and thus to Ladysmith. It is very probable that Lord Roberts intends to advance to the relief of Ladysmith from this direction, and that a column will be despatched from Kimberley to Mafeking which is 123 miles distant. Once Mafeking and Ladysmith are relieved Britain can afford to play a waiting game, but at present these two places are the objective points, and we may expect within a week or two, to hear : of some decided movement towards'

their relief. That the advance may be successful is the prayer of loyal British subjects throughout the vast and wonderful Empire which Britain has built up by her policy of freedom and justice for all.