THE AFRIKANDER BOND. WHY IT WAS ESTABLISHED.

Otago Witness, Issue 2389, 14 December 1899, Page 17

THE AFRIKANDER BOND. WHY IT WAS ESTABLISHED.

SERIOUS STATEMENT BY MR THE-

OPHILUS SCHREINER.

One of the strongest indictments of Mr Reitz, the State Secretary of the Transvaal, was issued yesterday, in the form of a letter from Mr Theophilus Sohreiner, a brother of the Cape Prime Minister, and of the wellknown recently notorious Miss Olive Schreiner. Tiie latter's political bitterness has absolutely estranged her from many who admired her as a writer of South African novels. Her brother, Mr Theophilus Schreiner, is the champion of total abstinence in South Africa. Writing of Mr Reitz's manifesto, in which he declared that Sir Alfred Milner, Mr Chamberlain, the British Cabinet, her Majesty the Queen, and the British nation were mur- t derers, robbers, and bieakers of treaties, Sir* Schreiner recalls a personal conversation he had with Mr Reitz in Bloemfontein 18 yeans ago, shortly after the retrocession of the Transvaal, when Mr Reitz was a judge of the Orange Free State, and was busy establishing the Afrikander Bond. Mr Reitz asked Mr Sohreiner »o become a member of the Bond, but he declined to do co.

• The. following extracts from a letter of Mr Schreiner's throw a lurid. light \ipon the fool's paradise we have been 'living in since Mr Gladstone allowed the original colonial Boers and their descendants to form fhe premier Dutch Republic in South Africa: —

The conversation is between Reitz and myself (Mr Schreiner). Mr Reitz : Why do you refuse? Is the object of getting people to take an interest in political matters not a good one? Mr Schreiner : Yes, it is ; but I seem to see plainly here between the lines of this constitution much more is ultimately aimed at than that.

Mr Reitz: What?

Mr Schreiner: I see quite clearly that the ultimate object aimed at is the overthrow of British power and the expulsion of the British flag from South Africa.

Mr Reitz (with his pleasant, conscious smile, as cf one whose Eecret thought and purpose had been discovered, and who was not altogether displeased that such was the case) : Well, what if it is co?

Mr Schreiner : You don't suppose, do you, that the flag is to disappear from South Africa without a tremendous struggle and fight? Mr Reit'-s (with tho same pleasant, selfcenscious, self-satisfied, and yet semi-apolo-getic, smile) : Well, I suppose not. But even so, what of that?

Mr Schreiner: Only this: that ivhen that stiugglo takes place you and I will be on opposite sides ; and, what is more, the Go'A who was on the tide of the Transvaal in the late war, because it had right on its sido, will bo on the side of England, because He must view with abhorrence any plotting and scheming to overthrow England's power and position in South Africa, which have been ordained by Him. • ' Mx Reitz : We will Bee.

Mr Schreincr concluded his lettc-r by reaffirming that tho object of the itfrikander Bond was "to .overthrow British power in South Africa, and by stating that tho proudct moment in Mr Rcitz's life was when ho wrote the 48 hours' ultimatum that has precipitated the present war.

STORIES OF BOER COURTESY.

KIMBERLEY, October 21. News has reached Kimberley (says the St. James's Gazette) that many fugitives, including several residents, have been taken prisoner* by the Boers. One lady, hearing that her husband had been captured, sent a clerk to make inquiries regarding him. The clerk was also eaptxired. On Tuesday two ladies visited the Boer camp. They were courteously received, and their intercession on behalf of their husbands was favourably entertained. When the commandant returned to camp the men were released.^ They have now arrived here, and report that 600 bags of mealies which had been commandeered were restored to their owners by the Boers.

FEELING AMONG THE CAPE DUTCH.

The Capetown correspondent of the St. ! James's Gazette says: — The amount of feel- j ing excited among the Dutch by the recent ' British victories is difficult to gauge exactly. ] Their behaviour on the whole has been considered excellent, considering the great sympathy which exists between them and their kinsmen in the Transvaal and Free State. While the British receive the news of each-! victory in Natal and of Colonel N BadenPcwell's grand stand at Mafeking with the widest enthusiasm, the Dutch are silent. " Seme of the more violent among them openly express their sorrow, but the general feeling is perhaps one of relief that the British success does not oblige them to face the possibility of giving active support to the enemy. The increased race feeling which has 'been arrused by the war threatens to present a ' difficult problem in the future, but the indica- , tions are frequent and substantial that many j Dutch colonists, now that the mists of acri- J menious discussion have been dispersed by j war, have been impressed by the magnanimity, courage, and tolerance of Great Britain, and once more feel proud to be citizens of the j Empire. . I

AN IRISH HIELANDER.

