AFTER THE WAR.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 6701, 19 May 1900, Page 4

AFTER THE WAR.

Writing in the Sydney Herald under date March 30th, the London correspondent of the Sydney Herald says :— A strong desire is felt at headquarters that at the close of the war in South Africa General Koberts should for some time remain in the country to administer affairs under the new settlement, Such an arrangement would not only be popular, but would be in the best interests alike of the ' Boers and Great Britain. Since his ' arrival at the Cape Lord Eoberts has displayed other qualities beyond, if not above, those of a soldier. His I moderation, tact, and foresight supply a combination oi gifts that go to make i the statesman. He would be just the ■ man for the great work thab awaits a I masterhand. But there is a difficulty i that promises to be insuperable.J Lord Wolseley's term of supreme com- } rnand of the army is within a few 1 naonthssf its conclusion. Lord Kob- . ert&jjgAj^tined to be his successor, ; J^^^^HU be a profounc^i^Hfl if bgri^^^^H

the top. I was aDou^^^allop^^Rpn^n' be called out to me in English to ? *top, adding that he was unarmed and wished to speak vrith me. I accordißgly remained and entered into conversation with him. He turned out to be an Amerij can, and assured me he was accompanying the Boers only as a sight-seer. He stuted that never in his lifd had he witnessed such magnificent pluck a3 was shown by our men on Saturday, and he and ail the Boers were profoundly touched t &rid filled with admiration by the gallant behaviour of the British troops who fell into the ambush. Ie appeared from our conversation that ihe Boers never doubted their ability to capture the entire British force, and that they were simply dumbfounded by the courage our men displayed and the mssvterly manner in whb ■. the greater part or the force contrived to extricate themselves from the death-trap. One member of ihe Household Cavalry, on beingsum/moijjpd to gi?B up his rifle, threw ie with ' all |jis forco in the face of the Boer who challenged him, felling him to the ground, and so escaped. Fresh instances /of the pluck shown by members of Colonel Broadwood's force when they found themselves caught in the drift are constantly coming to light. A gunner responded to the challenge to surrender by dismounting and cutting down a Boer with hi 9 sabre. He then attacked and wounded another, but the next moment he was shot dead. In the confusion both Boers and Britons fled to shelter under the waggons from the hail of lead, and even in such cond:tions the fighting was continued. One 3oldier found himself so situated under a waggon side by side with a Boer The latter, evidently regarding the Englishman as his prisoner, remarked, " This is hot work." The soldier, however, promptly seized the Boer by the throat, and, dashing his head against the ground, made good his escape.