SOUTH AFRICAN REBELS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2305, 12 November 1914, Page 7

SOUTH AFRICAN REBELS

HAVE LITTLE SUPPORT

JRANSVAAL MINING , GINEER'S VIEWS

Some interesting views on the South African trouble were given to a Dominion, reporter, last night by Mr. Francis Drake, a prominent mining engineer from Rhodesia and the Transvaal, who arrived in Wellington by the Maitai from Sydney. Mr. Drake is an ■ American, but has resided in British colonies for some -thirty years, and was 5n South Africa at the time of the Boerwar. He left Cape Town on October 4 'last. In his opinion the rebellion will not amount to anything serious. • "One cannot expect that these back-veldt Boers will fight for us and with us," said Mr._ Drake, arid in so doing showed where his sympathies went. "They cannot," ho continued, "fully appreciate yet the benefits they have received, and are receiving, from the British connection. They still have the remembrance of fighting against tho British, and they'also remember that theylhad. ■the sympathy of Germany during the Boer war, and that is carrying some weight now." He believed that they would all fight to defend their own country, _ but the difference of opinion was entirely ; whether they should invade another country. The South African' authorities had made it a point

to impress upon the Dutch that the Germans were 'really the aggressors. Personally he did not think there was. any doubt but that the' German forces did invade the Union before 'any of the Dutch were asked to go to German South-West Africa. • ' I- . De Wet's Following, 'Although De Wet has for years harboured strong racial • feelings against. When Mr.' Drake left Cape Town he following had cropped up very suddenlv. When Mr. Drake left Cape Town lie did not think that thero was any likelihood of De Wet taking any part against the British. In fact at a meeting of burghers held in Orangia, at which De Wet'was .present, someone- displayed an old Orange Free State flag, aud De Wet was heard to exclaim: "Put that away. We don't want any of ' that nonsense here." Judging from that it was thought the old-time bitter feelings had been sunk in the hour of Britain's' need. In the Union the great body of feeling is against the rebels, and it is only a small body of irreconcilables who are holding out. Mr. Drake is of opinion that the present war, however, will eradicate all Tacial reeling, for the Dutch must see the' benefits they aro

deriving through being a part of the British Empire. ■ r A very general and enthusiastic response was made to the call by General Botha for an army to uphold the prestige 'of the, 'Onion. In South Africa there is an ordinary defence force, but when the position began to look serious General Botha issued a call for volunteers, preferably men who had seen active service.' That call was being responded to by all classes when Mr. Drake left, an da fine bod> of experienced soldiers was being formed. No Native Trouble. ~ The teeming black population of South' Africa :is not likely to • cause trouble, according.,to the visitor. He had been told that when the Union goiX to/. German South-West Africa the natives-were, very glad to be on their side; and "our" people expected great aid from them . iu ; finding water holes as _they advanced over the country. /In" "Rhodesia, " nevertheless,' where the'white population was .Binall, a force of 500 troops had.been raised for overseas service, but the' Imperial authorities had thought it wise to keep them'in Rhodesia, as there was the possibility, in; addition to a German raid, that the natives would start a rebellion. It was generally thought that the German missionaries. had for some time 'past been fomenting feelings of unrest in the minds of the 'many native ; races. But the natives, taken altogether, did not like the Germans; in fact, some of the native miners in Johannesburg left the'mines and. went back to their own States because it was rumoured that the Germans were going to take the place.

The. German forces in South-West Africa have a very powerful wireless station. This is at Windhoek, where the German force has fallen hack to, and under favourable conditions they can get direct communication wtih Berlin,. ,6000 miles away. Previously they had direct communication with Berlin from the station at Togoland,'. which was destroyed ,by the British troops. When the British got into Luderidztbucht -there..was; yory little.opposition.: That the'wireless station had been able to communicate with Berlin .was seen from the files of the local German papof, .which contained many items of , news telling of the victorious march of the forces of the Fatherland on Paris. Unfortunately for the residents, the plant was demolished by the British, so news of.the'rapid German retreat was not made public with such rapidity.' , Mr. Drake is accompanied by Mrs. and Miss Drake. He will bo staying in Wellington for a few days, and then proceeds on to South America by the next New Zealand Shipping Company's boat.