The Siege of Kimberley—Antecedent Events—Colonel Kekewich Appointed
Commandant—Rhodes Held Up— General Hertzog's Sister—A Quaint
Misunderstanding—The Steady Flame of Patriotism—The Kimberley Club
Contingent —The Sunday Truce—A Useful Rubber Stamp—The Diamond Fields
Advertiser—Major O'Meara Appointed Chief of Staff—Labram Erects a Cold
Storage—Rhodes Ordered to Leave—My most Memorable Christmas—Novel Method of
Remitting Money—A Big Transaction.
Now to events which led to the memorable siege of Kimberley—a page of
history which even the passage of time will not efface.
After the Jameson Raid it was quite obvious to me that hostilities could not
be avoided; in fact, the breakdown of the Bloemfontein Conference between
Milner and Kruger in May, 1899, prompted me to believe that war between
England and the two Republics (Transvaal and the Free State) would be
inevitable. Feeling at the time was running very high in the Transvaal, and
the unyielding obstinancy of Kruger incensed the English residents of
Johannesburg, who were paying nearly all the taxation without the slightest
voice in the legislation of the country.
Kruger seemed obsessed with the idea that if the franchise were granted to
the Uitlander, political power would be lost to the Boers. This was an
absurd contention, because if every seat in Johannesburg was captured by the
English, they would still only have formed an insignificant minority in
comparison with the number of members of the Rand throughout the Transvaal.
I
was convinced that war was looming on the horizon, and I trembled to think
what might happen, in that event, to defenceless Kimberley, 500 miles from
the nearest port, bounded on the one side by the Free State, and on the
other by the Transvaal. I feared that the Republican forces would make a
dash for Kimberley, where Rhodes housed the bulk of his fortune, which would
have made a rich haul for the invaders. In war the Boers are as prone to
succumb to an epidemic of looting as any other army. This statement of fact
was proved during the first few days after the commencement of hostilities
when, in great strength they made a bold dash for the adjacent farms within
a few miles of Kimberley, and made off with over 700 head of cattle.
To
sit down and do nothing meant disaster to the diamond mines, and ruination
to the commercial community of Kimberley. Could war be averted? I debated
the matter in my own mind, and came to the irresistible conclusion that some
measures must be taken to protect the town. At a special meeting of the
Directors of De Beers Company held on the 26th March, 1896, I pointed out to
my colleagues that owing to the proximity of Kimberley to the Free State and
the Transvaal, and to the hostile feeling exhibited there, there was
considerable danger of an attack being made on our town, and more especially
on De Beers. It was therefore decided at that meeting to purchase 500 Lee-Metford
rifles, 500 regulation bayonets, 4 Maxim guns and 500,000 rounds of
ammunition. On April 10, 1896, Mr. Advocate Richard Solomon, afterwards Sir
Richard Solomon, K.C. (later Attorney-General of the Cape Colony,
Attorney-General of the Transvaal, and subsequently Administrator of the
Transvaal and High Commissioner in London), Mr. C. P. J. Coghlan (who as Sir
Charles Coghlan subsequently became the first Prime Minister of Southern
Rhodesia), Mr. W. P. Mallett, solicitor, and Dr. Fuller, met the directors
of the company for the purpose of consulting them on the advisability of
approaching the Government with a view to obtaining permission to procure
and store arms and ammunition for the protection of Kimberley. It was
pointed out that the company was specially likely to be an object of attack,
and in the event of the volunteer regiment being called away from Kimberley,
there would be neither any organised force, nor weapons with which to arm
any force. It was therefore decided that while the company could take no
active or prominent part in approaching the Government, the Directors were
willing and prepared to assist by providing funds for the purchase of arms
and ammunition to be obtained in a constitutional manner, and stored in
Kimberley for the sole purpose of defence. The previous order was
consequently increased to 1,000 Lee-Metford rifles, 6 Maxim guns and 750,000
rounds of ammunition.
