Boer or British.

Hastings Standard, Issue 321, 13 May 1897, Page 4

Boer or British.

Will a civil war arise between the British and Dutch populations in South Africa ? This is a question seriously discussed in the "New Review " by Mr Tainton, the descendant of an English family who emigrated to Natal in 1820. He has been living in the Transvaal for the last 10 years, and he evidently regards a racial conflict as not only possible, but probable. If it should occur it will have taken its rise in the deplorable mistake made by Mr Gladstone's Government 45 years ago in renouncing British sovereignty over the Boers, and acquiescing in the foundation of two independent republics, for this, it is observed, " popularised the idea of an independent Boer dominion in South Africa." The two races are represented as drawn into two camps, the sentiment of the one being impersonated by President Kruger, while the other is that of loyalty to the Empire. In point of numbers the British and the Dutch in the various States are pretty evenly balanced, the advantage inclining to the Boers, who muster about 400,000, whilst those of British extraction total 1350,000. But in point of intelligence and energy there is no comparison between the two races ; and this implies no disparagement to the fighting capacity of the Dutch. But the Boer hates England because she represents civilisation and progress ; while he is naturally unprogressive and even retrogressive, for he is " the specialised product of two centuries of estrangement from the life of cities." In the Transvaal the policy of Mr Kruger towards the Uitlanders is one of calculated rapacity, and by the Aliens Admission Act every " white person" is compelled to carry a pass, which is a badge of social inferiority, if not of servitude. "The net result is," writes Mr Tainton, " that open warfare against the Boers is prevented solely by want of arms, not by want of feeling." One significant sign of the times is the formation of the South African League, which is numerically stronger than the Afrikander Bond, is composed exclusively of men of British decent, and its leading principle is the maintenance of British supremacy in South Africa.