THE TYPICAL BOER.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6597, 22 September 1899, Page 1

THE TYPICAL BOER.

HIS VIEW OF THE SITUATION. As a burgher of the country (writes " A Burgher " in the Heidelberg " News ") lam prepared to fight against England rather than open the door,, of political privilege any wider to the. Uitlander. They cannot frighten me ■with any talk about what England will do. I know what we are able to do, and I have an idea that we shall win if we are put to it. We know blood will flow freely, and we are willing to give in a long way to avoid the. struggle, but we cannot allow ourselves to be domineered over nor stand the chanee of being swamped by newcomers. Don't imagine the Transvaal is an infant. It is nothing of the kind. It is one of the best armed countries in the world at the. present day, and if it has to go to war with England, 30,000 men armed with the very best and newest rifles, . mounted on good, active ponies, and able to shoot ■with the utmost precision, will be in the field at a week's notice. Now, it is an accepted principle in fight* ing that, all things being equal; a. force attacking a country must be of three times the- strength, numerically, of the defending force, to make up for disadvantages. The defenders have the advantages of being able to select their battle-field, of being familiar with the country, the climate, and all surrounding conditions, besides being saved from the petty annoyances that a force is subject to when in a hostile country. Defenders, moreover, fight for all they are worth for hearth and home, for land and liberty. I said, "all things being equal,' the attacking force must be three to one to be successful. But when, instead of being equal, they have to meet infinitely superior marksmen, whose tactics are at the same time deatb-dealing and self-preserving, the odds must be much increased for the attackers to succeed. Suppose we put the Tequired proportion at five to one. What then? We can count safely on 30,000 men. Can England put three times that number on our borders— 9o,ooo men? And seeing that this is only what she would need, "all things being equal," can she raise the number to 150,000, which is my estimate of what she would require? I think not. They talk of artillery. We Boers have not been used to depending on artillery for our defence, but we know that our enemies will avoid fighting man to man, and try striking from afar with their wholesale destroyers — the latest infernal devices of military science — so we have carefully put our-* selves in readiness to meet them. "We also have artillery," and it is of the very best to be had for money. Our gunners are well trained, and we have taken care to have enough of them, and when the enemy comes we- can give him a very hot reception at quite as long a distance as he can touch us from. Our artillery will move through our own country, and receive the best assistance and support en route that our people can give them. The British artillery, on the contrary, may look out for ambushed enemies behind every stone and from .out of every scrub, and happy they if they reach Transvaal soil with their officers alive and their mess complete. As for money, of that we have plenty. The President has taken care that we have a couple of millions put by against a rainy day, besides which we know how to supply ourselves from other sources sufficient for our needs. In 1881 we had to let those who had guns shoot some roo-baatjes for us, so that we might equip ourselves with their accoutrements, and before long the Transvaal forces were armed with the rifles and ammunition which the British had brought with them. To-day we are well-equipped in every respect, and to a man we are ready, aye ready. Talk about odds ! Taking one thing with

another, the odds are in. our favour, and, let my words be remembered, if England has resolved to measure, her strength against ours, she will find herself dealing with a race dauntless and determined, magnificently equipped, and the best shots in the world. Disaster after disaster will bafall her forces, and she will scuttle- out of Africa 1 humbled as she has never been be- j fore. We are not.holding back o,ut of fear. We are, avoiding I the resort to arms out of con-: sideration' for .the. prospective widows and; orphans and cripples 'and martyrs which war! would create, both in this country and in - : Gfep :■ • Let 'ther&&e: tjo-' 'Imistake; about our position',' nor about' fhe^ result which may be anticipated, if England lets loose the dogs of war.