My
next suggestion was that Kimberley, Beaconsfield and the five mines should
be fortified. With that end in view, I commissioned Sedgwick Woolley, a
Government surveyor, and a retired officer of the Royal Artillery, to make a
military survey of Kimberley and surroundings. With the aid of an assistant,
he completed the work within six weeks, dividing the territory to be
defended into five military districts having a perimeter of eleven and a
quarter miles. The debris heaps were selected as forts and redoubts. Mines
were marked out where the Boers could occupy positions to bring rifle fire
to bear on the defenders. Careful measurements were made of all the
surrounding rising ground which the enemy might occupy. So well and
accurately was the survey made, that it was adopted in its entirety when war
appeared imminent.
At
this time there were in the employ of the De Beers Company about 2,000 white
men, a large proportion being skilled miners, and 10,000 Kafirs, all
accustomed to the pick and shovel. These were set to work night and day, and
in less than a week they dug the required trenches. They turned many of the
debris heaps into strong forts with parapets made of inverted iron trucks.
By dynamite blasting they made holes large enough for the ground to be
pressed into them. During this period several Boers from the Boshof District
visited Kimberley in order to spy out the land. It so happened that at this
time a large number of long trenches had been dug, and cables were being
laid for providing the town with electric light and power. Naturally the
spies reported that Kimberley was being undermined. Nor did we disabuse
their minds of this erroneous idea, as it suited our purpose admirably to
allow them to think so.
The Cape Parliament, of which I was a member, was in session during August,
September and part of October, 1899. The Bond Party was in power. It
sympathised with the two Republics, and all applications for arms, etc.,
made by the Mayor and citizens of Kimberley and Beaconsfield, respectively,
were refused. In one reply to the Mayor the Government said sarcastically,
"Are you afraid of a Kafir rising?" This convinced us that in the event of
war we could not depend on the Government for any assistance.
Advocate Schreiner, K.C., who was then Prime Minister (after Union, High
Commissioner in London), received an assurance from his brother-in-law,
Reitz (formerly President of the Orange Free State), that if hostilities
broke out the forces of the Republics would not invade the Cape Colony.
Schreiner was a very honourable man, and unfortunately he placed too much
reliance on the promise of his relatives. So poor Kimberley was left in the
lurch! Schreiner was undoubtedly deceived, as the first movement of the
Republican forces was an advance towards the Diamond Fields, and the
occupation of Magersfontein, some sixteen miles from Kimberley. We were,
therefore, cut off by rail from Colonial ports. With his legal mind
Schreiner probably thought that he could apply to the High Court for an
injunction to restrain the Boers from advancing into Colonial territory.
Alas, his theory was rudely shattered.
Lord Milner despatched from Wynberg half a battalion of the Loyal North
Lancashire Regiment, 100 Royal Artillery with six seven-pounder mountain
guns, and 50 Royal Engineers. This force reached Kimberley about the second
week in September. Colonel Kekewich was appointed Commandant of Griqualand
West and Bechuanaland. Colonel Scott Turner, who occupied an important
position in Rhodesia, joined the Kimberley Force as Chief of Staff. It was a
very wise appointment, for he was a brave, capable and tactful officer,
possessing organising powers of no mean order.
Rhodes, Dr. Smartt and the Honourable Mr. Rochefort Maguire and Mrs.
Rochefort Maguire arrived in Kimberley a few days before the siege. They
intended to proceed to Bulawayo, but soon after their arrival the Boers cut
the line at Kraaipan, some miles from Mafeking, and on the main line to
Rhodesia. The enemy in force also occupied Magersfontein, and with the
cutting of the line there, Rhodes and party were perforce held up in
Kimberley. This was indeed a fortunate happening for the town, as Rhodes, as
Chairman of De Beers Company, shouldered much more responsibility than the
entire Board would possibly have cared to exercise.
As
was only to be expected, during the siege all the mines were shut down;
industries were at a standstill, and nearly the whole of the coloured
community were unemployed. Rhodes lost no time in starting relief works at
Kenilworth, where long avenues of trees were planted. Gardens were laid out,
trenches dug, new roads made, and a trellis-vinery, three-quarters of a mile
in length, was erected. They all remain to-day as monuments to Rhodes'
foresight.
The poor people, who were thus kept going in employment, were still able to
feed themselves on their pay, nor were their families left in distress.
