Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-12-19
French Comment on the South Afri-
can War Lesson.
MORE OF TUGELA BATTLE.
British Were Over-Conndcnt - Crit
ci-m OF Lord woisciey,- Denver's
sympathy-AussrIa to intcrvene.


Herald from Paris says;
General Du Baril. former minister OF
war. represented the uitra-Anglophobcs
In France when he said: Il hope that
England will be forced to drink the cup
Of bitterness to the drcgs. She deserves
IT, I shall be glad to see poetic Justice
accomplished. For years Europe has
bowed before the prestige OF British
arms. ana has been cowcd ana over
come by English threats. Every mod
.rn state has suffered at Englands
hands.
NOW. at last. we see that the cat
has not such fearful claws after all.
Every fresh British defeat makes great
or fools OF us all.
"Iersonnlly I believe that the Beers
VIII bring England to terms In short
order. I do not believe that Great Brit
ain viii think for moment OF accept.
Ing defeat or making overtureA. but l
am confident that she VIII bc forced 10
do so.
"IIer recent dlscomnturca ore not Or
binary ones. They disclose fearful In
competency on the part OF the hrit.sh
generals, who have not faced n civilized
Zoe for nearly half a century.
I'm a word. the turning point or BRIT
ish power has been reached. ! consider
that the TTansvanl war VIII rank IN
history rs one OF the most Significant
conflicts on record"
col. chapeile. editor Of one Of the
leading French military journals, said;
"The war this year han diclOfed three
things. II " shown that the Beers are
being directed by men who have studied
closely the conditions In South AFRICA,
for nearly every mishnp which has pc
fallen the British has been mainly due
to superior knowledge OF topography on
the uurt OF the iiOsrr.
second the Beers appear to have
studied particularly the art OF strategy,
which has mostly been abandoned by
the civilized nations Mt present.
Finally. the Beers are less felf-con-
fidcnt than the English. Consequently
they have gone into the struggle with
more spirit to perform what II regarded
AZ impossible. The English troops seem
To have thought they were dealing win
half civilized foes or entire barbnrians,
like the Dcrvlshes. Apparently they
aid not expect so ind military intel
llgencc shown In battle against them.
and were drunk with n sense OF their
own power. This II why they are 30
often taken by surprise. Any good
leader OF soldiers knows that the best
army IL tina, which goes on the battle
Held nlled with uncertainty"
New York. Dec. ia dispatch 10 the
Herald from London says;
Al last details Of the battle at Tu-
geln river are coming through, but u
IL very slowly. and the stories are most
Incomplete.
The dispatches bear evidence OF being
severely censored. For instance, Gen.
| Ruller'R offcial report stated that he
| had lost eleven guns, hut this fact mas
been carefully cut out OF every message
by the censor. who evidently was In
Ignorance OF what news the war office
I a 10 a..
We now know that Gen. Harris. bril-
gadc did actually cross the Tugcln,
! but had to be Withdrawn. losing very
heavily; that Gen. Ilildyard's brigade
was also checked. and that Gen. Bar
toms brigade. OF whose doings nothing
had been heard, failed to carry lnhlawe
! hill which Ii II position ON the south
side OF the Tugela, TO the west OF Co
| lcnso.
There IL no further explanation Of the
loss Of the artillery. II Ia said that Col
Long, who has been much blamed for
! taking his guns too near the Beers, was
| probably Obliged 20 do 80. In this con
ncotion II Is pointed out that Col. Lone
has the reputation OF being a very good
| officer We are expressly told the rca'
! aon-nnmely, that he was anxious u
get within effective range OF the enemy
ut IL the old, old story" said an
| artillery expert. The officers ana gun,
norn OF the royal artillery are second
To none, but their guns are obsolete"
II IL certain that the rcvcrses whicl
OF late has been suffered by the British
have been for the most part the result
OF imperfect scoutlng--not merely th'
general scouting duties. which are un'
der the direction Of the headqunrtei
stan. but OF the duties OF which this
generals commanding brigades. thu
colonies commanding battalibns an'
regiments. and the majors and captains
commanding batteries and companies
are responsible.
The British officer II. MS rule, es
peclally In the early part OF cam
paign, so keen to get at his work an,
80 eager TO join issue at once witt
the enemy. that he II very apt 20 for
get or TO hurry over the preliminar!
precautionary measures.
$50 much depends upon Lord Rob
erts and Lord Kitchener that II IL TO b'
hoped" says the Daily Mail, that N
further war Office red tape and nom
OF the icaiousieg between generals tina
are said to exist there. will tie tn
hands OF the now chiefs. In the i'm
portnnt matter OF auillory. II the tw,
men who go forth undcr such immens
national responsibility think II neces
gary that they should have the bos
artillery that England, America o
Germany can provide let them have II
And the government should innls
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