Sir George 'White, who commands the Natal forces, is au. Irish officer, who, like many of hfe lace, did all his regimental service and won liis way to distinction in a Highland regiment. Like Buller, he wears that coveted " bit of bronze," the Victoria Cross. He won it at Afghanistan, in the hard-fought battle of Charasiah, 20 years ago. It is very seldom in modern war that one sees reproduced in actual fact the incident so frequent in romance, from the Iliad-down to the stories of chivalry and the modern military novel — tho chiefs of two opposing forces meeting in personal and deadly conflict. SIR GEORGE AND THE AFGHAN. This \va3 what happened at Charasiah: — '• Major Goorge Stewart White, as he then was, had been detached with half his own regiment, the 02nd Gordon Highlanders, a com- _ pany of native Pioneers, half a battery, and ' two squadrons of Punjaub cavalry, to clear a high ridge of the enemy. The ridge was' crowned with the Ameer's khaki — uniformed regulars, and a crowd of white-robed swordsmen, the fanatic Ghazis. After shelling Jie enemy for a while, White told the Gordons that he counted on them to carry the hill with the bayonet. Up they went, two companies in front, two more in support, and tho Gazette tells what followed, in recording White's claim to the Cross. " Advancing witlf two companies of his regiment," it Bays, " and climbing from one steep ledge to another, he came upon a body of the enemy strongly posted, and outnumbering his force by 18 to 1. His men being much exhausted, and immediate action being necessary, Major White took a rifle, and, going on by himself shot dead the leader of the enemy."

THE DRAMA OF WAR,

When White fired, the Afghan was rushing upon him sword in hand, trying to bring his men on to the charge. If they had come on, mere weight- of numbers might have huiled the handful of Highlanders down the hill. But the fall of the fanatic chief produced something like a panic among his people, and tho Highlanders, cheering wildly for their heroic leader, rushed on with levelled bayonets. All was over in a few moments. The ridge was won, and the deadly rifles of the victors were busy shooting down the flying foe. It was one of the most dramatic incidents in recent warfare.

THE " V.C." TWICE OVER

If White had not been given the Victoria Cross on this occasion, he would have won it at the battle of Candahar, when, charging again at the head of the Gordons, he captured one of the enemy's guns. For this also he was named fov the Cross. Curiously enough, if he had not had the chances of which he so gallantly availed himself under Roberts in this famous march to Candahar, lie would have had to retire next year a3 a major, under the age limit. In that case he would be now in all probability a quiet country genlleman, with only tho record that ha

had served as a lieutenant in the mutiny. But this Afghan campaign brouglit him his colonel's commission,' and a new lease of service, and saved a good soldier to the Empire. Then came fighting in Egypt and Burmah, and a little later the. chief command in India.

A PORTRAIT IN BRIEF.

Sir George White is a tall, soldierly looking man, with a handsome face and a very charming manner, that has won him hosts of friends. He has had always in his favour a remarkably strong constitution, and i 3 still, to use the popular phrase, " as hard as nails." About a year ago, when another distinguished general was temporarily invalided through a bad full, a friend of both remarked to White that he doubted if the injured officer would ever again be fit to mount a horse, ! for he hod- broken his leg in, six placesJ " Why should he not get quite well?'' said White cheerily; "he has only broken his leg in six places. I once broke one of mine in seven, and I don't think I am any the worse for it."—" M.A.P."

MISCELLANEOUS NEWS.

