THE WAR.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 6713, 4 June 1900, Page 4

THE WAR.

IMPREGNABLE PRETORIA.

An engineer who has been employed in preparing the defences of Pretoria, wrote recently:— The world has, it seemed, marvelled not a little at the skill with which the Boers have withstood the attacks of the British, and not a little surnrise has been expressed at the number of modern guns S -W -nuftvG been {ouad *o Possess. gyMjjyvill be a greater surprise for every~w/M______W^^Mncl^l behove, wiUne^^mrt^^een equalled. You must remember that we didn't undertake tbis war unadvisedly, or in a hurry. We have been preparing for it ever sirce the Jameson raid, and for the past two years the preparations have been pushed with all care to completion. When the war began the Boers did not hope to keep the British from the Transyail as long as they have, and they expected to have to do their hardest fig-it-ing in defending their capical. Accordingly, their plan of defence was all figured out, and the defenders have been ready and waiting, and not one of them has taken any part in the fighting so far. Pre*oriais practically surrounded by hills. Betwee^-the hills and through them are n&rp&w defiles. Every hill about Pretoria is fortified by the best modern guns that can be made by the best European gunmakers outside of England. The guns that were not considered good enough for the defence of our capital are the guns which we have been using in tha field. Therefore, you may get some idea of the care with which tbe Pretoria guns were selected. They were mounted under the direction of skilled military engineers from the works where they were made, and I very much doubt if there are better or more solidly mounted guns in any fortifications in the world. These guns have been so placed that they command every approach to the capital Each gun is supplied with its own ammunition vaults holding enough shells to feed the guns for at least two fears, and these ammunition vaults are full, not a shell having been taken from them since the war began. Owing to the topography of the country a comparatively small force of artillerymen can serve these guns, and they will be so protected that one man will be the equal of about ten where the guns are placed in less favorable natural positions. Moreover, the nature of the country is such that we have been able to place the guns co that they will nat be easily located by the enemy. We have figured on being able to annihilate a larger army than England has in South Africa at present and still not be obliged to surrender.

j .But the fortifying of our hills is not j tb^gnly fortifyiag we have done. We ,f_W Paid particular attention to the VjMes in these hills, through which an rm vading force would have to send a good part of its troops The defiles have been mined, ana should the necessity arise, Should a British force attempt to pass through, the explosion of these mines will follow, and England will then we able to count the cost of warring upon a free people. Our home guard is not so very large, but is quite large enough, we believe, to defend and preserve our capital,