New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-12-14
LORD METHUEN'S REPULSE.

The big battle near the Modder River has
been fought The exact details are not yet at
hand but enough is known to show that 1t was
a serious reverse for the British. 1t may not
have been a great British disaster, though any,
thing less than a success threatens disaster to
Great Britain: but Lord Methuen admits that
his losses were great. that his troops failed
in their attack upon the Beers position, and
that, after temporarily intre1chi1g his army
near the place of action, he has now retired 10
the point from which he set out on Monday.
Beyond doubt, that means that he got
the worst Of the fighting, and that instead
of pushing on to the relief of Kimberley
he is put upon the defensive, himself men
aced If not beleaguered, by the Beers
That, It must be said, Is disappointing predica
ment for a dashing commander who on going
to South Africa labelled his baggage Pretoria,
via Cape Town" Coming close upon the heels
of General Gatacre's mishap, it will cause not
little shaking of the dry bones at headquarters
In London, and not a little pretty vigorous
thinking and speaking among the British people
At Ladysmith and at Stormberg the British
were outmanDuvred, trcked, ambuscaded. At
the Modder River they seem to have been out
fought. Lord Methuen is not a tactician. His
rule Of war Is to go straight at the centre Of
the enemys line. That is good rule, provided
you are able TO break that line. In this case
the British not able to do So and ac-
cordingly their attack was repulsed, with heavy
loss. The incident is the more surprising and
will doubtless be deemed the more exasperatng
In England, for the reason that Lord Methuen
Is Of all the British commanders in the field the
best acquainted with South African warfare
Indian fighters and veterans of the Nile cam
paigns may be excused for making mistakes on
the strange ground where they now are. But
II the famous head Of "Methuens Horse" after
his career In Bechuanalan6 and elsewhere, is
not at home In this war, who should be? 1t
does not, of course conclusfvely appear that he
has made any mistake. Hitherto he has con-
Quoted really brilliant cagpagn, fighting his
way up from Hope Town in a style worthy Of
the best traditions of the British army. II must
be remembered also that he is now confronted
by the most fierce and furious Of all the Boer
commanders. The Boer force opposed 10 him
also is larger than had been supposed Evil
IDENTITY Il has been reinforced, and Is prepared
TO make the most vigorous stand against the
most menacng part of all the British advance.
General Cronje's army, I'm brief. seems 10 be
about as large as Lord Meihuen's That fact
conjoined with the advantage Of the Beers in
being on their own ground, or ground which
has for some time been theirs goes far toward
explaining the repulse which Lord Methuen
has suffered. But II will not reconcile the
British TO that repuse.
The fact seems to be that as we have al
ready pointed out. the British are suffering the
inevitable result Of overconadence in their own
power and an underestimate of their foe They
have been accustomed to fighting the tribesmen
OF India and the Dervshes of the Soudan and
other still less civilized peoples They have
scarcely yet come TO a realization OF the fact
that they are now face TO face with an entirely
different enemy, an enemy skilled in civilized
! warfare, fully as well equipped In arms as the
British themselves. fully as resolute and hardy.
1 and possessing not only the Boer frontiersman
genius for irregular warfare, but also the benefit
| OF the advice and direction of some Of the
! shrewdest masters Of strategy and military