The Hawaiian gazette., 1899-11-10
Blacklist and Bluest Since SspOy
Rebellion News.
sOER SUCCESS ACKNOWLEDGE
Explanations are Off:rsd.Gen
eral White Out Unanswered
Talk Of Future.
Especial to the Advertiser from San
Francisco

Especial to the Advertiser from San
Francisco
NEW YORK, Nov. IA dispatch to
the Tribune from London says: The
forecast Of defeat over which keen OBJ
servers were brooding before midnight
Monday was officially confirmed before
| o'clock yesterday. II was the bluest
and blacklist day London has known
since the first tidings of the Sepoy re-
bellion. The tidings that the Beers
had completely out-maneuvered Gen.
eral White, and, while Turing on the
British center and right, had ambus-
caded the left wing, cut two battalions
to pieces and forced II to surrender, to-
ge:her with mountain battery, filled
the streets with dismay and gloom.
John Bull Is not accustomed to being
beaten by anybody and he takes pun
ishment. when It comes, with poor
grace and q sense Of bewilderment, al
belt with complete self-command. Dis
aster was written large in the every
newspaper placard during the day, but
the newsboys were surrounded with
grim swarms of purchasers, setting
teeth together and determined to know
the worst, yet marvelling how so over
whelming defeat had been within the
range of possibility in the Queens do
miniOns. 1t was not enough for Gen.
eral White to declare that he alone had
Numbered, nor for the War Office to
order out three additional battalions
and mounted battery to replace the
losses sustained at Glencoe and Lady
smith. What every Englishman knew
in his heart was the truth, that the
rustic Beers, whose strategy and
training had been dCspised by the mil
itary stan and ration, had contrived
both at Glencoe and Ladysmith to out
maneuver British generals and ensnare
large bodies of the finest and most ex-
perienced soldiers into ambuscades
from which there was no escape.
Humiliating to English pride as was
this confession, there were no signs OF
flinching in any quarter. John Bulls
heart was hardened. not softened, by
| unexpected disaster. The most ardent
peace advocate did not venture to take
| up his parable yesterday. There was
| only one expression heard in the club
houses, exchanges and streets; this
was that the war must go on to the
bitter end with redoubled energy and
overwhelming resources, and British
prestige to be restored for the honor
and safety of the Empire.
What will the Natal field force dc
now? is the question on every tongue.
IL Is Itself supplying an answer by
fighting with spirit and discipline.
When the Beers have renewed their
attack, will 1t retreat or stand its
ground, remaining On the defensive and
lighting desperately. The latter alter
native Is accepted by nearly all mill
tary writers since il cannot find a bet
ter defensive position at Colenso, and
retreat to Pietermaritzburg and Dur
ban would involve long march of 1888
miles. with the Beers harassing the
rear column. Butler will now settle
the question. not White, and he Is not
considered by military critics or init
mate friends as likely to begin cam
paign by ordering an abandonment of
Natal and enkindling blaze OF disaf-
lection among the Dutch of Cane Col
ony. Yet the most candid military
men admit that the position at Lady
smith Is very weak from a defensive
point of view. me valley where the
town lies Is sheltered by circle of
irregular hills, IN the crests OF which
the garrison Is ;ntrenched. Outside
this circle Is another concentric, one
with similar circuit of hills, and be-
yond that there Is another. A promi-
nent military man said to me yester-
day: No defensive position can be
considered safe unless it commands a
broad, level country, with no high
points for many miles, where guns can
be mounted against the intrenchments.
Antwerp Is the most defensible town in
Europe for this Icason. Ladysmith Is
not defensible Mt all since the Boer
guns can be mounted from the high
ground in three ,oucentric circles and
brought to bear against the British
camp. Neither Ladysmith nor Glencoe
ought ever to have been occupied. but
some position south of the Tugela or
nearer the sea. In the same way nei-
Their Rhodesia nor Mafeking nor Kim
berley should have been defended, but
a strong position taken south OF the
orange river Ia attempting to hold
on to too many POINTS before adequate
could arrive the Brit
ism stan has exposed itself to the risk
OF serious defeats, The best thing that
can be done now viii be to order out a
second army corps, Indeed, in my
opinion, force ~ 100, 900 men will he
required before the two republics can
be conquered ami held"
rms ls so pessimistlc an opinion that