The Staff Work of the Anglo Boer War 1899 1901

indeed, told by Lord Roberts in the December of 1900, before he embarked for England, that the war in South Africa was practically over, but he has since had to admit that he was a little premature in his statement. Indeed, the words were hardly uttered before the condition of affairs proved the very reverse to be the case. Before he arrived at the end of the voyage a period of graver anxiety for Cape Colony had set in, especially for Cape Town, than had characterised the operations during any period of the campaign. Capturing of convoys, taking of prisoners, unexpected conflicts amongst the hills, simultaneous attacks on five garrisons, raids into the vicinity of Cape Town itself, are incidents which followed each other in quick succession, and produced a feeling of anxiety that had never previously been felt in the capital of Cape Colony. A general rising of the Dutch colonists never appeared so imminent as during the first week after Lord Roberts' return. Indeed, so disappointed was he at the turn affairs had taken, that he wrote to the Mayor of Portsmouth the following letter, which in its simplicity is full of pathos : My gratitude on being thought worthy of the high honour proposed to be conferred upon me by the borough of Portsmouth is so very great that it led me to acquiesce in naming an early date to visit the town. I did so, however, contrary to the very strong feeling that it would be more suitable to postpone all public entertainments until a...