The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1899-12-26
We TOLD THEM HOW.
But They Wouldn't Take Our Advice.

In our issue of the 14th of November,
we discussed Buffers probable plan of
campaign, stating that he could
advance first with force and relieve
Kimberly, or End upon Ladysmith from
Durham, or 3rd upon Pretoria, from
Delagoa bay. OF the latter, we said:
"a third plan of campaign open to him
will be to land his army at Delagoa Bay,
north of Durham, and only 349 miles east
of Pretoria, the capital of the Transvaal.
This is 13 miles nearer Pretoria than
Ladysmith is, and Butler would thus be
13 miles nearer the Boer capital on land
ing at Delagoa Bay, than he would be
at Ladysmith, after raising the siege at
that place. By landing at DelagOa Bay
he would so threaten the Boer capital
that their forces at Ladysmith and Kim
berly would have to fall back and raise
the siege of those places or permit him
to capture the Boer capital and country,
and cut off their supplies. If they fell
back, he would have the shortest line
for operations, and the forces at Kim
berly and Ladysmith could assist him
from the south on line of railway that
runs north from Ladysmith to Laing' 5
Mex, or they could join him from Dur
ban by shipping to Delagoa bay.
UNLESS exigencies exist that the pub
lie does not know of, Delagoa Bay will,
in all probability, form Buffers base OF
operations. In this event the contest
will soon be decided in favor of the
British.''
Since that time, Butler has attempt
ed to advance on three lines stimuli
taneously, and has met with reverses on
each line-the last being at Ladysmith.
Instead of moving his force on one OF
these lines, he has divided his force,
and attempted to move on all three
at once. Only reverses could be ex-
pected by a General who would thus
divide his strength. But adversely
often teaches useful lessons, and the
British Cabinet has decided to advance
on the line suggested as the best by the
REPUBLICAN, and now the Beers had
better look ''leetle out.'
A dispatch from London, of Dec.
| 16, says: ''To turn the scale of war
tonight there are reports that the
Cabinet has virtually decided to seize
| DelagOa Bay, in order to invade the
Transvaal through Portuguese terri
| tory.
| The situation may thus be changed
within foroy-eight hours, or as soon as
it is announced that, instead of wait
ing on operations in Natal, the British
will make counter attack upon the
Transvaal. Such an attack can have
but one object, the siege and capture
of Pretoria while all the Boer forces
are occupied along the border.
On one point there is demand
which can not be overlooked by the
highest to the lowest officials, and it is
not being overlooked. A great addi
tional force is to be hastened to South
Africa as fast as the ships can carry il
there. The cost of it is no object, and
the impressment of the entire Trans
atlantic fleet is openly talked of.
The talk about seizing Delagoa Bay
is doubtless intended only as an excuse
for not advancing on that line before
for England purchased DelagOa bay o
Portugal before the war began and
Portugal was severely denounced by
France and other powers, for selling
If the British move promptly on this
line, there will be hasty abandonment
of the siege of Kimberly and Lady.
smith, withouta a battle.