Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-12-22


the B0er nation, check for even few
days the empire on which the sun
never SETS
-
New York, Dec. PA dispatch TO the
Tribune from Lyndon says A cold
lit OF susplciousnq IS and depression has
followed the hot tit Of patriotic ardor
with which the country met the min
istry's call 10 arms The embargo upon
news from the II ont leaves the news
papers under pressure for filling their
columns with crpaklng criticism, ex-
plantations OF del eat, structures upon
official shortcomn IS and general pess-
imism.
The Daily Mall and other journals
by opening their columns TO popular
discussion OF the methods OF conduct
ing the war are Enabling all sorts and
conditions Of d spirited Brltons to
grumble aloud al d sniff at the numer-
Gus Jonahs who ought TO be thrown
overheard Amat eur strategists are add
yising the with drawal Of Methuen's
force from Mod der River, the aban-
donment Of the ! imberley garrison to a
hopeless struggle against starvation.
ard even so desperate an expedient as
an attempt by White TO cut his way
south with the bayonet since The Boer
line OF lntrenchnlents Is too strong TO
be attacked agaiil IN front. The croak-
ers are finding "a ult with every branch
OF the fighting service and are join
ing In frantic hunt after scapegoat
More dismal aid disheartening read
Ing could hardly be invented by Dr..
Leyds' press bupaau for the discourage
ment OF recruiting than the English
press, with a few notable exceptions,
Is supplying al a critical time, when
the nation itself Is pulsatlng with patri-
otism. when thu militia battali0ns are
volunteering for foreign service and the
regervists are rallying TO their colors,
and when new Imperial forces are being
organized from the yeomanry, cavalry,
cross country riders and citizen SOL
diers.
one effect Of this doleful reading may
be salutary. There may be a relaxa-
ton Of the pre- So censorship. In order
10 give the newspapers employment
less harmful than waillug and gnash-
ing OF teeth. Rigorous as that censor
ship has been, It has not prevented the
publication Of reports that Ladysmith
was short OF ammunition, while II has
cut off daily news from the armies that
would have interested the public with
out beneftlng the enemy IL has rem
dered descriptions Of the chief battles
OF the war urintellglble. Buffers bat
tie remains d mystery a week after II
was fought, with a maze Of contradic-
tlons respecting the various features OF
the engagement and futile surmises
regarding the responsibility for the loss
OF the guns.
Englishmen has been denied one OF the
most precious consultations for defeat
that of reading detailed accounts OF the
gallantry of their soldiers. and have
been surfeitad with congratulations up
on the superior mobility Of the Boer
burghers and their complete success in
concealing their positions, so that a
frontal attack across exposed ground
was doomed TO failure whenever an or
der was received for an advance.
The opinion among military experts
has become general that both Butler
and Methuen have been tied TO the rail-
way by failure Of other methods Of
transportation by mule train and wag-
ons. and they have been unable on this
account to attempt a turning move
ment and compelled to attack In front
precisely where the invisible enemy was
prepared to meet them.
Gatacre and French being forced TO
fan back are incapable Of keeping un-
der restraint the disaffected Dutch
who are rapidly drifting into open re-
bellion and are only held back by the
influence of Premier Schreiner and Mr.
Hofmeyer. The army corps has not
accomplished any practical result ana
the four sections Of II are now blocked
by the enemy in front This Is the
situation which the pessimists consider
disheartening although they hope that
the fifth and sixth divisions VIII ar
rive in time for the relief OF both Lady
smith and Kimberley. =.
General Roberts has chosen as stan
officers men who have been recon-
mended to him by Lord Wolseley and
the Duke OF Cambridge rather than the
men associated with him In india.
General Prettyman was with him dur
ing the Afghan war, and was an ef-
ficient STAFF officer during the march
from Cabul TO Candahar Niscount
Downe has been the close friend of the
Duke Of Connaught and the Duke OF
Cambridge Lord Settrington has been
with Lord Roberts in Ireland and Is
heir after his father TO the Duke OF
Richmond. The stan does not repre-
sent In any marked degree what is
known as the Roberts school In In
dian fighting. One or two appoint
ments are understood TO have been
recommended by Gen. Kitchener, who
knows the details Of every branch Of
the service.
Chicago. Dec "a special to the
Record from Washington says:
President Krugers government has
formally protested to Secretary Hay
against the sale Of munitions OF war
10 ..ia d nd