Assisted by Captain Tyson, Rhodes commenced a soup kitchen, which proved a
veritable boon to the poor inhabitants of the town.
Rhodes and the members of his party were in residence at the Sanatorium
(Hotel Belgrave) during the siege. The enemy apparently ascertained this
fact, and on many occasions endeavoured to hit the building with their
100-pound shells fired from a gun in its position at Kamfersdam. The range
was about 11,200 yards, and on several occasions shells fell near to the
hotel, but it was never actually struck. The Boers, therefore, did not get
their much desired satisfaction of killing Rhodes, though had they succeeded
they would have gloried in such an achievement. Rhodes, if nothing else, was
certainly a fatalist, for he calmly rode about the town and its environs
when the shells were flying in the vicinity, heedless of any danger.
Most of the Dutch families in Kimberley resided in Newton—a suburb—when the
town was besieged. Happily married were Mr. and Mrs. Smuts—she a sister of
General Hertzog, the present Prime Minister—who, with her family of seven,
lived in an unpretentious home.
A
few days after the investment, a wagon and oxen leaving the township
approached one of the British examining posts. It was stopped by the guards,
who closely questioned the man in charge, Smuts, who protested that he and
his son were merely proceeding to their farm.
"What have you in the wagon?" demanded the sergeant. "Only a little
furniture," came the reply.
As
Smuts could not produce a permit, the wagon was searched, and in it were
found two rifles and some cartridges. Smuts and his son were immediately
arrested, taken to headquarters, and later committed for trial. A judge of
the Supreme Court and two assessors concluded that Smuts and his son, a
youth of but nineteen summers, had intended to join the enemy. The father
was sentenced to three years' imprisonment, and the son to eighteen months.
After being in gaol a few days young Smuts contracted measles; the disease
developed inwardly, and he died.
When the sad occurrence came to my notice, I sent an orderly with a note to
Mrs. Smuts asking her to call and see me. The poor woman, on whom the
misfortunes of war had already told heavily, thought that more trouble was
to follow her unlucky footsteps, and when she arrived at my house, and was
confronted by me in military uniform, she appeared to be in a state of
nervousness.
I
put her at her ease, and after requesting her kindly to be seated, I assured
her that I was simply acting the role of a good friend. I sympathised with
her in her loss, and tactfully inquired as to the welfare of the members of
her family. Mrs. Smuts replied that she was struggling on as best she could.
She told me that her neighbours were looking at her askance, and they did
not come near her for fear of being suspected by the military.
I
felt genuinely sorry for her, and told her so. I recalled that I had known
her family for several years, and had remembered her when she was a little
girl living with her parents in Bultfontein in the very early days.
"How are you off for food?" I inquired solicitously, to which she replied
that she still had some left. I asked her whether a bag of Boer meal, some
coffee and some sugar would be of any assistance; if so, I would be only too
willing to send them to her. "You need have no compunction in accepting
these provisions," I assured her, "as I am the second senior officer here,
and nobody can possibly suspect me of being in collusion with the Smuts
family."
With tears in her eyes she thanked me, and bade me good-bye. I helped the
woman—she was one of Nature's gentlewomen—on this and many other occasions,
when foodstuffs were very scarce.
After the relief of Kimberley I made an appeal to the military authorities
and secured her husband's release. She was indeed grateful, and later sent
me two jars of fruit that she herself had preserved, together with a
charming letter of thanks. This eloquent expression of gratitude from a
woman of such scant means was more gratifying to me than would have been a
valuable present from an affluent friend.
An
amusing incident, which might have had serious consequences, took place
during the height of the siege. A religious Jew, who laid his "tephillim"
(Phylactery) every morning—a well-known custom among the orthodox members of
the faith—moved his right arm frequently towards the left during the course
of his prayers. This, of course, is part of the ritual, but to the
uninitiated this custom appeared most peculiar. With the spy scare abroad,
it was thought that this man was signalling to the enemy. The matter was
reported to headquarters, and a watch was kept over the unsuspecting Jew,
which confirmed the original idea that a spy was at work. The man was
arrested and placed in gaol. In the ordinary course of events he would have
been tried by the Court of Summary Jurisdiction, and it might have gone hard
with him.
