The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-12-19
munications are cut.

LONDON, Dec. 70, 4:30 a m.-The War
Office has been in communication with
General Sir Lockhart, commandments
in India, with view Of ascertaining what
troops can be spared from his forces. and
il is understood that as a result Of these
inquiries a force will almost Immediately
leave Bombay for Durham. including four
regiments of seasoned troops, with an am
munition column and brigade Of artillery.
including horse and field batteries 1t Ia
hoped that this force will reinforce Gen.
Butler within a month
The Duke of Connaught visited the War
Office yesterday. Since the appointment OF
Lord Roberts as commander-in-chief in
South Africa. the question of rank no
longer bars the Duke from going TO the
front, and, as he has a strong desire to
go. it is believed that only the Queens
reluctance stands in the way. 1t is not un-
likely that this will be overcome.
Lord Chesham, commanding oficer Of
the Royal Buckinghamshire Yeomanry.
has been authorized to organize force
of 5000 yeomanry. VINO will proceed TO the
Cane. The yeomanry forces sent out viii
be drafted so as to work together with the
mounted infantry and mounted militia
from Canada and Australia 1t Is UNDER
stood that the volunteers selected will not
form a separate corps, but will join their
linked battalions of the regular forces In
South Africa.
Throughout the country volunteers are
responding with the utmost alacrity 10
the official notices. Lord Lonsdale says he
believes the government will only accept
from twenty to fifty men from each yeo-
manry regiment It is asserted that manv
officers of the volunteer regiments are Of
fering to go as troopers II not accepted as
officers.
ROBERTS PREPARING TO SAIL.
General Lord Roberts and his staff win
sail for South Africa on the Dunottar Cas-
tie on Saturday A coincidence I'm connec-
ton with his lordship's appointment at
the present juncture is the circumstances
that he was similarly appointed command
er-in-chief after the British defeat at Ma
juba Hill. On this occasion, however. IL
IS not likely that he will reach South Af-
rica to find peace patched up between his
sailing and arrival.
'.Bobs" as Lord Roberts Is Familiarity
known, is a name TO conjure with i'm Great
Britain, and that Lord Roberts and Lord
Kitchener are considered the right men TO
retrieve the disastrous s. -uation In South
Africa is amply evidenced by the more
CHEEKY tone lof all the war discussion. In
spite of the attempts OF the authorities 10
gloss over the suppression OF General Bull
Ter, the fact remains that the new appoint-
ments cannot be regarded otherwise than
as a penalty .or his failure. A semi-ofiicial
communication says: ''The disposition 20
regard the change as a reflection on Gen.
Butler is entirely erroneous AS the forces
in South Africa increase officers OF higher
rank are, naturally. appointed TO the SUI
preme command" The communication then
instances the successive steps from Gen
Symons 10 Generals White and Butler and
now to General Roberts. In spite OF the
plausibility OF the argument. every one
recognizes that IL is not the whole truth.
The friends of General Butler see I'm the
headlong plunge OF the Cabinet a suspicious
panic and they picture hasty conclaves and
the ministers with blanched faces tele-
graphing TO Roberts and Kitchener TO
come and save the empire. While perhaps
these are overdrawn. there Is no denying
that the prodigious exertion which the
government considers necessary 10 crush
the two little republics shows that even
sedate Lord Salisbury sees the extreme
gravity OF the present aspect OF affairs.
Probably the ministers remembered the
peril which the public seems 10 have for
gotten. OF possible rising OF the Kafnra