The evening times., 1899-11-18
r.stcourt and Pictermnritxbhrg

that the whole civilized world is taking in
the siege of Ladysmth. As far as we
know. Sir George White is still holding out
calamity, and Major General Hldyard, who
commands the relieving column. is at Pie
termaritzburg doing all he can 10 perfect
his plans for its advance, which should be-
gin very soon. Up 10 the time of our lat
est information seven thousand two hun
dred and ninety British troops had been
landed at Durham, with eighteen field guns,
a number of machine guns, engineers.
and hospital corps and seven hundred
mules The force previously available be-
tween Durham and Colenso amounted to
four thousand five hundred men, including
the Natal volunteers and the naval brigade,
so that Hildyard has nearly twelve thou
sand fighting units 10 count upon; all of
winch, however. are not necessarily 10 be
considered as Immediately effective.
The British public is disposed to wonder
how it can happen that with this force at
his disposal, Hildyard is not already bat
terins away at the Beers at Peters Sta
ton The facts of the situation as they
are reported today will easily afford tte
explanation. Considering their supposed
weakness in the directions of strategi al
and tactical ability and experience, tie
campaign so far has developed most re-
| markable evidences of both on the part of
the TransvaaI generals. Their plan Of
| invasion. their concentration on Glencoe
| and Dundee. their investment of Lady
smith. and the provision they have shown
| in preparing to oppose the movement of
| the relieving column. have all been scien-
! tiic enough 10 mark General Joubert as a
military genius, or, alternatively, to prove
that he has had with him some able ard
trained European strategist. PTob8b by no
! professional critic imagines for a moment
that. in the end. the advantages OF war in
South Africa will not lie on the b Irish 81 ,e
Bui it is by TO means clear that they do
at this particular time. as the situation at
and about Estcourt would seem to demon
stratc. The Beers were last reported as in
front Of and near that place with al least
Two thousand mounted infantry, eight
seven Founders. and two Creusots. This
force appears to be a detachment from
Lucas Meyers division and is in charge
statement from Pretoria. it was about 10
be re-enforeed by three or four t-oasand
men. presumably Free State.s. who are
said to be available on account of large
accessions to Joubert's army from the
Trans .aaI, recently arrived.
To the right OF Estcourt there
is Boer force OF indeterminate strength
bu; believed TO be the division of General
Schalk Burger, which is reported TO num-
Der four thousand. with an unknown equip
ment of artillery. The indications are that
communication has been established be-
tween Botha and schaik Burger. and that
they are cooperating in an effort TO isolate
Estcourt and defeat its garrison before
Hildyard can bring up his endorsements
On the basis Of this probability there was
an idea in London military circles yester-
day. that Colonel Long. who now commands
al Esjcourt-WOIie-N Murray having re-
turned to Pietermartzburg- might find it
necessary TO retreat south Should ne at
tempt such movement the probability is
that he would have to fight 'SchaIk Burger. /
with Botha's men swarming on his, rear.
The former, who. as we have previously ex- I
planned. has made descent into southern
Natal from the Zuluand frontier. is report
ed to have his headquarters at Weenen, a
point east of Estecurt equidistant eighteen
miles from it and Colenso He il.
therefore. in a position to strike in either
direction as circumstances may dictate Our
reports yesterday We're probably inaccurate
in stating that The Beers had already de-
stroyed the Mooi River railway bridge; but
it would seem that it was at their mercy
and it may have been blown up since
The situation then, as it is developed in
dispatches which in matters OF detail NAV
be partially misleading. is one in which
Estcourt is threatened in front by a fosce, in
numbers and artillery approximately equal
TO the garrison; and on the right and rear
by Schalk Burgers commando of four
thousand. Hildyard is at Pietermaritzburg
and probably unable to move Immediately,
as his artillery horses would be unfit for
duty for some little time after a long ocean
voyage, and his ammunition and supply
trains would require some days to load
He is obliged to keep the fact in mind that
he has not only men with rifles to meet,
but plenty of well-served guns. Moreover,
If the Boer movements on the front and
tanks Of Estcourt, should prove successful
IN isolating that position. the column avail
able for the advance would aggregate prob
ably not more than seven thousand men
or all purposes; to fight, TO keep the COM
open and to protect Pieter-
from strategical diversion
which Schalk Burger might undertake as ]
oon as Hildyard started his march up the
.ountry. 5
We are not offering these views by way !
# prophecy. but merely as representative f
# the situation and conditions pictured {
n the news from South Africa From our
which may be unreliable as
o some matters, as it certainly is incom-
lete, the reasonable deduction is that the
'oers are working under very compre- !,
ensive and intelligent plan Of campaign; p
hat they seem to have commanders capa- !!
lie OF prosecuting it, and up to now. men n
I'd guns enough to meet the British army ]
! Natal on fairly equal terms. 1t is, in Ii
eed. difficult TO escape the suspicion that el
he latter have underestimated the AZ
trength of their enemy and may havc g
'ore trouble 10 relieve Ladysmith than rs rs
leir strategists have anticipated. al
Over against this view, however. NAV u
srhaps be set probability that the move h,