The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-10-23
JOY IN old LONDON.
Victory of Glencoe
Rejoices All
England.
STING OF YACHT DEFEAT.
Not Felt With the Usual
Regret Among Sports
men.
STING OF YACHT DEFEAT.

copyright, 1899, The Associated Press.)
London, Oct. 2.-The stirring devel-
opments of the week form a vivid con-
trast to that wearisome period of pro-
crastination and suspense which pre-
ceded the outbreak of the war Through
her parliament, England has quickly
and dramatically sanctioned the mo-
mentous action Of the cabinet; the frstI
battle worthy of the name has been
fought, and an army corps, England
greatest military effort in this century
Is now on the way bent upon admins
terlng an eternal quietus to South At
rican unrest
The thrilling scene in the house of
commons of member of the cabinet
making an impassioned defense of his
own honesty against the imputation of
deliberately involving England in war;
the far-reaching significance of the in
tlmation by the cautious prime minis
ter that England's rule throughout the
whole of South Africa must be abso-
lutte; and many other striking points
IN an epoch-making week, have been
almost entirely obscured by the over
whelming interest of the sharp, mea-
OF DOlACbllIS DedIllS udlG at lduySIlllLnI
that tell of victory and of how many
died to gain it. Historians may dis
miss as insignificant the military oper-
ations which have so far marked the
progress of the war; but for the people
of England these and those of the i'm
mediate future have transcendental
Importance
Glencoe and Ladysmith irresistibly
rivet national attention; and, when the
mi pf limo haJ
pluck that won Fridays battle and still
Keeps the flag flying over Mafeking, he
reVerts to the universal query What
will White do next 2" Sir Redvers Bull
Ter, last weeks ideal, has almost passed
out of the popular mind, although that
general, despite the fact that he is in
mid-ocean and unaware of what befel
the Beers at Glencoe appears to be the
main factor in the situation. The AS
ISOLATED Press is reliably informed that
his last act before leaving was to ca
Bile Sir George Stewart White forbid
ding any British advance pending the
arrival of the army corps.
1t is understood in army circles that
Gen. White believed himself quite
strong enough to advance through
Laing's mex Sir Redvers Buffers
prohibition, if carried out, resolves all
representation into the simple state
ment that upon the extent of Boer ag-
gressiveness depends the number and
nature of the enga gements that are to
mark the next months fighting
Probably the Boer movement will be
curbed by the defeat at Glencoe; but
1t seems reasonable to believe, judging
from the determination and fanaticism
Of the Boer forces, that they will sooner
or later any way before Buffers corps
takes the field, return to the fray with
redoubled aggressiveness in a desperate
attempt to break the backbone of Gen
Whites force, having previously en-
deavored to weaken it by feint and
flank movements.
The Associated Press learns that the
plans of Sir Redvers Butler, subject to
finding on his arrival that the com
pleXion of the campaign is not entirely
changed, are to have four divisions,
each little army in itself and each
capable of meeting the full strength of
the Beers. As his forces will exceed.
eighty thousand men, this is regarded
as feasible. With three armies he in
tends to invade the Transvaal from diff
ferent points, personally leading the
principal force through the Free State,
sending the other to hold Natal
Expert military opinion, as ascer-
tanned by the Associated Press, is in
clined to favor a single line of opera
tons, unless the invader has a tremen-
dous preponderance of strength. Al
though few are willing to criticise Gen.
Buffers admitted military genius with
out knowledge of the information upon
which he has based his estimate of the
Boer forces, there is a growing feeling
that the war will eventually resolve it.
self into a guerrilla campaign; and
many references are made in this con-
nection to the progress of the Ameri-
can forces In the Philippines. Several
Englfshmen who have lived among the
Beers but are now in London assert
that the Beers will never stick to their
artillery; and there is a unanimous feel
ing among those who know the Trans
vaal and its Inhabitants that the Boer
artillery will cut a small figure only
after the first month.
The explanation of this is two-foId
In the first place most of the Beers are
unaccustomed to fight according to the
methods required in conjunction with
heavy artillery; and, secondly, most of
them are armed with the rifle only.
Comparatively few have bayonets re-
volvers or swords; and 1t is a military
impossibility for men to stand up
against cavalry charge unless they
possess some arms in addition to the
rifle Hence, the only alternative when
cold steel threatens is to desert the
guns.
1t is not believed that the Beers will
suffer so much by the loss of artillery
as might at first be thought. Unen-
numbered by guns, they regain that
mobility which, in the previous war,
proved such a thorn in the side of or
ganized troops.
The Saturday Review, commenting
upon the Alaskan modus viyendi, says:
"The talk Of Anglo-American goodwill
which has been INDUCED in even more
freely than usual during the week, is
mere moonshine so long as the Alaska
boundary question remains unsettled.
American obstinacy has resulted in a