NOTES ON THE WAR.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11714, 23 April 1900, Page 5

NOTES ON THE WAR.

By Mwou Kennedy.

NWs comes from Swaziland tii.iu the Boers in that country -are preparing for the final struggle. This is not a very important matter, however, as the total" Boer population of Swaziland (including the police and Staafs1, Artillery) never exceeded 2000 • men. The greater . number of them were located around Bremersdorp, and were mostly in the Transvaal Government service or in the employ of the Swaziland Trading Company. This company hold" concessions giving them the sole right to carry, on certain classes of business within the boundaries of Swaziland, and as a result the mining interests of Swaziland remained stationary for several years, as mining men would not purchase properties for development in that country, and many of the companies that bought properties' before the concession was granted to the Trading Company closed down their minesl or reduced the number of men and boys (i.e., natives) employed to the lowest number possible. As a result the mineral wealth of Swaziland remains practically untouched. The Swazis are reported to be reluctant to give the Boers any help whatever in the struggle. This i's just what might be expected, as they have always been the firm friends of the English, and bitter were the complaints of the Swazi people against being turned over to the tender mercies of the Transvaal Boers after they hnd proved their devotion to England. But in spite of Great Britain's oblivion of the services the Swazis have so often rendered in %liting against her enemies, the Englishman was, and is, always made welcome at every native kraal from one end of Swaziland to the other. They are the only great native tribe in South Africa that has always been good friends with the British, and it is strange that they were ever turned over by the convention' to be ruled 'by the Boers, without even their consent to the arrangement being asked. The criticisms of Lord".Roberts, as published, are said to have caused consternation in the military clubs in London. This is only natural, as the officers that are so severely handled are very 'prominent clubmen. There seems to be a belief in some quarters that Lord Metinien ought also to have been censured, and some assert that he is being shielded from exposure by I friends in high places. When Lord Roberts reviews the work that General Methiten carried out in his attempts to relieve Kimberley. each and every act will be judged with Spartan fairness, and if Lord Methnen was guilty of any breach of rrood generalship he will receive the same measure of punishment as that already meted out to the other distinguished officers named :ii Lord Roberts's reports on Spion Kop. The news from Ashanti is rather disturoing just now, seeing that so many troops are engaged in South Africa. This trouble, however, is only one more lesson to | the British people, as it plainly points out the fact that wars, like other troubles, seldom come singly, and. that the Empire ought to, and must, have a greater reserve of trained tr.iops. arm*, -crjumments. and stores. . _ The arrival of General Carrington at ■Beira is announced, and we are al«o 'nlormcd that, the Australian Bushmen's Contingent that debarked at tkat port have "one [up the railway in the direction of Salisbury. This is a very indefinite way of | telling of the movements of this force; but we ];>.ive to rest content without nny'accu- | rate idea of where this force will detrain and consequently remain as much in the dark as ever regarding the strength of general Garrmgion's' force and its objective. Certainly, if that force is intended tor use nramst the Transvaal or for the relief of Mafeking. it will not ao to Salisbury, as to semi' the men to that place by rail would simply mean to add to the distance they v/onld have to march in order to reach I'.uhnvayo. If the Bushmen have gone to Salisbury it must be to onard against native risings that have been stirred up by the Boers from the Transvaal, assisted by the Boers that are located m -Rhodesia. Considerable numbers of Boers from* the I'ree State. Transvaal, and Bedmanaland ■Kive settled in the country districts to the .1i0n... of Umtali, as they found that country to b e the best farming and stock country in all. .South Africa, and it is just possible that these Boers have forgotten the' assistance given them by Mr Rhodes in obtainI liig farms, and have turned traitors, hoping to obtain favours from the Transvaal Qavernment in return for their services in attacking a portion of the British forces to the norln, thereby reducing the number of troops that can be brought into the field |to operate against the m.-.in Boer forces in lie south. It is difficult io account for I"he landing ot the<=e troops at Beira on any | F oimds otlicr than those named, as the | iniormatinn to hand is of tho most meagre I description. ami it is only local knowledge ilißt ciiiiljles one to form an opinion that "is worth anvtliiiii.'