It has already been narrated how, upon the arrival of the army
corps from England, the greater part was drafted to Natal, while
some went to the western side, and started under Lord Methuen upon
the perilous enterprise of the relief of Kimberley. It has also
been shown how, after three expensive victories, Lord Methuen's
force met with a paralysing reverse, and was compelled to remain
inactive within twenty miles of the town which they had come to
succour. Before I describe how that succour did eventually arrive,
some attention must be paid to the incidents which had occurred
within the city.
'I am directed to assure you that there is no reason for
apprehending that Kimberley or any part of the colony either is, or
in any contemplated event will be, in danger of attack. Mr.
Schreiner is of opinion that your fears are groundless and your
anticipations in the matter entirely without foundation.' Such is
the official reply to the remonstrance of the inhabitants, when,
with the shadow of war dark upon them, they appealed for help. It
is fortunate, however, that a progressive British town has usually
the capacity for doing things for itself without the intervention
of officials. Kimberley was particularly lucky in being the centre
of the wealthy and alert De Beers Company, which had laid in
sufficient ammunition and supplies to prevent the town from being
helpless in the presence of the enemy. But the cannon were popguns,
firing a 7-pound shell for a short range, and the garrison
contained only seven hundred regulars, while the remainder were
mostly untrained miners and artisans. Among them, however, there
was a sprinkling of dangerous men from the northern wars, and all
were nerved by a knowledge that the ground which they defended was
essential to the Empire. Ladysmith was no more than any other
strategic position, but Kimberley was unique, the centre of the
richest tract of ground for its size in the whole world. Its loss
would have been a heavy blow to the British cause, and an enormous
encouragement to the Boers.
On October 12th, several hours after the expiration of Kruger's
ultimatum, Cecil Rhodes threw himself into Kimberley. This
remarkable man, who stood for the future of South Africa as clearly
as the Dopper Boer stood for its past, had, both in features and in
character, some traits which may, without extravagance, be called
Napoleonic. The restless energy, the fertility of resource, the
attention to detail, the wide sweep of mind, the power of terse
comment - all these recall the great emperor. So did the simplicity
of private life in the midst of excessive wealth. And so finally
did a want of scruple where an ambition was to be furthered, shown,
for example, in that enormous donation to the Irish party by which
he made a bid for their parliamentary support, and in the story of
the Jameson raid. A certain cynicism of mind and a grim humour
complete the parallel.
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