s at these points was, during the month of January,
prepared.

[Footnote 306: General Report on Military Railways, South
Africa, by Lieut.-Col. Sir E. P. C. Girouard.]

[Footnote 307: The conditions in Natal differed considerably
from those in Cape Colony, and the system of railway
administration was modified accordingly, but here, too, the
military staff received the most loyal assistance in every
way from Sir David Hunter and the rest of the civil staff.]

[Footnote 308: The 8th and 10th Railway Companies, 20th, 31st
and 42nd Fortress companies R.E.]

Joubert's circular letter, referred to on p. 410 as having had great
importance because it enjoined a passive defensive attitude on all
Boer commanders at the very time when Lord Roberts was designing an
active offence, ran as follows:--

29.12.99.

FROM COMDT.-GENERAL TO ACTG. GENERAL DU TOIT.

FELLOW OFFICERS,--

It is obvious that England is exasperated that her army is not able,
against the will of our God, to annihilate us and to overwhelm us as
easily as they had expected. While they were governed and inspired by
this thought, the name of Sir Redvers Buller was on the lips of
everybody and his praise and prowess were elevated to the clouds. Now
that our God and Protector has revealed His will, and Buller has not
succeeded in crushing the hated Boers, or, as Sir Alfred Milner has
it, the Boerdom, and to subjugate them and to banish from the face of
the earth the name which God, as it were, had given them--now they,
instead of admitting and acknowledging their fault and looking for it
in the right place, want to have a scapegoat, and for this purpose Sir
Redvers Buller must serve; he is not brave enough, not wise enough; he
is not strong and powerful enough to carry on the war for them against
the will of the High God of Heaven and to annihilate the Africander in
South Africa. Many a person now deems it well that Buller has been
humiliated; but I have to say in regard to this that when I withstood
General Colley in the same way in the War of Independence, he was
urged to attempt a successful battle before his successor could
arrive, as he would otherwise lose all military honour and fame. He
was moved to such an extent that he acted on the suggestion, ascended
Amajuba Hill, which is to-day still so intensely hated by the blinded
Engl