South Africa and the Transvaal War, Vol. 6 (of 8): From the Occupation of Pretoria to Mr. Kruger's Departure from South Africa, with a Summarised Account of the Guerilla War to March 1901Creswicke, Louis
History
South Africa and the Transvaal War, Vol. 6 (of 8): From the Occupation of Pretoria to Mr. Kruger's Departure from South Africa, with a Summarised Account of the Guerilla War to March 1901
Creswicke, Louis
South African War, 1899-1902; Transvaal (South Africa) -- History
=Port Elizabeth=, 839 miles by rail from Cape Town, is the second city of
importance in Cape Colony. Population 25,325, of which 13,000 are of
European origin. The town was named after the wife of Sir Rufane Donkin,
who there erected a pyramid to her memory. There are many hotels,
churches, and libraries, and the general appearance of prosperity and
modernity that pervades the place has caused it to be called the
Liverpool of South Africa.
=Potchefstroom.=--The most ancient town of the Transvaal, situated
eighty-eight miles from Johannesburg. Population 5000. It was the
original seat of the Boer Government, and later in 1881 became the scene
of Colonel Winslow's resistance to the Boers. After stoutly holding out,
starving and fighting, and losing one-third of his men, he surrendered to
Cronje, only to find that ten days previously an armistice had been
proclaimed.
=Pretoria.=--The capital of the Transvaal, lies thirty-two miles north of
Johannesburg. Population 12,000. It has many fine public buildings, the
chiefest being the splendid Government Buildings, which were erected at a
cost of £200,000. The newly completed Courts of Justice are also
immensely imposing. There is an English Cathedral, and many churches of
all denominations, a public library, a public hospital, a museum, some
large hotels, and several clubs, notably the Pretoria Club. The
President's house is at the western extremity of Church Street, the main
business thoroughfare. The new market buildings on Market Square were
erected at a cost of £35,000.
=Rand.=--Short of Witwatersrand.
=Reconnaissance.=--The art of reconnoitring--examining a portion of the
country with a view to ascertaining its resources for movements and
subsistence of the army.
=Regiment.=--Consists of two or more battalions of infantry. A cavalry
regiment is composed of three or four squadrons.
=Rooinek.=--Boer name for the British, signifying red neck.
=Rustenberg.=--Population 500. Situated east of Pretoria, near the
Magaliesberg range.
=Shell.=--A hollow projectile filled with explosive so arranged as to act
by means of a fuse, and, at a certain point and time, spread destruction
by the forcible dispersion of its fragments. The common shell, which is
used for destroying earth-works, fortifications, and solid matters, is
filled with powder which forms the bursting charge, and is fitted with
either a time or a percussion fuse according to the nature of ordnance
from which it is fired. The Shrapnel shell is similar in external form,
but is filled with bullets (sand shot), cemented together with rosin. It
was invented by Colonel Shrapnel, R.A., in 1808. The object in using
Shrapnel shell is to give the projectile at long distances the power and
efficacy of case shot, and to cover a large space of ground with its
effects. Against artillery it has the effect of placing men and horses
_hors de combat_, which is the most efficacious way of silencing the fire
of a battery.
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