BOER GENERALS AND BLOCKHOUSES.
[TO THE EDITOR OF THE especrkroa."] Si,—In the Spectator of December 6th, in the review of De Wet's "Three Years' War," I find the following reference to blockhouses :—" His contempt for that system fully bears out what we understand is the view of many of our own soldiers, who could not conceive how the blockhouses came into being, except to provide occupation for our infantry." As you farther remark that this is not, perhaps, the view of all the Boer leaders, I think it will assist your readers to judge for themselves on this important point if you will allow me to quote the opinion of Commandant-General Botha. addressed to the delegates assembled at Vereeniging, and printed on p. 425 (Appendix A) in De Wet's "Three Years' War." I venture here to add that in my judgment the ex- pressions of opinion in Appendix A uttered by one Boer leader after another in solemn conclave outweigh as evidence any other matter contained in De Wet's strongly biassed book. When it came to his turn to speak, Commandant- General Louis Botha remarked in the course of his address : "A year ago there were no blockhouses. We could cross and recross the country as we wished, and harass the enemy at every turn. But now things wear a very different aspect. We can pass the blockhouses by night indeed, but never by day. They are likely to prove the ruin of our commandos."--.
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