Mt. Ida Chronicle. NASEBY, FRIDAY, OCT. 13, 1899. WAR.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume 30, Issue 9186, 13 October 1899, Page 4

Mt. Ida Chronicle. NASEBY, FRIDAY, OCT. 13, 1899. WAR.

According to our a-legranis, the long expected war against tin: Transvaal has broken out at last, op-rations commencing yesterday. There can be no iloubt of Unj ultimate success of the Uritisli anus, but at the expense of much bloodshed. '1 he Boers arc naturally a bravi; race of people, and with tin; niemorv '•! tin' last c-njtwt

between British forces and themselves fresh in their memory, will undoubtedly make a determined stand. An additional incentive to valour will be the fact that they are fighting for freedom, for a reverse strikes the of Boer supremacy in - South Africa. In spite, however, of all this, and the additional fact that they are lighting in their,own country while the British have to traverse a very long distances, occupied for a great part by a hostile population, they will not be able to stand for any length of time against the superior organisation and arms of the British forces. If the intimation con\'eyed in our cables is correct, it is quite possible that by this time the first blood has been spilt. The first scene of the wnr will be on the Natal border, where the Boers have two camps of 8000 men, and according to recent cables they had 1000 men encamped on the Natal side of the border. Apparently, they were prepared some time ago for an iuvasion, and had they forced the waratan earlier stage they would have stood a better chance of inflicting damage on the British, as the latter was not so well prepared then as now. However, they let the chance slip, and it is now considered that the arrival of the Indian troops have made the position secure. Even before the arrival of this contingent Sir George Whit*, commander of the Natal forces, was confident that he could maintain a defensive position, so that little anxiety need l>e felt now. It is impossible to give any forecast at present as to the probable" duration of the war, as the Boers are not likely to risk a pitched battle, but will probably adopt a series of guerilla tactics, which will lengthen it considerably. If the British forces gain a few advantages at the offset "it will greatly hasten the conclusion of hostilities, but a little advantage gained by the Boers will materially lengthen the period of fighting by inducing many of the Dutch in the Free State and Cape Colonj% who ate at present in an undecided state of mind, to throwin their lot with them. It is to be devoutly hoped that the trouble will be brought to a speedy conclusion, and the Transvaal, when freed from the iniquitous rule of its present masters (which has so long hampered its progress) and under the benignant rule of Great Britain, will advance with such rapid strides as to make amends for its past troubles. o WATER .CONSERVATION FOR IDA VALLEY. Sincb our last issue we understand that, the*- Otago Central Railway is being constructed through the proposed site for the conservation of water in Ida Valley, reported upon as l>eing naturally adapted for the purpose by Mr Perham, C.E., and recommended to be reserved. It is tune those farmers affected sIiO'RtP urge by petition and public meeting that the site should at least be reserved for a reservoir in the meantime, and urging the Minister for Railways to deviate the line, and thus keep the site for the reservoir intact. If this is not done, and done at once, it may take years after th** line is constructed to get the deviation effected. No time should be lost in securing this ehyihle site, and the settlers interested should no longer be apathetic in this important matter.