The morning after his arrest, however, some of his friends called to see me,
and explained the matter. They appealed to me to intervene on behalf of this
orthodox Hebrew, which I did. During the same day I explained the
circumstances fully to Colonel Kekewich, who laughed heartily at the
mistake, and immediately sent an order for the release of the old man.
At
that time the Intelligence Department of the Boers must have been very
inefficient. The majority of the Dutch population lived in Newton, a suburb
of Kimberley and less than a mile from the Market Square. Curiously enough,
most of the enemy shells fell in that vicinity, resulting in many
casualties. This must surely have been very far from the intention of the
Commandos.
A
few days after the Boers had taken up their positions around Kimberley, two
men, at the dawn of day, were seen approaching the Wesselton Redoubt waving
a small white handkerchief. An armed party was sent out to meet them, and
they were soon escorted inside our defences. They claimed to be Englishmen,
who had been commandeered by the Boers. They could not, they said, fight
against their own country, so they had taken the opportunity of escaping on
a dark night, being now ready to join the British forces.
They both seemed gentlemen, young and strong, who had risked their lives
from feelings of patriotism. We posted them to the Town Guard. After the
Relief of Kimberley, I heard that they had joined the Remington Scouts.
During the South African War it was brought to notice that many British-born
men refused to be commandeered by the Boers, and others had got away at
great personal peril to join some of the irregular corps.
When war was declared, three sergeants of the Kimberley Regiment were in
England on leave.
They immediately sailed for Cape Town. One of them, Sergeant Devonshire,
became attached to his old battalion, the Middlesex Regiment, and arrived
with the Relief Column. The other two, both Scotsmen, reported themselves to
the military authorities at Cape Town, and requested permits to rejoin their
respective regiments in Kimberley. They were told that the town was closely
invested; that mounted Boers were patrolling the district; and that they
stood a better chance of being captured than joining their regiments. "We
will take the risk," they answered. "We know every inch of the road. If you
will kindly give us a permit that will pass us to the Orange River
(seventy-five miles from Kimberley) where there is a British force, we will
get into the town all right."
Admiring their pluck, the officer gave them the necessary pass. They left
that night by train for their destination, and they eventually arrived at
the Drill Hall, Kimberley, and reported for duty, after experiencing many
narrow escapes from being captured. It appeared that they had rested in some
secluded spots during the day, and had marched through the night. While this
fine spirit animates the Britisher, the Empire is safe.
The Kimberley Club played a memorable part in the defence of Kimberley. When
the Town Guard was in the course of organisation, the members of the club
decided to form a company of an exclusive character. Every resident member,
with the possible exception of one who was really too old, joined the
movement, and the new company was readily granted permission to occupy one
of the redoubts.
After some preliminary training, the members paraded about 100 strong in
front of their own club, and afterwards marched to the Belgrave Redoubt,
which they occupied for over 120 days. Captain Mandy, a distinguished
looking man, who had seen previous war service, was appointed to command the
contingent.
During my rounds of inspection, I frequently visited the Belgrave Redoubt,
and always found everything in apple-pie order. Every loophole was numbered,
and every man was given a corresponding number to the loophole he was to
occupy in the event of the alarm for an attack being sounded. Two men were
detailed to serve out, if necessary, reserve ammunition. There was a daily
inspection of kit and rifles, and everything was done on strict military
lines.
During one of my visits when the men were on fatigue and other duties,
Captain Mandy ordered the bugler to sound the alarm. The men lost no time in
rushing to the respective loopholes, which were all occupied without a
mistake within practically a minute. And even the reserve ammunition men
were in their dugout with screw- drivers ready to open ammunition boxes. The
compliment I afterwards paid Captain Mandy on the efficiency of his men was
well-deserved; indeed, his redoubt would have done infinite credit to any
company of an Imperial Regiment. He had a highly intelligent, and
well-educated set of men under his command, making it quite unnecessary to
rigidly enforce discipline, which was readily submitted to. Seven members of
the Kimberley Club afterwards lost their lives in the Great War.
