New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-12-09
TIE SOUTB AFRICAN CAMPAIGN.


Ing active. Dispatches indicate that heavy hgh''
ing has been resumed at the Modder River. BY
this time a great battle may have been fought,
with results of prime Importance. Ihere is
activity, also. at Ladysmith and along the
Orange River-to what effect does not yet APP
pear. Still. the campaign has dragged far more
slowly than was anticipated by sangulne BTU
ons. There is no more talk Of British troops
eating their Christmas dinner in Pretoria. 1t Is
now doubtful II that meal is tasted by them on
Boer soil. The present prospect Is that until
some time after Christmas they VIII be KEPT
busy at the task Of clearing British soil OF Boer
invaders and of relieving beseged British garri-
sons OIL British soil In Natal the Beers nave
advanced from CharlestOwn 10 the Mooi RIVER,
distance Of one hundred and twenty-five miles
IL will take some time TO drive them back. In
Cape Colony they have reached and annexed
Dordrecht. That place is fifty miles south OF
the Orange River. 1t will take some time 10
drive them back so far, especially since the
Dutch residents OF that region are aiding ana
Joining the invaders in large numbers. over NJ
the Modder River the dashing advance OF LORD
Methuen came to a dead halt week and more
ago we were told, with Kimberley still twenty
miles away. IL his advance has now been re-
newed. even II Kimberley has been or is soon TO
be relieved, still Mafeking is far beyond. And
beyond all these 1t Is weary march TO either
Pretoria or Bloenfonten
Just why the British advance was halted, or
apparently halted, does not appear The British
censorship can be most efficient when IL tries. IN
the absence Of any definite information as 10
General Buffers plans 1t may be reasonably as
sumed first that he realizes that time Is on MS
side and against the Beers, and second, that IL IL
desirable TO make his advance simultaneously all
along the line The Beers have poor commits
sariat, their discipline is not cohesive and their
supplies of ammunition are not inexhaustiDle
and not TO be rGpleniShed. Delay, therefore,
will mean some disntegration of the Boer army
and lessening Of its effectiveness We all re-
member well how in our own Civil war, the
Southern States suffered much because OF their
lack of manufactures and their consequent ina
bllity to supply their own needs. AS for the
second point, ii seems equally obvious Had
Lord Methuen hurried right on to Kimberley
supposing him able TO do so-he would have re-
lieved that place. But he would also have
driven the big Boer army there away and sent 1t
scurrying across country TO reinforce the Beers
at Dordrecht or around Ladysmth. So If ad-
vance were made at any one point beyond all
| others II would mean concentration Oh the
Beers at another point. General Buffers game
probably Is therefore TO keep the Beers at all
three chief points engaged to advance upon
them as equally as possible at all points, and
thus to deprive the Beers OF the advantage
which their superior mobility is supposed TO
give them.
In the mean time II IL gratifying TO observe
two things. One is that stories Of inhuman praC-
tices on either side are found TO be mistaken
The Beers are not confidently believe, max
ing practice OF firing on hospitals or ambu-
lances or Of using flags of truce for purposes OF
deceit, nor are the British resortng 10 anything
contrary to the accepted rules Of civilized war
fare. SO far as war can be humane. this Is n
humane war. The other point Is that the hOr
rors of a negro uprising are thus far averted
and danger OF them seems now TO be remote
Had such an uprising occurred this war would
have become one of the most dreadful In all his
tory. Happily the warllke Basutos have been
restrained by the British and the Kaffirs Of the
Boer States have likewise been kept well IN
hand. For these things the world may be pro
foundly thankful II there must be war It 1,
well that 1t should be confined within the mar
rowest possible limits and that It's horrors should
be mitigated TO the utmost possible degree