The Boer Camp in Holland.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 230, 7 October 1901, Page 3

The Boer Camp in Holland.

AN INTERVIEW WITH DR LEYDS.

HOW THE KRUGERITES WILL AVENGE THEMSELVES.

The Haoee correspond ‘of the London Daily Mail, writing on !. - ’st 20, says: With the departure u. teen Willielmina from their midst, thr . -Opie of The Hague seem to take upon ; .-mselves a new mood. The girl Queen ha- gone, and with her the bright aspect of her capitol. Many of the buildings have their shutters down, the streets are practically deserted, and strangers no longer turn out in gay dresses to do homage to Holland’s little rule.

Sueli is the gloom that has settled upon La Hague ; and it is this gloom that is so warmly welcomed by the lesser lights of the town. Perhaps the most important of these lesser lights is Dr Leyds, with whom an interview just now is a matter of moment —and possibly only of moments, if the questions to be asked are inconvenient.

I found him surrounded by a large number of gentlemen, whose black coats and beribboned button-holes showed them to bo men of mark. With the diminution of his own importance, Dr Leyds' ideas of etiquette seem to have increased. He will keep his visitors waiting in the antechamber for hours at a time before granting them an interview, and generally refuses to commence the business at hand until the health of the aged President has been previously discussed. HOW NOT TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.

After a battle royal iu diplomacy, during which the doctor successfully evaded answering any awkward questions, I obtained the following information : He declares that Lord Kitchener’s proclamation will have no influence whatever on the Boers in the field. The nonfighting elements have nearly all surrendered. and those who still remain will, in the doctor’s estimation, hold out so long as horses and ammunition remain’ There are supposed to be fifteen thousand ot these desperados still in the field, besides several Cape rebels ; but this latter statement should undoubtedly be accepted with the greatest caution, as Dr Leyds’ estimate is doubtless based upon that which he wishes were the truth. At this point my enquiries seemed to have taken too pertinent a turn; and the remaining conversation took the following somewhat ambiguous form : Question: What are the President's feolings as to the proclamation ? Answer: He does not attach any importance to it.

Question : How long can the war last? Answer: Until the Boers have regained their independence. Question : What will become of the prisoners taken out of the country ? Answer : They will have to be released as soon as peace has been declared. Question: Whon is likely to bo declared '! Answer: When the Boer Eep üblics’ independence is guaranteed. ONE ADMISSION. Question : Is the treatment in tho socalled rofugee camps really as bad as made out ? Answer : It is getting better since public opinion has taken an iuterest therein.

Question: Do you still believe in an intervention -from ono of the Powers ? Answer : You are treading on dungorous ground. Question : Havo tho letters of marquo been granted V Answer : The newspapers know more than w e diplomotists. Question ; What do you think of tho International League and their work, not to speak of tho moneys they have collected and are daily collecting, and what use is made thereof ? Answer (laughing) : The people’s voice is the voice of God.

No ; the fact cannot be disputed. Dr. Loyds is too cunning to talk freely, even with people whom ho knows. He is a master of words and phrases ; he has the eye of a hawk for a hole through which he can crawl when squeezed into a conversational corner. But enough of him for the present. The next most interesting man in Tho Hague is one of tho Dutch attaches, who followed the Boer war on behalf of his Government. His report on the war is now finished, and comprises four big typewritten volumes. This will be handed to the Government within tho next few days. Ono whole volume describes tho fights near Colenso, and my friend told mo that tho great lesson which ho learnt was that in future wars the attacking party will always bo at a disadvantage, owing to their being unable to determine tha strength of the onerny, or to fix his exact position. WHAT A DUTCH ATTACHE THINKS.

Botha’s generalship, according to this attache, proved itsolf at Colenso onlythrough his order not to give his positions away by firing, but to wait until he had given tho signal with a howitzer. And this he did when the English troops had approached to within 600 yards of his riflemen.

He also praises tiie English army, who, ho states, always behaved most bravely. Unluckily it fell to their lot to teach the great armies of the world the lessons of future warfare, for which they had to pay with their life’s blood. Among the refugees who have settled down here in The Hague are several old fighters who havo returned to Europe to live on spoils gained in the war. Though many of theso have grown fat and idle, there are some who retain their old fighting spirit. They vent their feelings by planning and plotting to their hearts’ content. If the privateers are not granted letters of marquo. they declare that they will induce some Italian desperadoes to blow up Woolwich arsenal. On these subjects they talk with the utmost freedom. You would imagine that the blowing up of an arsenal was perfectly easy, and that it was kind and considerate on their part to forbear this little revenge. Still, as the scheme is undoubtedly in the air, it would he well for tho British authorities to keep an eye on the Italians who may present themselves.