New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-12-10
WAR COMMENT IN LONDON
EARLY BRITISH ILLUSIONS BEING DIS
PEELED.
Mr. CHAMBERLAIN SHOWS NO DESIRE TO RE
CANT HIS LEICESTER UTTERANCEs-'ih"'
oF MoNTAGU WHITE

OF MoNTAGU WHITE.
rordon Dec O-What with the growing In
c,ination 70 be sceptical over glorious victories
that leave the Beers able TO fight just as nara
the next day. with the still virulent storm or
disapprovaI raining from all quarters on joseph
Chamberlain and his remarkable alliance speech
and with the dawnlng realization or the uHloui-
ties which beset the task OF conquering the
Roers and wiping out Afrlkander dissatisfaction
the position Of the British government at home
and in Europe has by no means been Strength
ened really decisive victory enectually coii-
polling the Beers TO vacate the scene or brltlsh
operations or enabling the British TO achieVe
their subsidiary detectives. namely, the reheI Oh
Kimberley or Ladysmith. would quickly Danlsh
this feeling. That all is not right is the crlti-
cism which Is heard even among the govern
ment's stanchest supporters. and. while await
ing such victory, for by mere force or numbers
n seems that Il must come the feeling OF unrest
is bound to increase. while the anxiety exhibited
In well informed quarters that previously spoke
enthusiastically of Cape loyalty, but now regret
fully admit widespread colonial disaffection, Is
not likely to be allayed. 1t appears that the
British forward movement is retarded more by
the political conditions prevailing in the terri
tory through which the lines OF communications
pass than by the Beers. who hang like bulldogs
on the advanced tanks. Military critics during
the last week have frequently observed that II
It is necessary to preserve the lines OF communi-
cations with such large forces when operating
In British territory. how much harder IL Will be
to do so when the head columns have entered
an avowedly hostile country That Ladysmith
will be relieved and shortly is now taken as
matter Of course. though in the same breath It
- daOicf an
gagements must be fought before this is accom-
plsed
THE MOBILE BOER ARMIES.
Nothing has been more prominently brought
out during the two months OF the war than the
fact that the Beers never attack. as General
Garcia said last year of the Cubans With their
wonderful mobility. the Beers are enabled 10
take IN one after another, carefully selected
positions, in every instance Turing the British
generals TO attack them. and retiring, after In
nicting severe loss. to other positions equally
good and, apparently previously prepared IL
such tactics continue. II seems possible that the
relieving force will reach Ladysmith so crippled
that an advance into the Transvaal Will be I'M
possible in the near future. In fact the most
optimistic see no chance OF the British forces
making serious Roadway upon aggressive
campaign for two or three months, while numbers
who confidently prophesied that General Butler
would eat his Christmas dinner In Pretoria are
trying to find excuses in the slowness Of the
transports, the incapability Of the War Office or
other palliations.
Mr.. Chamberlain shows no signs OF repentance
or desire to recant his Leicester speech. When
asked by a representative OF The Associated
Press about his speech. he replied:
al ha,.. Ia
said"
In the mean while. Lord Salisbury has re-
Trained from making any public utterance to
offset his Colonial Secretary's remarks. AS was
said at the time Mr.. Chamberlain spoke with
out the authorization Of his chief and much to
his chagrin. yet it would be a gross breach OF
etiquette for the Foreign Office to issue formal
denial of Mr. Chamberlain statements. How
ever, frequent articles appear. apparently in
spred in papers which warmly supported Mr..
Chamberlain's war policy. denOuncing his Lei
cester speech. both for its alliance and anti
French components. The Saturday Review"
speaking on evident authority. says:
1t is possible that a certain situation might
arise in regard to China when England, Ger
many and America, having common, well
defined object in view, might conclude written
treaty OF combination, but such event, in cur
opinion is still far Off
All the English authorities agree in surmlslng
that President McKinley's reference to no en-
tanging alliances was slipped in as a result
of Mr.. Chamberlain's remarks The Message it.
self is regarded by the weeklies as non commit
tai THE Speaker describes 1t as IAN admir-
able instance Of the art of saying nothing by
alIocuting a great deal" The Saturday Re-
view" echoes this. drawing attention to the
/ dc In alln un A
lean friendship for Russia to secure for America
| contracts on the Siberian Railroad.
THE FRENCH PREMIER's THRUST
Premier Waldeck- Rousseaus action in in
structing the Paris news vendors that the sale
| Of German as we'll as French caricatures of
| the Queen will render them liable to prosecution
! is a finely ironical reply to British criticism Of
the French press. While Mr. Chamberlain was
denouncing France for vilifying the Queen and
protesting friendship for Germany he over
looked the fact that caricatures almost equally
offensive to the British are appearing in Ger
many especially in the "Kladderadatsch. AS
a correspondent Of "The Times" points out. this
sheet is Of far more standing than the offending
French journals and perpetrated at the mo-
ment Emperor William was visiting his grand
mother an obnoxious caricature. yet no steps
were taken I'D suppress W. 'ioubH Ho'iiiah N"ii-
troll OF the press is much firmer than the French
The same correspondent adds that illustrated
postcards bearing insulting pictures OF the
Queen are in frequent use In Germany, passing
! through the mails untouched.
representative Of The Associated Press has
discovered the whereabouts OF Montagu White
the former Boer agent here. who. after spend
ing the recent weeks with DR.. Leyds, at Brus-
sells has returned to his home in England
where he Is living quietly While he has nc
official connection with the Transvaal. Mr.
White keeps In touch with those who sympa
thize with the Beers. He has been invited &c
lecture in the United States, but has declined
Mr.. White intends to return to johannesburg
where he has much property, when the war Is