. The protests, of I lit; Transvaal Government to the Portuguese Government against the passage of troops through Poituoue" territory Ims elicited the answer that Great Britain had only taken advantage of a right she possessed by treaty since 1891 Aliis naturally livings forward'the question' Has Great1 Britain the same treaty rights over the other lines of railway in Portuguese !-,:>?t Afmn—nntabl-. over t!le mh _ goa JJ:iy and Pretoria line. It is reasonable to suppose that if the British Foreign Umce considered it expedient to arrange for the passage of troops via Beira that the question of the value of the Dela^oa Bay line for .military purposes m-ouM^c also taken into account, and provision made for the use of the line in case of need. It is i consequently very probable that Great Britain has the same treaty rights over the JJelagoa Bay route as she possesses over the Beira line. Xhc reasons for not takincr advantage of the Dcla^oa route are very numerous, however. The advantages of using tae hue are not as groat as might be readily supposed. The disadvantages mmbe said to be as follows-.—First, Delagcii Bay and the whole route In Komati Po°>rt lis about as bad a strip of fever country as can be f oluu l j n . M ( .| le ] eng[h of fUe '«2as=t (-.oast, and thn Portuguese territory on each siuc of the line is altogether unfit for military purpose?. On that account and, on the additions! .. : rnu lK !s of the country being ail lly country, it would be impossible to save the horses and other animals while going up tiie country. At Komati l'oort the Boers have kept a force to hold the poort against any attempt that the British might make via that route ever since the war started, and the place is of sreat natural strength, and it is more than likely that the Boers have shown their ciwlomiivy aunity in nddinsj greatly to Nature's work by constructing a system of defences similar U> tliose they made use of in lha other I helds that they chose to defend. Tnen. again, while treaty obligations may give the British the right to send ' troops through Portuguese country it does not mean that it gives the troops the ridit to encamp and make use of friendly territory for all purpose's of war. such "as tactical manceuvring, etc., would be, as the granting of such a rigut by Portugal would practically make her the ally of England, and the Boers would be justified in making similar use of Portuguese soil. it now becomes necessary to r-top all parties from entering the Transvaal under the guise of the Bed Cross Ambulance Corps that have been organised in various countries, apparently for the purpose of rendering aid to the sick and wounded. From the message sen-; by .Mr Hay, American cuiisni at'Preturia, it'is clear that Ihe so-called Ambulance Corps that was organised in America was really organised and intended for si cr.mbaltir.t'corps, and that tlic members of it only used the Red Cross to enable them to pass' the Portuguese inspectors and to avoid capture by Briiish naval vessels, ft is very probable that much of the money subscribed by charitable Americans was' gathered by the parties who organised this so-called" .Red Crass Corps, and was obtained through fraudulently representing to the charitably disposed that the members of the corps /i-ere going out to accomplish a work of mercy for the sick and wounded of bath armies. If, is to be hoped that the members of this American gang will be captured and dealt, .nth according to military la.w, as such persons do not deserve'to be treated as soldiers.

According tn the cables from London the news from the front is both meagre and contradictory. We are told that it is beliuvcd thit certain important operations

are proceeding, but we are not informed wli6se"'beliefs~:tlTese.'"are'.

_ The statement made by the Daily Chronicle that sufficient remounts have reached. Lord-Roberts, nnd that he is ready to .advance,, may..be set down as all bosh, as we know that the 30,000 animals . that are an absolute necessity to remount all the men that ■need-, horses could not have reached ; Bloetnfontflin since the date that rail connection was.established via. Betlwlie bridge;; rKv^n if;the enemy had left the entire rolling stock of the 'lines unharmed the-available engines and trucks could not be obtained to transport.the thousands of tons of stores and the; number of horses and mules- necessary to enable the base at Bloemfontein to be properly provided with the requisite quantities that a 'campaign to the far north beyond the Vaal would demand. . ■'

The action of the Canadian Government, in asking Lord Roberts to select the best of the Canadians to Jill, the commissions that have been offered to the citizens of the Dominion to' the British army is to be commended. When Lord Roberts picks out the 24. Canadians: they will.be tbe most likely lot of young colonials that it is possible to find in Canada's regiment, and they wilUbe much more likely to be of the right stamp tlnvn any similar lot might be if picked through influence or by any other process.