SIE,—The following is an extract from a letter recently received
by me from my brother, a member of the South African Constabulary, who served through the war from Talana Hill to its close :— " You think that the South African Colonies will eventually become a second Canada. I must say that the present state of the South African Colonies would not make any one out here believe they would ever be anything. The country is overrun. Too many foreigners and Orientals, and consequently the men who fought for the country are starving. To-night, not half an hour ago, I brought two Englishmen into the Station and gave them something to eat, the first they had had for two days. They wore on tramp, having had to leave the mines at Johannes- burg, one hundred and fifty miles away, on account of Chinese. One of them is a chemist; to look at the poor chap you would not think him anything more than a skeleton. It is very hard lines on the men who won the country to have to look at tho number of foreigners doing well, and I might say doing everybody else out of work. None of thorn, I need hardly say, ever used a rifle, yet they are ruling what is called The Golden City.' Very few in the same city have any of what gave it its name."
Those who are responsible for this state of affairs ask us to "think Imperially." When accounts such as this reach us in the Colonies we are inclined to think that the next rebellion in South Africa will include both Boer and British settlers,—a combination which might be too much for the British Army. Our loyalty in the Colonies is almost proverbial; but in the event of such a rebellion taking place, I doubt if public opinion out here would permit the Canadian Government to send assistance, as was done in the last war, which assistance was very material if competent judges are properly reported.—
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