THE RIGHT TO FIGHT AND DIE FOR THE EMPIRE.
[TO THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR."]
Sin,—Nine months ago—without sympathising with my views—you allowed me to protest in your columns against the treating of the war in South Africa as a white man's war only. The war has dragged on as such since then, and with what result ? That in spite of the bravery and endurance of white soldiers, and the ability of Commanders-in-Chief (and I for one feel as much confidence in Lord Kitchener as I did in Lord Roberts), Cape Colony is again invaded, martial law is proclaimed in several of its districts, a rising of the Dutch is feared, whilst all the while the whole North of the Transvaal—a mountainous and most difficult country —remains not only unsubdued, but unattacked. New levies of troops are needed, pressed for,—Australia, Canada, are begged to send more men. And meanwhile, in the accursed pride of colour, we have a second time refused the proffered contingent of loyal Maories from New Zealand; and the other
day the newspapers published what is to me the shameful story of the trooper accepted in the Canadian contingent—an educated gentleman—who on arriving in South Africa was not allowed to serve in the ranks because, forsooth, he was a Red Indian. On the other hand, we are told that the mere deportation of Boer prisoners to Ceylon has opened their eyes to the real greatness of the British Empire by showing them what varioijs races are included in it. If this were once brought home by ocular demonstration to their brethren in South Africa, would they not see the hopelessness of their resistance P Let the Maories freely join their New Zealand brethren, the Red Indians their Canadian; let Sikhs and Ghoorkas, trusted com- rades in war already of many an English and Scotch regiment, join in this summer campaign. Chinese of our Hong-kong Regiment, who have shown themselves sturdy and steadfast against their own countrymen, would surely be better employed in South Africa. Above all—you must pardon me, Sir, for going in this matter directly in the teeth of your own feelings—let at least some trained battalion of coloured troops from the West Indian or West African Regiment, of those who have shown such conspicuous valour in West Africa of late, be seen amongst their white brethren, to con- vince the Boers that it is a -world-wide Empire that they are 1 lindly resisting. It may be too late now to train the South African blacks for service in this present war, but what have we gained by not doing so P That Mr. Kruger, with his accustomed mendaciousness, has been telling all Europe that we have armed them, and that all Europe believes him. I am no youthful enthusiast. I write in the near view of those fourscore years beyond which life is but labour and sorrow. But more than a generation's span since—nearly thirty-four years ago—I was allowed to write in your columns four letters on " Organising the Empire." Towards that end important steps have since been taken. But I for one feel that it can never be effectually attained until all the various races which go to make up the Empire learn, and are allowed us a right, standing shoulder to shoulder, to fight and die for it, wherever and by whomsoever it may be attacked.—I am,
[We cannot agree with our correspondent, though anything that comes from his pen will always be regarded by us with the utmost respect. Theoretically it might be quite right to use coloured troops. The fact that it would be deemed an outrage, not only throughout South Africa but throughout the greater part of the Empire, seems to us quite sufficient ground for the maintenance of the policy adopted by the Government.—ED. Spectator.)
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