PROGRESS OF THE WAR.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 27 February 1901, Page 2

PROGRESS OF THE WAR.

Information from South Africa indicates that the end is approaching, that even the guerilla warfare on anything like an extensive scale is rapidly breaking down; and, although it is certain that a large armed force will be required in the country for a couple of years to come, it is also equally certain that the resistence of the Boers in anything like organised bodies is almost now at an end. The arrival ■ 'at the Cape of about 4,000 well-armed and well-mounted colonials and a like number from England, all full of fight and enured to hardship, will possibly do more towards bringing about a general submission than anything else, for the Boers, sadly misled though they have been in the past, cannot much longer shut their eyes to the hopeless nature of the struggle, and once thoroughly convinced they will submit to the inevitable, and ere long learn that under the new condition of affairs their position is better than under the former corrupt rule. The racial hatred, we hear so much of too, will speedily disappear; indeed, there is ample evidence to show that this dislike only existed among the more ignorant, who have had little or no contact with the “ foreigners.” Of the leaders in the field it is generally agreed that Botha is wiling to submit, and only holds out through loya ty to Steyn and De Wet, who appear to be the irreconcilable of the Boer faction. Our telegrams to-day toll us that Botha has received a crushing blow from which there ap-' pears to be no hope of rec jvery, vdiile Do Wet and Steyn are in an equal y tight crner, their only chance of escape being to swim the Orange River, which is still in high flood. De Wet apparent'y is more hard y pressed than he has ever been before, and he has had an extraordinary career, and been more diligently hunted than any other so dier in South Africa. But oven allowing, says a we’l-informed writer in the Post, that the man is physically run down, and his nerves ragged, we cannot accept the statement that he is “ frightened.” In any case such a statement cou'd only come from Boer prisoners, and they common'y, like the average “ nigger,” toll the story best ca'cu'ated to p'easo their captors. Still there is plenty of reason why De Wot shou'd bo depressed, for lie is sore bestead in a strange country, and just now, as one of his* commandos, cornered apparent'y in 11 oded country where he must turn and fight—and fight a much superior force. With Botha in like trouble there seems to bo every probabi ity, if Kitchener has any luck at a'l, that a week or ten days wi‘l see both Louis Botha and De Wet removed from the scone, probably prisoners, and hence no longer factors in the struggle. With the two remaining leaders away, col apse and submission is inevitable.