The National tribune., 1899-12-28
BRITISH nLuSbERs IN SOUTH AFRICA.

BRITISH PLUMBERS IN SOUTH AFRICA.
Some weeks ago we said that nothing
could save the Beers from the overwhelm-
ing British power but enormous blunders on
the part of British commanders. These
| those commanders have proceeded to make,
with the result of terribly damaging the
British prestige il Europe and Africa.
American veterans are absolutely at a loss
to understand how such q commander as
Sir Redyers Butler, or any commander, eX-
perienced or inexperienced, should do such
fatuous thing as to march his army de-
liberately into trap, with his artillery at
the head of his column. He does not seem
to have had the least idea of scouting the
ground in his front. He neglected the
most obvious and ordinary precautions al
ways taken by every American column, big
or little. His story has strong resem-
blance to that of Braddock's defeat, nearly
century and a half ago, and would seem
to indicate that British commanders do not
learn by misfortune-or at least that there
are some who do not. Butler certainly
had no excuse, for similar British defeats
by the Beers have been so recent that the
lesson ought to be deeply impressed upon
the minds of every officer called upon to OPP
crate against them
OF course it must be admitted that the
Beers are not only fine shots and brave
men, but that they are past masters in the
art of stalking, and have fine trick Of
appearing when and where they are least
expected All the more reason for care. and
for most diliigent ntscouting. Nomatter how
adroit they may be, several thousand men
cannot be readily hidden, and fairly good
scouts have no difficulty in finding them If
our operations against the rebels and
against the Indians had been conducted
with no more intelligence than the much |
vaunted Sir Redvers Butler has displayed, |
the rebellion would have been a success i'll
side of six months, and the Indians would
hold all the country west of the Allega-
nies. 1t would seem that Butler had ex
cellent scouting material in the Cape and
Natal police, who are bold, enterprisng
men, well acquainted with the country, but
he did not employ them any more than
Braddock would employ the Virginia back
woodsmen and hunters. The trouble
probably is the old one English Generals
have gained heir experience in fighting
the swarming, truculent, but not really
formidable Hindus, Afghans, Abyssinians,
Arabs, etc. Their enemies have been great,
noisy, badly-armed mobs, with little stay
ing power, and against whom it was only
necessary to move boldly with solid ranks.
The Beers arh men of entirely different
metal. They are more like the men on
both sides during our rebellion-men who
are naturally bold, determined, aggressive
fighters, and who do an awful sight of
real killing when they once join battle.
The only way 10 fight these men success
fully is to carefully copy the art of war as
We developed it from 1861 to 1865. 1t is
claimed that Butler and his coterie are
ardent admirers Of the German School of
war, and get most of their ideas from Ber-
lin. If this be the case, his successor had
better change off, and send to the United
States for some veteran of the rebellion to
give him tiTs.