Mr.W. F. Monypenny, late editor of the Johannesburg Star and The Times correspondent in Johannesburg, is now a member of the Imperial Light Horse, and fought gallantly with his regiment at Elandslaagte. He also holds the Queen's commission, being a lieutenant in the 16th Volunteer Battalion of the Rifle Brigade (London Irish).' The fighting at Glencoe began at daybreak and4astcd until midday. In the afternoon the London papers, 7000 miles from the scene of the battle, were selling in the streets with a description of the fight; - Colonel Summer, Major Storey, Captain Uibeon, and Captain Slocum, of the United States Army, have been detailed to proceed to South Africa, to observe and report on the military operations there. There is at least one Dutchman who admires British pluck, and his name is S. Van Dijk.of Amsterdam. He has been so struck by the gallantry of the Gordons that ho has— •but here is his letter to a shipping firm in London: — "I have read with much interest of fche stirring accounts at the battle of Glencoe, and Elandslaagte, and much like to make ,my appreciation of the good gallantry of the 2nd Gordon Highlanders. I have send to my forwarding agents instructions of 100 cases of my Schiedam, and I will be glad of you shipping for my behalf, and with all my respects to these brave soldiers at Ladysmith now."

There is something gruesomely comical in the notion of the funeral undertakers of Pretoria having worked up their republican patriotism to the pitch of offering to bury the Transvaal burghers who come intq, their clutches as corpses free, gratis, and for nothing. — South African Review, Capetown. According to the Transvaal Agency at Brussels, the Boers have 100,000 jnen in the field. The force includes Boer regulars 35,000, artillery 1250, police 1750, Free State force (including Uitlanders) 35,000, Natal Boers 3000. Boers from Bechuanaland and Rhodesia 8000, Foreign Legion (composed of 4000 Germans, 6000 Dutch, 2000 Irish', 1000 Scandinavians, 600 Americans, 600 French, Swiss, and Italians), and 200 Jews doing police work.

The British troopß have gained a brilliant victory in the face of overwhelming odd« and under the most unfavourable conditions* Albion's worst enemies must admit this. — Neve' Freie Presse, Vienna. f Tho victory of the British at Glencoe it a surprise to everyone. No one credited ths British Army with the qualities shown by the officers and men who inflicted so severe a de- • feat on the Boers. — Tagblatt, Vienna. (Messrs N. M. Rothschild and Sons pre» sented 1000 pipes, 1000 pouches, and 10001b of tobacco to the men of th"c Ist Scots Guards before they left for the Cape. When the news of the Glencoe victory reached Capetown people^went^wild with delight. Perfect strangers shook hands, and ' " God -save the Queen," the "Soldiers of-tho Queen," and "Now we shan't be long" were popular airs. j The "plugged"' shells used by the Boers in the Glencoe fight were shells 'in which tho fuse-holes were plugged with wood. As they did not burst, they might as >yell have been' firing only round 'shot. ~ - % •• There were -843 men of the«Gloucestevs and Royal Irish" Fusiliers missing after the~ disastdr near Nicholson's Nek., On the call pi the roll, those. found killed numbered 32 Glouces-ters,-10 Fiißiliers, and two of .jfcjio -Mountain Battery. Between 70 and 100 wien who weYa taken succeeded in escaping', and returned to Ladysmith. A little incident that may be mentioned in •connection with the attack on Fort Molynoux, near Colenao, is that volleyß from the Lee- , MetfonU of the Dubs were very effective atf 2000 yards, while Mauser bullets, fired by the .Boers in return; were falling far short. At Elandslaagte, while one of the British medical staff was attending to two wounded soldiers, a burgher, armed with a pistol, cama along, and stopped in front of the little party. Without saying anything, he deliberately drew his pistol and .fired at the two wounded 1 men, killing both. Probably the doctor would! have made a third victim, but at that moment: two of the British soldiers made their appearance, and were on the spot before the assassin' cculd escape. A few words from the doctor, arid' the position was explained. The burgher dropped his pistol and fell on his knees, begging for mercy. He got the mercy he deserved for so "inhuman an act. Partieß who were sent out in search of the dead andf wounded were at first fired on by the Boera under the Red Cross, and then under a flag 1 of truce. ,

Tho military authorities at Pietermaritzburg, who were offered the services of 2000 men for an infantry regiment, have agreed to accept 1000 ; the pay to be 5s a day, and th« men to be drawn from Maritzburg and Durj ban ; the colonel and adjutant tc be Imperial officers.

The Boera have re-laid the line from Volki£ rust, in the Transvaal, to" Newcastle, in Njtf tal, which is' now in perfect working orde'K Provisions and ammunition" for the Boers art' now beinar -sent to Newcastle, regularly. • A • correspondent of the Diggers' News, states that Newcastle ia completely deserted, with the ex ception of the magistrate and his wife and t few families.

The building societies and- trades unions of Queensland are at present making remarkable progress. S