The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-12-10
Pessimistic View Taken of South
African Situation.
CANNOT CONQUER BOERS
HEAVY LOSS OF LIFE WITHOUT
CoMPENsATING GAINS.
English Forces So Crippled That It
Will Be Months Before Advance
Can Be Made Into Hostile Terri
tory-London People Wait For
Victories That Never Come.

growing inclination to be skeptical ovel
glorious victories that leave the Beers
able to fight just as hard the next day;
with the still virulent storm of disao.
proval raining from all quarters or
Joseph Chamberlain because of his re-
markable alliance speech, and with the
dawning realization of the difficulties
which beset the task of conquering the
Beers and wiping away Afrikander dis
satisfaction. the position of the British
government at home has been by nc
victory. compelling the Beers to vacate
the scene of British operations or en-
abling the British to achieve the relief
of Kimberley or Ladysmith, would
quickly improve the feeling.
That all is not right is feared even
among the governments staunchesi
supporters. While awaiting such a
victory as by mere force of numbers II
seems must come, the feeling Of unrest
is bound to increase, while the anxiety
exhibited irf well-informed quarters
that previously spoke enthusiastically of
Cape loyalty, but now regretfully ad-
nit widespread colonial disaffection, is
not likely to be allayed.
Forward Movement Retarded.
1t appears that the British forward
movement is retarded more by the po-
litical conditions prevailing in the ter
ritory through which the lines of COM
munication pass, than by the Beers,
who hang like bulldogs on the advanc-
ing tanks. Military critics during the
past week have frequently observed
that If it is necessary to preserve the
lines of communication with such large
forces when operating in British terri
tory, il will be much more essential to
do 80 when the head columns have en-
tered an avowedly hostile country.
That Ladysmith will be relieved. and
shortly, is now taken as matter of
course, though in the same breath it is
admitted that a decisive engagement
must be fought before this is accom-
plished. Nothing has been more promi-
nently brought out during the two
months of the war than the fact that
the Beers never attack, as General
Garcia said last yesr OF the Cutaps
With their wonderful mobility, the
Beers are enabled to take up. one after
another, carefully selected positions, in
every instance daring the British gem
erals to attack them, and retiring after
INJECTING severe loss, to other positions
good and apparently previously
Will Cripple British.
If such tactics continue it seems pos
sible the relieving force will reach
Ladysmith so crippled that an advance
into the Transvaal win be Impossible
in the near future. In fact, the most
optimistic see no chance of the British
forces making serious Roadway upon
an aggressive campaign for two or
three months. while many who coH-
fdently prophesied that General Butler
would eat his Christmas dinner in Pre-
toria are trying to find excuses in the
slowness of the transports or the in
capability of the war office.
Mr. Chamberlain shows no signs OF
or desire to recant his Lea-
,ester speech. In the meanwhile LORD
Salisbury has refrained from making
any public utterance to onset the CO.
onial secretary's remarks. However,
articles appear, apparently lnspireu, III
papers which warmly support MI
-,hamberlain's war policy denouncing
MS Leicester speech, both for its al
lance and anti-French components.
The Saturday Review, speaking OF!
evident authority, says: 1T is possible
hat a certain situation might arise in
-egard to China when England, Ger
many and America, having common,
we'll defined object in view, might con-
dude a written treaty of combination,
,ut such an event, in our opinion is
it'll Gar off"
Storm Raised By Chamberlain.
The storm raised by Mr.. Chamber
aims premature announcement, APP
,ears to have made a hitch in the nego-
iations between the powers regarding
he open door" as announced in these
dispatches. Whether they are lnden-
liteIy shelved or merely temporarily
leld in allowance is at present unascer-
ainabie. All the English authorities
teree in surmssing that President Nc
<inley's reference to no entangling al
lance was slipped in as result of Mr.
-hamberlain's remarks. The message
tself is regarded by the weeklies as
lon-committal. The Speaker describes
[ as an admirable instance of the art
# saying nothing by allocuting a great
leal."
The Saturday Review echoes this,
irawing attention To the supineness Oh
British traders. in allowing American
friendship for Russia to secure for IL
contracts on the Siberian railroad.
Premier Waldeck- Rousseau action
n ins,tructing the Paris news vendors
nat the sale of German as we'll as
french caricatures of the queen Will
ender them liable to prosecution, is
inely ironical reply to British criticism
# the French press. While Mr.. Cham
,erlain was denouncing France for VII
flying the queen and protesting friend
hop for Germany. he overlooked the
act that caricatures almost equally Of
ensiye to the British are appearing In
Germany, especially in the Kladde-
,atzc,.
Insulting the Queen.
As a correspondent of the Times
POINTS out. this sheet is of far more
handing than the offending french
journals. and perpetrated at the mo-
nent when the Emperor William was
listing his grandmother, an obnoxious
aricature; yet, no steps were taken
O suppress it, though German control
e the press is much firmer than the
French. The same correspondent adds
hat illustrated post cards bearing in |
ulting pictures of the queen are in |
reuuent use in Germany, passing |
through the mails untouched.
NJ. Waldeck- Rousseau's grip upon the |
ituation in France and the excellent |
olitical generalship he has exhibited
) a matter of general comment 1t |
you'd appear that France has settled |
own to a period of genuine business, |
nd that she is determined TO bury her |
aternal dissensions, at least until the |
Exposition is over.
1t is announced that Russia will re-
ume, this month, diplomatic negotia- I
ons with the vatican. The fact that /
Iqnsigneur Tarnassi is going to ST.