The times., 1899-12-30
THE SITUATION IN sOUTH AFRICA

expected John Bull has allowed the
conviction to penetrate his massive in
tellect that he has made a serious,
il characteristics. mistake in treating
the South African Beers as a mere mob of
farmers, unworthy to be considered as sol
diers, and against whom it would be hu-
initiating to go through forms of scientific
warfare. John Bull made a like mistake in
l716, in the case of the American coIonists
and one would think that the lesson ought
to have been remembered. It does not
seem to have been.
Indeed, it is not pleasant to contemplate
the spectacle of a great civilized power, bur
dened with the responsibilities and exposed
to the dangers peculiar to the recent posi-
ton of Great Britain in the family of ns-
tions, engaging in distant war practically
without any preparation, against a foe
known for years to be steadily arming,
equipping and accumulating supplies. But
the British Government has done this, and,
moreover, in utterly inexcusabIe and blum
dering ignorance of the military resources
of the enemy. So the war began with the
Beers in vast superiority in the matters of
numbers, artillery. mobility. and leader
ship, and with carefully worked-out sci
entific plan of campaign
All these things are as plain to the Brit
ish understanding today as they should
have been to Lord Wolseley and the nidder-
ing War Ministry months ago The result
is that the flower OF the British army, en-
deavoring to clean up the Beers in an ex-
citing series Of football rushes, has been
distinctly repulsed and defeated by the lat
ter, who have conducted sensible, crafty,
and scientific warfare thanks to their fore
thought in providing themselves with the
best military talent to be found among the
strategists. engineers, and artillerists of
America and Europe
If Lord Salisbury's government had
known what It now does, a year or more
ago, the odds in favor Of the Beers in the
opening campaign might not have proved
as great as We have seen them to be- But
even then it may be doubted that anybody
in England would have suspected that gem
erals like Wolseley. Butler, Forester
Walker Methuen, and Catacre were not at
least the equals of any field commanders
to be unearthed from Calais TO Vladiyo-
stock. The idea of enlisting foreign pro-
fessional talent and experience would never
have occurred to the British Government
Or people, and probably would be resented
even today. after it has become plain 10 all
disinterested observers that the British
army training has not been of a kind to
evolve generals, and that the British cause
in South Africa would be greatly strength
ened by the employment of a technical staff
Of forty OF fifty scientific soldiers who have
added practical and field experience TO the
lessons learned in the best military schools
of the world
Evidently the popular hope Of the mo-
ment is in Butler. 1t is assumed that ne
is now in command of twenty-eight thou
sand troops, including dve battalions OF
Sir Charles Warrens division. recently
Joined 1t is reported that his siege train
has arrived at Cape Town; hence that he
will have it at Cheveley in ten days. The
British force is considered to be now nu-
merically superior TO that Of Joubert, and
equal in artillery. II all these things be
true. it Is not easy to see why Butler
should appear to be acting entirely on the
defensive, while the Beers are daily max
ing The problem of future advance harder
and harder. Their defensive works are de-
scribed as marvels Of skill and complete
ness; their discipline is shown in many
ways to be rapidly improving, and soon
likely to equal that of European regular
troops II is plain that the second cam
paign will not be an easier proposition
than was the first.
The TugeIa River is in hood again, and
from this some of the London military
writer's argue that, Butler will be able to
bag the Boer detaehments south of the
stream. But. on the other hand, it is
stated that Joubert is entrenching heavily
east and west Of Colenso. confident no
doubt that Buffers next move will be an
attempt TO turn one of the Boer fanks
From the little we can deduce from the
bulletins. it would seem that the Boer
right, resting on the Dewdrop Road. TO the
west, was until recently the most vulnera-
bic point on the lire. Possibly if Butler had
made his fight in that direction, instead of
uEliNGlllE q i4oiltal IlAdtE 1T Nbltl1N. Tt
suits might have been more satisfactory.
Where he will elect to strike the coming
blow it would be impossible to guess.
Joubert's foreign advisers have planned
his scheme of resistance in such a way
that the chances are Butler would find
himself confronted by heavy force and
strong works anywhere from the Help
maakar Road on the extreme east to the
Swartzberg on the extreme west
In view OF the severity Of the censorship
at Durham. II is argued that movement
on the Tugela line is imminent The most
optimistic statements are given out re-
gardng conditions in Ladysmitb. Sir
George White is represented as heliograph-
ing that he can hold out for six or eight
weeks without difficulty. But it is evident
from The casualty lists he flashes through
the sky TO his friends that the lombard
ment is growing in effectiveness, and that
typhoid and dysentery are still doing dead
ly work in the garrison. It will be passing
strange If Butler does not make a supreme
effort to relieve Ladysmith before many
days
In London the same cheerful view is
taken OF Lord Methuens situation. His
communications seem to be open again,
and. if he is correctly reported. he Is con-
fdent Of his ability to hold the ground he
occupies. 1t is TO be observed, however,
that Cronie. having entrepched against
possible turning movement by Jacobsdal,
to his satisfaction, has proceeded TO en-
trench beyond Methuen's left, and COM
mando of Free Staters and Cape rebels is
reported laagered above Sand Drift in the
direction of WimbIadOn So q tt1rnfne