Transcribed from South Africa Magazine, 10 May 1903

CONCENTRATED COMFORT AT BARBERTON

Among the large number of concentration camps affording shelter and protection to thousands of Boer families, the one at Barberton is generally accepted as a model. Controlled by a civilian, Mr. Berryman Graumann, a man of wide experience and thorough acquaintance with Boer character, this camp has forged ahead and taken the form of a thriving settlement rather than that of a temporary abode of refugees. In addition to the rationing, housing, and clothing where necessary of the inmates of the camp, provision is made for their spiritual and intellectual needs, a chaplain and full teaching staff being included in the number of officials. There is a hospital, with medical staff, a recreation ground, vegetable gardens, &c., all combining to give the place the air of a prosperous village. Mr. Graumann has “fathered” this camp from its infancy, and has been deservedly complimented on what he has achieved. As Justice of the Peace, he is required to exercise magisterial duties, and the rarity of punishment, even for minor breaches of sanitary and disciplinary regulations, and the absence of any grosser crimes, but lend weight to the great service rendered by this gentleman. For facilitating the movements of the military and assisting to settle the people again, these camps are of far-reaching importance, and the wise selection of men of Mr. Graumann’s caliber must do much to cause these people to return to their homes imbued with the highest feelings of gratitude, and with a truer estimate of the Briton than it was permitted them to obtain through the zealously guarded lines and narrowing influences of Hollanderism. No more appreciated reward could mark the good services rendered by the Burgher Camps Department than the conferring of some honorary distinction at this time on men such as described above, that their names may be associated with the great events transpiring in the Home Land, but affecting every one of the King’s subjects throughout the Empire. The accompanying photograph will give our readers some idea of the comfort which the Boers are enjoying at Barberton—a comfort far transcending, in the vast majority of cases, anything they have hitherto experienced in their lives, and which will render a return to their normal conditions exceedingly trying.

SLANDERS, SUBTERFUGES, AND ADMISSIONS

The prospects of the settlement in South Africa have made the pro-Boer agents on the Continent and in America like a nest of hornets disturbed by the peaceful plough. Unable to do anything to hinder the leaders in the field from meeting in peaceful conclave—and as the New York Tribune remarks, “good soldiers are also good peacemakers”—they are repeating old slanders, and resorting to pitiful subterfuges. Thus, the Cologne Gazette publishes a document purporting to contain a correspondence between Lord Roberts and both Boer Presidents at an early stage of the war, on the point of the rules of civilized warfare having been infringed on both sides. This correspondence, it is incidentally noted, did not appear in the British Blue Book of June 1901. On the Boer side, the document quotes numerous cases in which the natives officered by Englishmen, attacked the Republican troops, notably at a fight near Derdepoort, at which “horrible cruelties were perpetrated on non-combatant women and children, and all their belongings destroyed and burnt.” From Brussels Dr. Leyds is circulating all sorts of reasons why there can be “no surrender” on the part of the Boers, and also why the two conquered Republics must eventually triumph; while over here Mr. Stead has been revealing how, long ago, he acted the part of the angel of peace. To a Daily Express representative he said the other day: “I told the Boer delegates at The Hague that a British Colony is virtually an independent nation, allied to Great Britain by ties of sentiment, and urged them to accept that position, but in vain.” Now, of course, he is all for peace, with as many soft conditions for his dear friends as possible. He omits to mention that the fighters have taken the peace question out of the hands of The Hague hermits and the London levelers. In America there is much joy over the astounding fact that Major Snyman, the official representative of the Boers, has taken luncheon with Mr. Roosevelt. The President has a habit of asking anybody who is introduced to him, to “pick a bone,” but that does not mean that he is heart and soul with the person so entertained. It is also a tremendous fact that there is a pro-Boer organization in the States possessed of a “trunkful of petitions to Congress containing two million names.” The trunk might very safely be dropped in the sea—it never would be missed. Turning from these specimens of foolishness, spiteful and simply idiotic, we may note that it is gratifying to find that in Switzerland eight citizens of Zurich have had the courage to publish a German translation of Dr. Conan Doyle’s pamphlet on the South African war. In the course of a preface they say: “It was neither lust for gold nor desire for conquest, nor land-grabbing that was responsible for a war forced on England by a corrupt and fanatical oligarchy, which hesitated not to make war, even against such a Power as Great Britain, in order to carry out an insensate dream of domination over the whole of South Africa, including the Cape Colony, Natal, and the Orange Free State. It was the bounden duty of England, not only to herself, but to the Cape Colony, Natal, and the British subjects in the Transvaal that the challenge should be taken up.” The noble eight conclude thus: “We feel confident that with a better knowledge of the facts the Swiss Press will cease its attacks on England, especially when reminded that we owe in large measure the continuance of our independence to the friendly action of the British Government in the years 1815, 1847, and 1856.” It is a pity that Holland and Belgium cannot in like manner remember what they owe to Great Britain.