Chapter XIII: The Colonies and the War

Sentiment in the Colonies Regarding Imperial Defence--Changes within a Few Years--Australians and Canadians in the Soudan--Public Feeling in Canada and Australia concerning the Transvaal Negotiations--General Sympathy with Great Britain--Expressions of Public Opinion and Parliamentary Resolutions--The Outbreak of War--Action Taken by New Zealand and Queensland, by Victoria and New South Wales--Other Colonies Move--The Sudden Outburst of Feeling in Canada--Colonel Hughes and the Volunteer Movement--The Premier and Parliament--Public Opinion Impels Immediate Action--The Government Does its Duty in a Patriotic Manner--Mr. Israel Tarte and the French Canadians--Attitude of Sir Charles Tupper--The Contingent Enrolled--Popular Enthusiasm during the Enlistment--The Officers Chosen--Lieutenant-Colonel W. D. Otter Commands the "Second Battalion of the Royal Canadian Regiment"--Sir Charles Holled-Smith in Command of the Australasians--Departure of the Canadian Contingent amid Scenes of Unprecedented Popular Enthusiasm--Similar Incidents in Australia--Speeches by Lord Brassey, Governor of Victoria, and by Lord Minto, Governor-General of Canada--Attitude of the Imperial Government toward the Colonies--Mr. Chamberlain's Correspondence--Dr. W. H. Fitchett on Australian Loyalty--The New-South-Wales Lancers in London--Arrival and Great Reception of the Colonial Forces at Cape Town--Second Contingent Offered--The Colonies and the Empire

LIST OF CHAPTERS AND SUBJECTS.

PART II.

Introduction.

The Origin of the Recent War--Boers' Policy Against Immigrants--Characteristics of the Boers--Antagonism to British Rule--British Government in South Africa--Telling Statistics--A Magnificent Project--Opinions of the Canadians

CHAPTER I.

The Battle of Majuba Hill.

Lord Rosebery's Reflections--The Sting of Majuba Hill--The Gordon Highlanders at Majuba Hill--Testimony of an Eye Witness--Proclamation of President Steyn--Reply to the Boer Proclamation--The First Right to the Transvaal Gold--The Broukhorst Spruit--The Laing's Nek--Terms of Settlement

CHAPTER II.

The President of the South African Republic.

Birth, Education, etc.--Paul Kruger at Ten Years--Appearance and Manners--The Boer of Boers--Daily Life--His Grand Passion--Facts of History--Kruger's Chinese Wall--A Misleading Reputation--Racial Prejudices--Free and Independent Krugerism--Kruger's Nepotism

CHAPTER III.

The Boers and British Gold and Diamonds.

Solomon's Ophir--How the Gold was Discovered--Early Gold Finds--Gold Production in 1897 and 1898--A Clear and Impartial Statement--Boss and Caste Government--Boer Intolerance--The "Dog in the Manger"--Commerce of the Transvaal--The First Stamp Mill--Diamonds for Toys--Boyle's Statement--Star of South Africa--Dry Diggings--Qualities of the Cape Diamonds--"Nature's Freemasonry"

CHAPTER IV.

The Cause of War.

Conference With Kruger--Many Points of Difference--Kruger's Objection to Franchise--Qualifications for Citizenship--An Absolutely Fair Proposition--Ireland and Transvaal--What Mr. Chamberlain Wrote--A Statement by Kruger--Petition from Natal--Resolutions of the House of Commons of Canada--Kruger's Views on the Question--President Steyn as Peace-maker

CHAPTER V.

The Boer Declaration of War and the Gathering of the Armies.

Both Sides Surprised--The Boer Ultimatum--Centres of Combat Quickly Defined--Important Decisions--Early Days of the War--Public Opinion--Two Popular Illusions

CHAPTER VI.

The First Bloodshed.

First Battle of the War--Battle of Elandslaagte--Hard Work on Both Sides--General Buller Arrives--The Strategy of the Boers--Difficulties in Mobilizing the Troops--Boers Select Their Time Judiciously

CHAPTER VII.

The Magersfontein Battle.

Heavy Losses on Both sides--The Hottest Fight of the British Army--Gatacre's Serious Reverse--Methuen's Failure--The Losses--What Dispatches Say--Sudden Change of Public Sentiment--The Official Boer Account

CHAPTER VIII.

Battle of Colenso.--Defeat of General Buller.

"Tied by the Leg"--American and Boer Revolution Compared--New Conditions of Warfare--Plan of the Fight--Mistaken but Heroic Advance--Attack Fruitless--Boers Capture the Guns--Why Were the Guns Lost?--Conduct of the Men--Bad Light and no Smoke--Defeat Admitted--Dazed by Defeat--A Foredoomed Failure

CHAPTER IX.

The Siege of Ladysmith.

Location of Ladysmith--Timely Arrival of the Naval Brigade--First Serious Reverse--Excitement in London--Symon's Death and Victory--Closing in of Ladysmith--A Narrow Escape--Caves Excavated for Families--Town Hall Struck--Midnight Bombardment--Hard Pressed--Boer Attempt to Storm--Thrilling Encounters--Relief at Last--British Troops Enter the Town

CHAPTER X.

The Relief of Kimberley--The Turn of the Tide of War Against the Boers.

Difference in Positions of Roberts and Buller--A White Man's War--Each Step Carefully Considered--A Remarkable Cavalry Movement--Kimberley Relieved--Roberts and Buller in Co-operation--Roberts' Public Utterances--What a Military Specialist Says--The Spion Kop Affair--The Kop Retaken by the Boers