All this military discipline might seem to be only good in itself, were it not for the fact that the Boers still retain their reputation for being good shots.  Even the young men are not behind their fathers in the masterly manipulation of their rifles; in fact, while a large number of Englishmen are reputed to be born with silver spoons in their mouths, the birth-right of every Boer is undoubtedly the rifle.

Both in the Transvaal and Free State there exists a healthy spirit of rivalry between Englishman and Boer in the shooting line.  Competitions are very frequently arranged; it is to the credit of the colonial Englishman that he can give a good account of himself, and at the same time hold his own against any Boer.  This is fortunate, because the Boer always respects a man who can record as many bull’s-eyes as himself, no matter what his nationality may be.  The great opportunity the Boer had of giving vent to his contempt for the English was when the latter appeared on the battlefield in compact regiments, and afforded the best possible target for shooting at from behind the now proverbial stone.

In these times of universal political difficulties it may be interesting to survey the position of the Orange Free State now that war has actually broken out with Great Britain.  There is a patriotism lurking in the breast of the Boer which would indicate that his great aim was the overthrow of the hated Englishman.  It would not be advisable to quote the opinion the generality of Boers have of the poor Englishman; needless to say it is strong, emphatic, comprehensive, and by no means complimentary.  Obviously the origin of such opinion concentrates in the fact that the Englishman is too persevering in other people’s countries, and, moreover, shows an aptitude for developing the said countries which, in the opinion of the Boer, is altogether too progressive.  It is, of course, a pity that the Englishman cannot accommodate himself to the antiquated ideas of the Boer, because if he could, he would probably exonerate himself in the Dutch eyes, and at the same time find himself away back in the eighteenth century.  But in this advanced age he is too much for the Boer, and this is probably the explanation of the existing friction.

The Orange Free State has all along evinced a helping-hand where Transvaal broils have occurred.  This is not surprising, considering that the Free State is governed by a Volksraad wholly in sympathy with the mighty Oom Paul.  In the time of President Brand things were slightly different, although even his Volksraad held him in check and exercised its own influence.  But President Brand had sense enough to see that participation in Transvaal difficulties could in no way benefit the Free State, and, in fact, that interference was not desirable or advisable.  When the previous Boer War broke out, he intimated that no commandeering would be enforced in the Free State, but that those burghers who chose to engage in warfare might do so.  He would take no active steps until the independence of the Free State was endangered.