BOOK NOTICES.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4295, 2 March 1901, Page 1 (Supplement)

BOOK NOTICES.

A REVIEW. The -Times’ History of the War in South Africa." Editor: L. .•>. A incry. Fellow of Ail Souls. Publishers : Sampson. Low. Mouston and Company, Ltd.

Students of history will rejoice in the opportunity of having at their lingers’ ends the first volume of this ? "markable, comprehensive work. The book lacks absolute impartiality, because, ns tin- author admits, ‘•Absolute impartiality in dealing with wo momentous; and so recent a conflict of political principles and political ambit.ons is perhaps hardly attainable.” Further, Air Am cry goes on to say : “The present volume has been written frankly from the point of view of one who is convinced that the essential right and justice of the controversy have been with his own country, and that the policy which has been pursued by the, British Government has been, both! politically and morally, justifiable.” It transpires from a perusal of the volume, however, that it contains; more than the “view of one.” In fact, one or its remarkable features is that it hoars a composite

end partly anonymous authorship. Thus expert evidence has boon secured, even if tho judicial element has been to an extent sacrificed. We find that “Chapters V. and VI. dealing with tho grievances of the, Uithmders and the struggle for political supremacy within the Transvaal before the Jameson raid are, in tho main., tho work of Miss Flora Shaw.” The greater part of Chapter VIII. is, from a contributor who has preferred to remain anonymous. For Chapter IX. the editor is indebted to Mr

W. F. Monypenny. Naturally tho work done by these writers has literary eacelicnces which must appeal to the student, oven where he is not eu rapport with the point of view. The comprehensiveness of the volume, too, will weigh with the majority' of readers, who will agree that a remarkably clever and well-argued case bos been made for I’ c Imperial standpoint. The editor in bis opening chapter insists that the South. .African war has. been tb.o greatest political event in the history of the British Empire since the conclusion of tho Napoleonic wars. He admits that such a description may at. first sight appear exaggerated when applied to the suppression by a great Empire of two small Republics in a remote part of the world. But, ho goes on to point out, it is Justified by the importance of the political principles involved, by the magnitude amt extent of the military operations, and by the profound effect tlio war lias created throughout the whole British Empire, and even among foreign nations. It is, Mr Amery concludes, us less Justified by the farreaching results that the wav is destined to have in the future upon the organisation of the British Army, the political and economical development of South Africa, the relations between the various self-governing parts of the British Empire, and the position of that Empire among the nations of the world. The motive of the “ ‘Times’, History of the war in South Africa.” is set forth by the editor in. the following terms: “Wo have fought, not. to maintain the white man’s burden, but to vindicate the white man’s birthright—the right of all white. men that come into a new country to Join in the work of developing and making it, to claim a. share of its political privileges. Our endeavour has been ... to prevent a vast

region inhabited' by men of English blood . . . from being lost to the

community of liberty-loving and progressive nations that make up Greater Britain.” Of the struggle itself we are told: ‘One of the first effects of the war was to show up tho weakness of and inefficiency existing in many departments of our costly military organisation, tho paucity of capable senior officers, the serious lack of training of both officers and men for tho conditions of active service, the failure of those responsible for the general direction of tho army to anticipate the profound change in tho whole character of warfare brought about by the improvements in modern firearms. But the course of the struggle brought into no less striking relief the unflinching personal bravery of the British soldier . . . and the vast reserve of .power latent in the patriotism of the free nations which compose the British Empire. . . Every thrill of hope or fear that has been felt in South Africa or in England has been felt no less in Canada, in Australia., in New Zealand. Every drop of colonial Mood shed in South Africa has cemented more close- ' ly the bond of kinship between the parts I of the British Empire.” The manner in which the author sums up the position in regard to tho colonials is _ decidedly complimentary, but there is a left-handed compliment to me Imperial : officers conveyed which will hardly prove palatable in certain quarters. “The colonial volunteers have gained much of their experience of serious fighting,” says Mr Amery, “as units in a large and regular army. But the regular officers have gained even more from their contact with the colonials. They have learned that mechanical precision in useless evolutions is not absolutely essential to military efficiency, and that a certain easy familiarity between officers and men is not incompatible with unquestioning obedience to orders.” The reference to tho TJitlanders is hardly so happy. “The war which has been fought for tho much-abused Uitlander has justified him in his countrymen’s eyes,” is hardly borne out by the subsequent statement that “some five thousand TJitlanders have boon fighting for their own good right.” For, after ail, what comparison does this little “contingent” boar to the clamorous crowd which made the welkin ring with their shoutings for the loan of a ballot-box? In a later chapter of the very volume from which we arc quoting tho following statement appears: “An esti- | mate made in 1896 gave 25,000 as the I number of fully enfranchised burghers, i and 50.000 as the approximate number ! of adult male TJitlanders then resident in the Transvaal.” Is 5000 then a fair fighting representation of 50,000? The fact is that the troubles of TJitlanders are made far too much use of right through the volume. The British are at present fighting for broad principles, and not for tho TJitlanders, who from the Jameson raid downward have cut ; but an ignoble figure in South African operations. A feature of the “History” is

ics whole-souled condemnation of the methods and conduct of Cecil I'nodes, whose machinations ■ and wai-plottings are conscientiously and fearlessly revealed with a wealth of accompanying detail. On the other hand, the author considers that the moderation and sincere. loyalty of men like -Mr Schreiner and Mr Solomon have been fully vindicated by their conduct in circumstances of exceptional difficulty. The question of suzerainty is somewhat laboured in the volume in the light of subsequent information, and it is almost wonderful that such well-informed writers as the authors of this volume should still seriously regard the -.Edgar incident.” seeing that it hardly survived the political necessities which brought it into prominence. The volume is excellently bound and printed, ancV contains a number of very valuable half-tone pictures of participants in South African history-making.