Africa.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 279, 4 May 1915, Page 5

Africa.

BOTHA'S BIG ARMY. ANOTHER BRITIStt SUCCESS. Received May ;i, ii.i'ii p.ni. Capetown, May 3. Olliciul: The Union forces occupied Ivubns unopposed. Good water was found. WHERE SOLDIER* WEAR VEILS. ' THE SAND WAR IN AFRICA. . (Special Correspondent "Daily Mail.") Johannesburg. General Botha's army, which probably numbers about SO.OOO men, has begun its delayed campaign against German South-west Africa, In all probability it will be a long business. No part of the Empire has undertaken a more difficult task than the Union of South one way the rebellion was a blessing in disguise. It stopped operations for which a few montjis ago the Union was not adequately prepared. In the interval the magnitude of the task has been better appreciated and arrangements made accordingly, (,'eneral Botha hasnow aeroplanes and heavy artillery and other equipment from England, without which the advance would have been very risky. The habitable part of German South-west Africa, lies in the centre of a sun-scorched, waterless, shade-less desert of shifting sand. Only those with practical experience of this sand' belt can realise the difficulties it produces. Evert at the coast towns of Luderitz Bay and Swakopmund, now in the hands of theUnion forces, every drop of water has to be obtained from condenser plants. The desert belt varies in breadth from forty to eighty or a hundred miles. Across it the army of invasion must carry water, fodder for animals, food supplies—in fact, every conceivable thing it needs. MINIMUM CLOTHING. The midday beat goes up to abo.it 122deg. The usual midday sandstorm is so dense that the next tent in camp is but blur and the one beyond is invisible. The troopß have to take refuge in sweltering tents, in which much clothing beyond a spine pad, a sun helmet and a pair of boots -is unendurable. Scores of men have been so blistered by the sun that they have, had to be sent to hospital. Tens of thousands of veils and "goggles" have been served out for the struggle against the sand and the glare, The horses get as thin as fence rails and die like Hies. With every breeze the dunes shift, and the railway inland has to be dug out about once a' day as well as rebuilt. But there is no other way of getting at the Germans, who have taken refuax in the centre of their colony. Tina middle stretch of country is fairly hard. It contains water-holes and springs. In general appearance it resembles the Karoo. But on all sides it is bounded by the sand belt. On the land side of the Union the desert is worse than ever. Such a campaign would be no easy matter for 50,000 trained soldiers, bear*-, ing in mind the fact that the lines of communication in Africa soon run into hundreds of miles. General Botha's* army is composed of the Active Citizen Army, a considerable volunteer force, including manv eld campaigners and the' Boer commandics. The burghers, of course, make good campaigners anywhere. iistimates as to the number of German fighting men in the interior of German South-west Africa vary between 4000 and 20,000. Upon pretty good authority it is asserted that the Regulars and the Reservists do not number* more than 800. They are, however, trained men, used to desert campaigning.

The German equipment is good. Ma-chine-guns are numerous, the artillery ja ample, and there appears to be no shortago of ammunition or supplies. Land mines have already been exploded against the Union forces, and it is said that the manufacture of hand-grenades has been going on at Windhoek for months. With the railway in the interior of the country in working order and an elaborate telephone and telegraph, system liking up every police post in the territory, and' with two aeroplanes at least available, the Germans will be in a position to offer a stout resistance. Their intelligence department iB wonderfully good. If the Union made men play a game of football the wireless operator at Windhoek sends out a sarcastic message about it. Telephone wires concealed under the sand have also been discovered.

SIX MONTHS TO GET READY. - The enemy, too, seem spoiling for a fight. Instead of concentrating their energies upon defence reparations, they have-invaded the north-west of the Cape several times and also pushed a force of 200 men across the northern border into Portuguese territory. The military authorities in the Union maintain the greatest secrecy regarding the plan of campaign. There is no evidence that the enemy mean to give in easily. They have had six months in which to construct defences. It must be remembered that German South-west Africa has an area of 324,000 square miles. In the Herrero rebellion the Germans found how difficult it was to corner guerilla fighters in such a vast country. Experts incline to the view that when Windhoek and tho military stations are taken the Germans will give in. But Windhoek alone is 100 miles as the crow flies from Swakopmund, and the intervening hilly country, once the sand belt is conquered, offers the Germans many strong defensive positions. Happily, the numerical superiority of. General Botha's forces should be sufficient. The campaign in German Soutli-wesft Africa is only a ''side show" in the great war, but it will be full of In the Union of South Africa the advance is awaited with eagerness. Thei people do not expect an easy task, but they have full conlidenco in General Botha.