The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-10-15
EUROPE 5 EYE GLUED
On the Development of Brit
ish Military Strength.
SHOWDOWN BEING MADE
For the Continent to Put If
Its Pipe and Smoke.
SHOWDOWN BEING MADE

copyright. 1893. by the Associated Press)
London. Oct. H-All Europe is watching
Great Britain at this crucial moment in
her military affairs. Foreign statesmen
and military experts regard the result Of
the war with the Beers as a foregone
conclusion. What they scan with such
anxious interest rs England's tremendous
Preparations for tho contest. By the re-
suit Of these efforts will her strength be
gagged. In assembling an army twice as
large as that which she sent to the Cri-
mea and considerably greater than Well
tngton's force at Waterloo, England is Of
ferfng an illustration, for the first time in
many decades, of her ability to fight on
land. Although her naval strength has
often been demonstrated to advantage, it
has still been q matter Of doubt whether
her military arm would compare favor
ably with that Of continental nations, and
in the throes OF such a test she has been
engaged this week, day and night. Gangs
of men are working necessarily at the
ports that DOT Engiand's shores, trans
augmented forces are ceaselessly turn
ing out ammunition and ordnance stores.
Some idea Of the activity in this branch
can be gained from the fact that 5000, 900
rounds az small-arms ammunition left
Woolwioh last week. Although the man
ufaoture OF the favorite new bullet
Mark 81 has been retarded by an out
break Of lead poisoning among the en-
ployes, this department is working day
and night Tons Of scrap zinc are being
shipped TO make gas for the war balloons
which are being taken out on an extensive
scale.
Meanwhile the men Tor whom these i'm
pletnents Of war are being made are
pouring but Of the barracks to the ports,
standing by TO embark. drilling, maneuv-
eriRg and practicinR at targets every
spare hour. The reserves are swarming
into Aldershot n unheral6ed patches and
Remembering their rifles as If the trans
formation from civ1l TO military life were
an everyday occurrence The huge
mobilization at Aldershot is now in
charge Of Major General Thomas Kelly
Kenny, inspector general Of auxiliary
forces and recruiting, who has succeeded
General Sir Redvers Butler. All the work
Is new. Tt Is the first time that anything
Of the kind has been attempted since the
short-service system went INTO effect. A
visit TO AidsrEhot produces the impress
sion that everything IS going like clock
work but &c IS too early yet to express a
definite opinion regarding the British mo-
bflizaHon.
For the reserves themselves, who are
obliged to leave their wives and families
on a pitiful pittance from the govern
ment, much public sympathy has been
aroused, exemplifying the truth Of Rud-
yard Kipling's jeer: "A special train for
Atkins when the band begins to play
number Of reserves who were not called
out have asked to be allowed to serve in
South Africa, and a similar spirit of spon-
taneous patriotism is seen on all sides
Sir Redver Buffers force includes the
flower Of the English nobility. The excel
lent Boer craftsmanship, combined with
the fact that it is an unwritten rule in
the British army that officers must al
ways stand under fire even though the
men are lying down, makes mourning
probable in many a noble British home.
The admiralty IS, perhaps. more on trial
than the army, especially as it is well
known that General Lord Wolseley, COM
manGer-in-chief. does not approve a sys-
tenn which gives the navy such far-reach-
Eng power in transporting troops. In 1898
Great Britain dispatched 15o00 troops in
three weeks to Alexandria, Egypt, fact
that elected the admiration Of Count Won
Moltek but the task Of shipping more
than 5000. men has no parallel in the
branches of the sedvice are beginning to
blame each other for various delays but
Il IS scOrcely apparent that there has yet
been any serious lack Of facilities The
shipbrokers have undoubtedly worked
something like a corner on the admiralty,
as they did during the HispanO-Americau
war. and the recent breakdown of two
transports is stu the cause of consider
able abuse Of the admiralty.
The weakest point in the whole mobili-
cation seems to be the army service corps
corresponding to the United States COM
missary. The various stations have been
gated TO obtain the necessary officers
and men. yet many line officers assure
the Associated Press that the arrange
Iaents are gravely inadequate for such
corps. In this connection the Naval and
Military Record says: TT Is quite clear
that. If England had 70 provide a second
or third army corps for foreign service.
these. or either OF them. would have to
20 out without a full equipment That
this unpleasant discovery will form the
subject-of inquiry in parliament goes
without saying
Il IS now expected that the session OF
parliament will not exceed two weeks.
The opposition will devote its energies to
an endeavor 10 extract from the govern
ment some information regarding the
conditions on which peace Will be con-
cluded and as 20 the future position OF
the Transvaal