Included in the Defence of Kimberley was a conning tower between seventy and
eighty feet in height; it was an excellent look-out post where all the Boer
positions could be observed. Colonel Kekewich and I, during the earlier part
of the siege, mounted and occupied this tower an hour before daybreak to
watch any movements of the enemy likely to develop into a general attack on
the defences, because as a rule troops intending to attack positions creep
up as close as possible during the dark and take up favourable positions
from where they can rush the defenders as soon as the light permits. On the
morning of the second Sunday after we were invested, the Boer lines were
very quiet, and showed little signs of activity. Kekewich said, "Harris, the
enemy is very silent this morning. I wonder if it means the prelude to an
attack; to me it seems very ominous. What do you think?" I replied, "The
Boers, from religious motives, would rather not fight on Sundays, and I
don't think they will fire a shot if we don't." This proved to be correct,
for no firing took place on Sundays during the whole four months of the
siege. This was a great relief to the inhabitants of the town, the majority
of whom looked forward to the day when no shell would be flying about.
Advantage was taken of this to inaugurate Sunday afternoon concerts, when
the combined bands of the North Lancashire and Kimberley Regiments played
lively music in the park to a large audience, which must have been a great
boon to the civilians after six days of risks and anxieties, especially to
those with families of young children. A truce of one day in seven in the
War zone was a very effective tonic.
At
daybreak on November 25, 1899, a sortie from Kimberley under the command of
Colonel Scott Turner inflicted serious losses on the Boer Commando occupying
trenches at Carter's Ridge. Some thirty-five prisoners were brought into
Kimberley.
Early the same afternoon a doctor, carrying a white flag, was escorted to
headquarters, with a letter from General Wessels requesting a supply of
chloroform, antiseptics, bandages, etc., for his wounded men. This
assistance was readily given. The doctor, a Scotsman, said that the
casualties that morning numbered nearly 100.
The note from the General was officially marked with the impress of a rubber
stamp, and his written signature. We made good use of the specimens. We had
an exact copy of the rubber stamp made in town, and also forged the
signature. These were appended to permits written in Dutch, and issued to
our spies. They were thus enabled to gain admission to Boer laagers on the
eastern side of our defences about fifteen miles from the Hoof Commandant's
headquarters. In possession of this permit, a certain native was also
enabled to look for horses that had strayed. We always gave the description
of a horse that would never be traced among 10,000 animals, so it was never
found. With these cleverly forged permits we gathered valuable information,
besides capturing nearly 200 head of cattle during the siege.
On
another occasion one of these forged permits proved serviceable in a
different direction, providing the editor of the. Diamond Fields Advertiser
with copy at a time when he was sadly at a loss for matter wherewith to fill
his columns, diminished though these were in size and number.
And here I would like to record my admiration of our Newspaper Press. I
generally read the newspaper in bed at about 7 a.m., when my house-boy
brings the early morning coffee. When I take it up I almost invariably say,
"I wonder if there is any news this morning." There is always fresh
intelligence to wonder at and ponder over, because while I have been
sleeping the newspaper staff has been working assiduously, often right into
the early hours of the morning, to provide readers before breakfast with a
knowledge of the world's occurrences, together with comments on current
events. It is a puzzle to me how day after day, week after week, and year
after year, the editorial staff can bring out a newspaper with fresh
information of world affairs and local happenings, reports of meetings,
paragraphs, comments and the rest. I have read articles by the same editor,
dealing with entirely distinct subjects every day during the month,
comprising child welfare, education, aviation, irrigation, finance,
eugenics, sanitation, etc., etc. He must keep himself au fait with current
political questions and be in a position to express opinions on these at all
times. The writers, as a whole, exhibit a degree of versatility, knowledge
and literary ability that contributes in no small measure to make the Press
the power in the land that it is.
Many Members of Parliament owe a debt of gratitude to the Press for the many
occasions on which its representatives have made interesting and readable
speeches that have been delivered in a halting fashion, with many confused
sentences. These oratorical effects would have been almost unintelligible to
the public without the assistance of the correcting hand of the sympathetic
and experienced Pressmen, who reported what the member probably intended
saying, but had expressed so incoherently and doubtfully. Personally, I am
indebted to the men of the Press Gallery of the House of Assembly, for their
having on many occasions conveyed to the public what I had intended to say,
but had expressed badly; I have to thank them for having credited me with a
fairly good speech when I had the feeling that I had made but a poor effort.
