PULLING THE PRO-BOERS' LEG."

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 27 June 1901, Page 4

PULLING THE PRO-BOERS' LEG."

The French readers of yellow journals seem ready to believe the wildest stories about disasters to British troops in South Africa. Not long ago tho " Courier de Cannes," which will really have to change its name to " Courier des Canards," published a report from its Johannesburg correspondent, stating that General French had been captured by the Boers and released on condition that he would not again bear arms against them. An Englishman could no resist "pulling the Courier's leg," and sent the editor the following letter. To the writer's surprise, itwas published under the heading of " A Sensational Revelation" from a "Distinguished Foreigner," which "cannot fail to produce a certainjsensation.'' The letter ran thus s'Your Johannesburg correspondent states that General French's departure is due to the fact that having been captured by the Boers, he had been released on tho condition of no longer serving against them. But your correspondent appears to ignore the fact that Lord Boberta. Sir Bedvers Buller, Sir George White, General Kelly-Kenny, Sir Alfred Milner, General Bad'n-Powell, Colonel Ward. Sir Archibald Hunter, and General lan Hamilton are all in the same category. All, without exception, have been captured by the Boers, and generously released on the condition of no longer bearing arms against the South African Republic. The English Government naturally keeps silent.