e military spirit in the
colonies.

Small as was the force contributed by the Empire (nearly 80,000 men) it
was none the less a material assistance, whose value can hardly be
overrated. It practically doubled the mounted force, and thus made
possible those sweeping movements by which Lord Roberts reached
Pretoria. Above all, it gave the Imperial Government a moral support
which enabled it to face with equanimity the almost universal hostility
of the European powers or the fanatical outcries of a few
anti-Imperialist partisans at home. Never, probably, in modern times has
there been a greater consensus of honest opinion in support of a great
national movement than that which backed up Britain's effort to maintain
her position in South Africa. It was simply that the free citizens of
free countries asked to be allowed to venture their lives for the sake
of a political ideal which was personally and intimately dear to each
one of them, and that, in spite of the paralysing absence of either
precedent or preparation, many thousands actually achieved their desire.
The war has not shown what the Empire can do, but it has revealed to
those who perhaps doubted before, what an Empire we can make if we but
choose.

ELANDS RIVER

Amongst varying fortunes and many indecisive actions, the defence of the
position at Elands River stands out as an achievement only made possible
by courage and grim determination.

For several weeks Colonel Hore, with a small garrison at Brakfontein on
the Elands River, had been keeping up the connection between Mafeking
and Zeerust, policing the district and forwarding on convoys to
Rustenburg. At the beginning of August the force which he had for this
purpose, as well as to guard a large store of supplies, consisted of 500
men, nearly all Imperial bushmen or Rhodesians, an old muzzle-loading
seven-pounder, and two maxims. By this time Lord Roberts had determined
that several isolated posts in the Western Transvaal, such as this one,
which were in constant danger of attack, must be evacuated, and on
August 1 ordered General Carrington to march to Elands River to cover
Hore's retirement. But De la Rey, with three detachments of his troops
under himself, Lemmer, and Steenekemp, each numbering about 300 men, and
each with a gun and a pom-pom, and a maxim, had arrived there before
him, and on the morning of August 4 had aroused Hore's camp by shell and
rifle fire from the north-west, east, and south-ea