But to return to my story, it is a mystery to me how the Diamond Fields
Advertiser managed to keep going during the siege of Kimberley, when the
wires were cut, railway communication stopped, and a strict military
censorship was established. Owing to the scarcity of paper the Advertiser
was ultimately reduced to one small sheet. At the beginning of January news
was so scarce that the editor drew very largely on the Napoleonic Wars and
Nelson's achievements to fill one small page. The editor related his trouble
and difficulties to me, saying he would give £5 for every copy of a Cape,
Transvaal or Free State newspaper he could procure. Thereupon I instructed
one of my spies, a Basuto named David, to make his way to the Boer Hospital
at Jacobsdal and endeavour to get possession of some newspapers and bring
them back to Kimberley, and also, of course, whatever military information
he could glean.
I
will not relate the exact instructions I gave him as to what he should do or
say in certain eventualities. He got there all right with two cows and a
forged permit from a Boer Commandant, who purported to be sending these
animals to provide milk for the patients. My emissary was duly installed as
a hospital orderly, bided his time, and slipped quietly away during a very
dark night, arriving back in Kimberley about a fortnight after he had left,
with some very important information and, what was of more importance to the
Advertiser, two up-to-date copies of the Diggers' News (Johannesburg) and
two copies of the Bloemfontein Post. These four newspapers of different
dates were a godsend to the Advertiser, and the manager duly gave the spy
£20, and proceeded to publish extracts from these newspapers extending over
several days in January, 1900. The Advertiser was prepared to purchase more
newspapers at the same figure, but the next adventure was not so successful,
and the editor had to fall back on Kingslake's History of the Crimea.
In
one of these four newspapers, I might add, I was amazed to see a big
headline which read, "Colonel Harris—The great cattle thief." Under this
unmerited compliment, was a graphic account of the loss of a large number of
oxen from the Boer laager at Susanah, about six miles from the Wesselton
Redoubt.
As
I read the article, I smiled to myself. I recollected orders from enemy
headquarters in which great praise was bestowed on a particular Commando
that had captured 700 head of cattle around Kimberley at the beginning of
the siege. What a peculiar mentality! The Boers " captured," but I "stole."
Had I been unfortunate enough to have been taken prisoner, in all
probability I would have been put on my trial as a cattle thief—a very
serious crime in the eyes of the Dutch!
Colonel Kekewich was a well-built, handsome man. He was fair-minded,
painstaking, humorous and devoted to duty, leaving nothing to chance.
Despite the fact that he occasionally suffered from neuralgia in the head,
he was never away from duty. Often when I was conversing with him on defence
matters, he would rest his elbows on the table, put both hands to his head,
and not utter a word for ten or fifteen minutes. I could see from his
flushed and perspiring face that he was suffering agony, but he never once
complained, and resumed the conversation as if nothing had happened. I grew
to admire him very much. Even in the darkest days, he always had a smile and
a joke for all. He got on very well with almost everybody, until his Chief
of Staff, Colonel Scott Turner, was killed at Carter's Ridge on 28th
November, 1899.
When Major O'Meara was appointed to that position, things did not go as
smoothly as formerly. This brave officer seemed to have an unhappy knack of
rubbing civilians up the wrong way. Suspicious and cynical, and deficient in
diplomatic tact, he caused much friction, and at times made matters rather
difficult for Kekewich. I am sure that if Scott Turner had lived there would
never have been any disagreement with Rhodes.
One day one of my native spies brought me some very important information.
Having to rush away at the time to one of the other Redoubts, I instructed
the native to report the matter to Major O'Meara. The Major, however, did
not believe the boy's story, which turned out to be perfectly true, and had
him marched off to gaol. The next morning several of my native spies came to
me in great excitement, complaining that their comrade was in gaol, and
declaring that if that was the treatment they were to receive for the
services they were rendering at great risk to themselves (they did not
mention the high rates of pay), they would remain in the location until the
war was over. I interviewed Kekewich, who immediately sent an order for the
release of the boy. Had he not done so, the valuable services rendered by
these natives would have been lost to the cause. A few weeks later these
same natives drove 187 head of fine oxen into Wesselton—cattle which they
had captured from the Boers during a very dark night, and which proved a
godsend to many hungry people.
