Defence in the Transvaal and Orange Free State is provided for principally by the burghers, who are liable to be called upon for active service between the ages of eighteen and sixty.  The mounted police force in both Republics is comparatively small, and the permanent corps of artillery in each case is also small.  The Boers do not, as a matter of fact, repose much confidence in artillery at any time, and they regard the mounted police force as valuable only in time of peace.  The burghers themselves comprise the entire force.  In the Free State alone there are 17,000 burghers liable to be called up on commando at a moment’s notice.

The country is divided into districts, and each district is under the charge of a Commandant and a Field-cornet.  The duty of the latter is to warn the burghers on receipt of instructions from his Chief, and he may also call a meeting of burghers in his district should any crisis of a serious nature be imminent.  On the whole, the Field-cornet’s life is not a happy one; and although he has numerous opportunities of making himself objectionable and disagreeable, he usually prefers to perform his onerous duties in a humble and unassuming spirit.  In times of peace those duties are few.  In the first place, he must satisfy himself that all the burghers in his district are in possession of rifles and ammunition; and in the second place, he must call the burghers together once a year for inspection.  The good old times are now over when a score of burghers could with impunity produce one and the same rifle.  In those days it was customary for burghers to appear for inspection when convenient to themselves, and in these circumstances it was not a difficult matter to borrow your neighbour’s rifle and present it as your own.  But this little game was found out, and an order was at once issued to the effect that all burghers must assemble at one particular hour.  The weapons used are of different kinds, but they must all be breech-loaders.  Every burgher must likewise be in possession of thirty rounds of ammunition, and in time of war the Government supply unlimited ammunition.  Should the burghers be called out to action, they must supply themselves with provisions to last fourteen days.  This might be difficult to carry out, but the explanation is simple.  The provisions consist solely of biltong—­that is, dried meat, generally venison.  The sustenance contained in even an inch of this is such that the fourteen days’ provision amounts to but little in bulk.  It is said that if a Boer has a rifle, ammunition, and a piece of biltong in his pocket, he will fight till further orders.

It is surprising how quickly the burgher forces can be levied.  This was made very apparent when Dr. Jameson marched into the country on December 29, 1895.  It is also well known that news travels quickly, even in the outlying districts, and in this respect the Boers appear to be quite as remarkable as the Kaffirs.