out. Six months have now passed, and the spectacle of a vast army made helpless from want of ordinary precautions, precautions that well-informed military men evidently saw were necessary, is something that is creating strong adverse criticism throughout the military countries of Europe. Some supposed that as soon as Bloemfontein was occupied, the Boers would betake themselves northward and begin the fortification of the mountainous country about the river Vaal; that all their future actions would be entirely defensive; that they would await the on-coming of the English army; that they would be finally discouraged and disheartened, and await with patience their final stand in defense of the position they had taken. The public was informed through English dispatches that the backbone of the war had been broken; that there were serious disagreements between the Orange Free Staters and the people of the Transvaal; that President Steyn and President Kruger were not on the friendliest terms; Lord Roberts was the hero of the hour; in a few quick strokes he had broken down the most formidable opposition, and had taught the Boers, by the severest penalties, the force and effect of English arms. We are now awakened to a full realization that all this is not true; that the Boers are more active than they have ever been; that, as a matter of fact, they are not keeping themselves north of Bloemfontein out of the way of English arms; that their General Olivier, who had large guns and forces that were difficult to mobilize, had effected a marvelous retreat in which he had taken miles and miles of ox wagons, arms and men out of reach of the British, and placed them in a safe position in the northern part of the Orange Free State. We are further informed that the easily mobilized troops of the Boer army are making frequent attacks on the English outposts at Wepener and Reddersburg. Both these places are south of Bloemfontein. Railroad communication is being endangered, and the supplies, provisions and re-mounts from Cape Colony, for which Roberts is waiting, are in danger of being cut off by the Boer armies. Now and then, skirmishes take place between the English and the Boers, all of which have been to the advantage of the latter. We read how the Boers set traps, and how the English enter them. And most of this information comes from the English press, through the strictest censorship exercised by Lord Roberts in that part of the country. It is natural, therefore, that the belief should be held that the worst has not been told. It should be remarked, however, in passing, that whatever may be said in praise of Boer tactics and their superior generalship, no one has even intimated that the English soldier has lost any of his fighting qualities, or that he was deserving of one word of disparagement. Tommy Atkins has shown himself the same plucky, fearless fighter as in bygone days, and no one has even sought to discredit in any measure his bravery and general soldierly qualities. So far as England has received any general discredit in the estimation of the military world, it seems to be discredit cast upon her generals. Lord Roberts and his chief of staff, Lord Kitchener, have both made great reputations, but they never made them fighting such foes as they now have to encounter. It is one thing to fight some mountain tribe in India, or the tribes of the Soudan, and another thing to encounter a plucky foe like the Boers. Of course, all through this war, it must be remembered, that nature and the defensive position have put the Boers at an immense advantage, but no one has ever supposed that that advantage would be as five to one, or, in some cases, ten to one. The size of the English army, at this time, is a matter of some interest, and it is noticed that the English are a little coy about telling the world how many soldiers they have actually put into the field, but competent critics have estimated that by May 1st, there will be from two hundred and seventy-five to three hundred thousand soldiers, and these will be encountering an army of something like thirty-five or forty thousand Boers. From this it will be seen that the English are counting upon at least eight to one. What a surprise this war has been! Even the surprises of the FrancoPrussian war did not seem so wonderful to the world at large as those which have been created by the struggle between the Boer republics and Great Britain, and it is not unlikely that these surprises, for various reasons, will be as striking and unexpected in the future as they have been in the past. In the first place, the winter season is coming on, and we are now informed by the English press that the army is not at all adequately clad, and that it will take a month or more for the factories to turn out the neces sary clothing. Again, it will be more difficult to transport the army, and there is likely to be increased dangers from sickness, and the inability of the soldiers to adapt themselves to the new conditions of South African life. What about Mafeking? This beleagured city, or fort, is a little more than two hundred miles north of Kimberley, on the railroad running north-easterly along the border lines between the British province of the west, to the Dutch republics of the east. After Kimberley was relieved, two weeks was set as the furthest time necessary to relieve Mafeking. It was reported, some days ago, that the relief party was within at least twenty-five or thirty miles, and that the garrison was in hope of immediate relief. Day after day has gone by, and the beleagured are forced to wait. But the English people are beginning to grow uneasy. Many of them are in deadly fear of Boer traps. Will the Boers succeed in overwhelming in some strategic manner the English general and the relief-force under his command? This hardly seems likely, because the lay of the country north of Kimberley, between the diamond fields and Mafeking, is comparatively open. The Boers do not enjoy the same advantages of natural fortifications that they had either in Natal or at Modder river. The truth perhaps is that the English find it extremely difficult, in the presence of the constant harassment of the Boer forces, to move their army very rapidly. They must take great caution that their supplies in the rear are not cut off, and that their communication with headquarters be kept open. All this necessitates time. It is time, too, that will prove very valuable to the republics. While portions of the army are thus harassing the English and preventing rapid movements, other portions are undoubtedly, at this time, engaging in works of fortifications that are likely to give the English exceeding difficutly in making their way to Pretoria. Two events of importance have transpired since the last article was written. One was the celebration of Saint Patrick's day, and the other the death of General Joubert. The disaffection in Ireland has been a source of some embarrassment to the British all through this war; and in the minds of some Englishmen, it was almost treason to wear the Shamrock in England during Saint Patrick's day. But England has found it in the interest of the empire to appease the Irish, and the Londoners were very profuse in their demonstration with the green, and the Shamrock was everywhere worn in testimony of English good-will toward Irishmen; and at this writing, the Queen, after an absence of thirtyseven years, is paying her respects to the Irish people by visiting their beautiful island. Many Englishmen fear that after the war is over, and the Boers have been forced to submit, they may have another Ireland on their hands, and, if so, two Irelands would create an extremely undesirable burden, if not some danger, to the British empire. In the death of General Joubert, the Boers are said to have lost their greatest general. Joubert was a descendant of those French Hugenots who emigrated to Africa in the middle of the seventeenth century. His name indicates his nationality. But of him it is said that he was more liberal than President Kruger. Kruger stood at the head of the civil affairs of the Republic, while Joubert was the commanding general. Upon the announcement of General Joubert's death, the Queen sent letters of condolence to the General's wife, and Lord Roberts immediately dispatched his sympathy to President Kruger, on the death of so valiant a general, and so great a man. These letters of condolence and sympathy indicate the chivalrous disposition of the English leaders, and show their willingness to recognize a great man even though he be a Boer, and even though he had proved himself to be one of the most formidable opponents of the English people. Joubert came prominently before the world at the battle of Majuba Hill, in which three or four hundred Boers almost annihilated seven hundred English soldiers, even after the English had picked their own fighting ground, on a hill that seemed to them a desirable and a natural fortification. Of course, people generally throughout the world are wondering when the war will be over. President Kruger has allowed himself to be interviewed by the New York World. He there indicates, in unmistakable terms, that the Boers intend to fight to the death. He does not pretend that the Boers are invincible, but he does say that it may be months, and it may be years, before the English find themselves within the fortifications of Pretoria, the capital of the Transvaal. SUNSHINE AND SHADOW OF LIFE. [The following lines, written by Elder W. W. Burton on his birthday anniversary, are of more than personal interest, being applicable to the lives of all veteran wanderers in mortality.-Editors.] Another milestone passed today! This ends my sixty-seventh year. The years, like milestones, mark the way Of all that are sojourning here. This mortal life, we count by years; Each year, a milestone on life's way; Some linger in this vale of tears, While others shortly pass away. When first we come, how frail we are! And is more helpful in its sphere. The future, full of promise fair. When youth and health are both our own, Nor death has in our ranks been known, And dream not that the time is near |