To
have slaughtered these animals immediately would have been a waste of
precious food. There was no grazing inside our defences because of the
absence of rain for several months. Nor at this time was there a Cold
Storage in Kimberley; only a small steam ice-making machine.
Having discussed" the matter with Kekewich, he went to Rhodes, and asked him
whether De Beers Company would help. Rhodes was always ready and willing to
assist whenever possible. He sent for Labram (mechanical engineer to the
company), told him of the captured cattle, and asked him whether it was
possible to erect a Cold Storage to hold 200 oxen.
"There's no difficulty about that," he replied. " I can insulate one of our
small stores, and then install our ice-making machine." Rhodes answered, "
Go ahead." Labram did. He organised three shifts of mechanics who worked
night and day and within four days the Cold Storage was completed and ready
to receive the carcases—a fine performance, but not to be compared with the
gun he made shortly afterwards. But more anon concerning this feat.
During the first six weeks of the siege the relations existing between the
military and civil population were most cordial, in striving in different
spheres to exert their best efforts in a determination to prevent the town
from falling into the hands of the Boers.
A
Supply Committee was organised to regulate the distribution of food. This
organisation consisted of a hundred of the most prominent business men in
the town. A census of the population was immediately taken; stock lists of
all the necessaries of life held by the storekeepers were carefully prepared
and controlled, and ration tickets were printed and issued weekly. When
stocks were running low, quantities were gradually decreased.
Everything worked with clock-like precision during the regime of Colonel
Scott Turner, who was an ideal Chief Staff Officer, and the bravest of the
brave. After his death, however, matters took a turn for the worse, and much
disagreement characterised subsequent internal arrangements.
Information was gleaned by the inhabitants that Kimberley was to be relieved
about the end of November, 1900. Rhodes and many others often expressed the
opinion that the military machine was moving too slowly. I told Rhodes that
I was sure Kimberley could be relieved if a large British force marched
direct on Bloemfontein. This I thought would be as effective as if a big
British force marched straight to Kimberley. Relief would be automatic and
immediate.
General Methuen must have been confident of success, because only a few days
before the battle of Magersfontein he sent the following message to
Kekewich, " On my entry into Kimberley, Mr. Rhodes must take his immediate
departure."
Kekewich showed me this message, and I could see he was very upset about it.
I exclaimed, "For God's sake, Colonel, don't forward the message to Rhodes!"
He answered gravely, "I must. It is an order from my General."
Rhodes duly got the message, and the fat was in the fire. He was certain in
his own mind that this drastic order had been inspired from within, and that
the Kimberley staff were the culprits. Maguire and Smartt honestly agreed
with Rhodes. Unfortunately Methuen's attempt failed, but the relations
between Rhodes and Kekewich afterwards became very strained. This was a
great pity, especially as both men had done so much in their different
spheres to keep the town intact from the would-be invaders.
I
felt extremely sorry that this disturbing message had ever been sent, though
I am certain that Kekewich never prompted it. It left me in an awkward
position as a friend of Rhodes while still under the command of the Colonel.
I managed, however, to keep aloof from the frayed tempers created by this
irritating event, and con- tinued loyally to serve my Commanding Officer,
not in the least influenced by this unfortunate misunderstanding.
This untoward happening did not prevent Rhodes showing extreme kindness to
the wounded officers of the Loyal North Lancashires. As soon as railway
communication was restored, they were invited to Groot Schuur (his private
residence at Rondebosch) where everything possible was done for their health
and comfort. These officers were not slow in expressing their gratitude, and
if any of them are still on this mortal coil, they must well remember their
happy stay at this historic residence.
Unquestionably the most memorable Christmas I ever spent was that of 1899
during the siege of Kimberley. Now for a story of a Christmas dinner party
given at my house at which Colonel Kekewich and all the senior officers of
the garrison were my guests.
