The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-10-24
OF THE WEEK IN BRITISH MILITARY
AND POLITICAL CIRCLES
ON GLENCOE AND LADYSMITH
The Attention Of All Britfshers Is Riv-
eted Chamberlain's Defense of His
Honesty OF Purpose Before the House
of Commons sir Redyers Buffers
Plans-Anglo-Ameri Friendship Al
Matter OF Mooashine So Long as the
Alaskan Boundary Dispute is I'm
settled.
copyrighted by Associated Press.)

copyrighted by Associated Press.)
London, October 21.-The stirring de-
velopments of the week form a vivid
contrast ito that wearisome period OF
procrastination and suspense which
preceded the outbreak of the war.
Through her parliament England has
quickly and dramatically sanctioned
the momentous action OF the cabinet.
The first battle worthy of the name has
been fought and an army corps, Eng
lands greatest military effort in this
century, is now on the way, bent upon
administering an eternal quietus to
South African unrest.
The thrilling scene in the house OF
commons of a member of the cabinet
making an impassioned defence OF MS
own honesty against the imputations
of deliberately involving England in
war; the far-reaching significance OF
the intimation by the cautious prime
minister that England's rule through
ONT the whole of South Africa must be
absolute, and many other striking
points in an epoch-making week nave
been almost entirely obscured by the
meagre bulletins bearing date at Lady
smith that tell of victory and of how
many died to gain it.
Glencoe and Ladysmith irresistably
rivet national attention, and when the
average Britisher tires of lauding the
pluck that won Fridays battle and still
keeps the flag flying over Mafeking,
he reVerts to the universal query,
What will White do next?"
Ra6UorS- Rr1Ipr last weeks ideal,
has almost passed out of the popular
mind although that general, Ce~Dite
the fact that he is in mid-Ocean 13d
unaware of what befell the Beers at
Glencoe, appears to be the main factor
in the situation. The Associated Press
is reliably informed that his last acr
before leaving was to cable Sir George
Stewart White, forbidding any British
advance pending the arrival of the
army corps
1t is understood in army circles tha.
General White believed himself quite
strong enough to advance through
Laing's Mex Sir Redvers-B Buffers
prohibition, if carried out, resolves ali
prognostication into the simple state
ment that upon the extent of BOer ag
gressiveness depends the number and
nature Of the engagements that are to
mark the next months fighting.
Probably the Boer movement will be
curtailed by the defeat at Glencoe; but
it seems reasonable to believe, judging
from the determination and fanaticism
of the Boer forces, that they will soon
er or later-anyWay before Buffers
corps takes the field-return to the fray
with redOubled aggressiveness, in a
desperate attempt to break the back
bone of General Whites force, having
previously endeavOred to weaken it by
feint and flank movements.
acrar r6i i'm o
Boer plans is based upon the belief that
COmmandant General Joubert's main
objective is to break up or rout General
Whites command before the British
reinforcements arrive; but it is possible
the wiley Boer general has a carefully
concealed strategy which he intends to
carry out in an unexpected direction
and that the attack upon General
White on Friday was merely intended
to deceive the British as to the Objec-
tive.
Reliable news from the BOer side is
so hard to secure in London that it is
| Impossible to predict with anyt degree
of certainty what the next few weeks
are likely to bring forth.
SIR s-BULLER'S PLANS.
The Associated Press learns that the
plans of Sir Redvers-Buller, subject to
finding on his arrival that the complex
changed, are to have four divisions,
each a little army in itself and each ca
pable of meeting the full strength OF
the Beers. AS his forces will exceed
$4,000 men, this is regarded as feasible.
With three armies he intends to invade
the Transvaal from different points,
personally leading the principal force
through the Free State, sending the
other to hold Natal
Expert military opinion, as ascertain
ed by The Associated Press is inclined
to favor a single line of operation, un-
less the invader has a tremendous pre-
ponderance of strength, although few
are willing to criticise General Buffers
admitted military genius without
kno- ledge of the information upon
which he has based his estimate of the
Boer forces. There is a growing feel
ing that the war will eventually resolve
itself into guerrilla campaign; and
many references are made in this con-
nection to the progress of the Ameri-
can forces in the Philippines. Several
Englishmen who have lived among the
Beers, but who are now in London as
st that the Beers will never stick to
their artillery; and there is a unani-
nous feeling among those who know
the Transvaal and its inhabitants that
the Boer artillery will cut a small fig
ure after the first month.
1T is not believed that the Beers will
suffer so much by the loss of artillery
as might as first be thought. Unencum-
bered by guns, they regain that mobil-
ity which, in the previous war proved
such thorn in the side of our organ
lied troops.
a splendid instance of the spopta-
neous cooperation Of army and navy
is given in the action of Captain
Lampbton, commanding the British
first class protected cruiser Powerful,
while on the way to the Cape. Calling
at Mauritius, he found a line regiment
that had been ordered to Durham un-
(Confina,od or, IYfth panal