Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-10-31
a Disaster TO the British Arms.

The situation in Natal suddenly assumes
a most Omino Is appearance for the British
Two regiments and mountain battery
have been captured by the Beers. thus
seriously depicting the British forces hem
med in at Ladysmith. Fighting has been
renewed today. according TO a brief cable
announcement. The British public. shocked
nv the news of the loss of the irish Fusi-
liers, the GIoucestershire regiment and a
battery. now apprehends as n further dis
aster the fall of Ladysnith and the rout
If not the capture of the force under Gen.
White.
The capture of the regiments and bat
terry by the Beers is frankly acknowledged
by General White to be his fault alone. as
he sent them into the exposed position In
which they were taken. This display OF
manly willingness to bear the whole bur-
den of blame must soften the feelings OF
the English. who admire pluck above all
other qualities. And 1t must have cost the
commander at Ladysmith an indescribable
pang to confess over the wires that ne
Numbered so seriously as to send two or
three entire organizations out of his small
army TO capture. The spectacle OF British
regiments surrendering. too. Ia sufficiently
novel to mark the episode historical.
IL Ia evident from the dispatches thus far
received bearing on yesterdays fighting
that the British were eager to force the
Beers into a general engagement in which
the invaders might be given a disabling
blow Thus the British policy seems to
have been mixture Of defense and attack.
The situation doubtless demanded 1t. The
Beers have come very near to the solitary
line of communication with the coast. For
the British to remain inactive and move
only on the defensive would be TO open the
way for the Beers to press around to the
south and cut the railroad. In such straits
Gen. White probably determined to take
desperate chances. The Beers, falling back
from an untepabe position, lured the Brit
ish onward and by q clever move entrapped
q large body in the hills.
This operation serves to diSabuse the pub
lie mind Of an impression which the earlier
engagements tended to create, that the
Beers are deficient in strategic qualities.
They have latterly been held wei! In check.
doubtless by some such powerful command
er as Joubert himself. BY advancing and
retreating. yet steadily pressing around the
British flank they have more than regained
the prestige lost in the fights at Glencoe
ana Elandslaagte. which, in comparison
with the operations now under way, We're
but preliminary skrmshes.
The question now arises, VIII the Beers
be able TO gain a secure fOothold in Natal
before the reinforcements arrive? Gen.
Butler reached Cape Town yesterday in
advance of his forces. which are coming
by slower steamers.
1t is estimated that the army will not be
fully debarked at the various points on the
coast before December 10. With this large
force comparatively close at hand and with
orders just issued TO a second corps to hold
Itself in readiness for field service as ca
bled today, 1T is Of course Incredible that
England will falter in her campaign, even
though by the middle Of December the
Beers have overrun Natal and driven the
British forces now at Ladysmith to the sea
Or captured them.