It
is a remarkable fact that during the whole siege the Boers never fired on a
Sunday, and we were only too glad to reciprocate. We naturally assumed that
there would be the same observance on Christmas Day, and our anticipations
were fulfilled.
By
this time a great inroad had been made into our foodstuffs, and people were
living on half rations, which included horseflesh. The citizens spent
anything but a joyous Christmas, but, one and all, they put a good face on
things. They accepted the inevitable with good grace, and we all did our
best to remind each other that it was Christmas, despite the difficult
position we were in. Of course, I suffered with the rest of the community so
far as living was concerned.
It
goes without saying that there was a great scarcity of fat turkeys and plum
puddings, but, undeterred by this, I issued invitations, and busied myself
in procuring provisions here and there for some time beforehand. I succeeded
in getting some eggs at a shilling each. I could only get thirteen potatoes
(at the price of two shillings each), which proved rather awkward, as my
party numbered fourteen. For many years, Solomon, a coloured man who kept a
livery stable, used to fatten a turkey for me for Christmas. He was doing so
on this occasion. I earlier informed all the officers whom I had invited to
dinner that if anything happened to the turkey the dinner was off. They
were, therefore, all praying that nothing unforeseen would take place.
Five or six days before Christmas Solomon came to me with a long face. I
asked "What's the matter?" He replied, "Some thieves came down last night to
my stable and stole all the poultry I had left." When he said that I had
visions of having to cancel my Christmas dinner, but even as the thought
flashed through my mind, Solomon added, "but they have left one thing
behind, and that is your turkey." I expressed joy at the good news, and
regret at his loss, and remarked, "I will take care of that turkey now."
I
duly received the bird, and proceeded to the Public Gardens where we kept
our reserve companies. Here I instructed the Captain of one of our Town
Guard Companies to mount a Corporal's Guard over this turkey. He carried out
my instructions, and the bird was guarded night and day until a day or two
before the feast.
All the guests arrived at the dinner and admired the turkey, which weighed
twenty-six pounds. But the potato problem remained. I instructed my servant
to give everyone a potato, but to miss me. Colonel Kekewich suddenly asked,
"Where is your potato?" My reply was, "I don't care very much for them."
"No, that won't do. Fair rations," said Colonel Kekewich, and insisted that
all the officers should give me a piece of theirs. The result was that
eventually I had more potato than anyone else in the room.
I
am sure we all appreciated that Christmas fare, more especially because at
the time we were living on the barest necessities of life. Some portions of
the turkey which remained I sent to the Corporal's Guard, who shared in the
luck consequent on the bird not going the way of the others in that stable.
Kimberley had been practically cut off from the outer world. Many residents
were anxious about cash remittances to their families oversea, but the banks
could not assist, as postal and telegraphic communication had been cut off.
The position was placed before Colonel Kekewich, and after discussion with
his staff and Mr. Labram, it was decided to send messages at night to Modder
River by means of one of the De Beers Company's powerful electric
searchlights. This method proved a great success. The messages were helioed
to Modder River, telegraphed to Cape Town, and then despatched to various
parts of the Cape Colony, or cabled to England as the case might be. Two
nights per week were devoted to this novel and enterprising method of
remitting money.
Those who desired to forward cash proceeded to the banks in the usual way,
filled in the prescribed forms, and paid in the necessary amounts. The banks
prepared a list of the names and addresses of the payees, and these were
duly transmitted by searchlight signals. We afterwards ascertained that in
every instance the correct amount was duly received.
At
this period the De Beers Company possessed all the claims in the five local
mines, with the exception of one block owned by the New Bult-fontein
Company. Rhodes, who was anxious to acquire this property, had for nearly
ten years made many fruitless attempts to do so. He now thought that a good
opportunity presented itself during the siege, so with the aid of the
searchlight and despatch riders, he got into communication with the
Directors of the company in London. After negotiations, which were not of a
protracted nature, he purchased the block of claims, and so completed the De
Beers Company's holdings of all the diamondiferous ground in the five mines.
It is very seldom that a big transaction involving many thousands of pounds
is effected by such exceptional methods.
