Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1899-10-29
Ccopyrlght. Assoclatea Press.l

Copyright. Associat ted Press.)
LONDON, October 2S.-The South
African war has now been in progress
nearly three weeks, and so far the
British arms have been consistently
crowned with momentary successes,
though at a cost which verifies Presi-
dent Kruger's prediction chat the con-
f1ict would stagger humanity but,
though victory has fallen to Great
Britain whenever and wherever the is
sues were Of paramount Importance,
Gen. Whites position to-day is scarce
ly more reassuring than at the out
break of the war So far he has only
shown his ability to outwit by strategy
the Beers strategy. This meets with
high praise from the British military
critics. Now he appears to have
reached the limit of this game of war,
by which he was able to prevent the
massing of the Boer columns, and must
either meet the enemy's combined
forces or retreat Many people think
Gen. White should rest content with
the successes so far achieved and fall
back on Colense pointing out that he
appears to be fully able to move his
forces quickly and without deteriora-
ton. 1t is scarcely probable that he
will follow this course, preferring
rather to hold IIadysmith, though
against much superior numbers, until
reinforced. 1t is the feeling that the
general intends to follow the latter
course that creates uneasiness, for vic
tories over Boer units are not believed
to indicate that the same result can be
achieved over the Beers when massed.
Compared with this impending move
ment about Ladysmith, the fate of KIM
berley and Mafeking, and the progress
of the other independent operations are
almost insignificant. The rapidity of
the Boer advance and the tenacity of
the endeavors of their columns to con-
centrate on Gen. White have proved
clearly that the Beers plans were ma
ture6 long before hostilities displaced
negotiations, and though they may be
unable to stand before the brilliant
charges of the British troops or serve
their artillery with the skill of their
opponents, that they are mobile force
and operate tremendously under a care
fully prepared plan of campaign.
No one seems to have the faintest
idea of what conditions will confront
the British army corps upon its ar
rival in South Africa. Will it be en-
avenging force whose duty will be to
wipe out the defeat of Gen. White and
the capture of Mafeking and Kimber-
ley, or will it simply be walk-over
into Pretoria, dispensing Boer bands
disintegrated by the strain of a long
campaign and discouraged by constant
reverses?
These questions are uppermost in the
minds of all connected with the war
Office. By November 4 the last troop
ship should have sailed, but the army
corps will scarcely take the field until
the end of December. There is lull
in the departure of the troops forming
the army corps, owing, the admiralty
officials say, to the troops not being
ready.
The embarkation of q 900 men, 1000
horese and seven batteries Of artillery,
with the wagons and equipment, be-
tween October 20 and "a is pointed to
as being a splendid feat upon the part
of the admiralty, not forgetting, how
ever, to also give credit TO the army
for having the men ready at the dock.
Lieutenant Commander Colwell, the
United States naval attache here, who
closely watched the embarkati9n of the
troops at Southampton, said to a rep
resentative Of the Associated Press:
at was splendid sight. Everything
was done in good order. On each trans
port a naval lieutenant was in com
mand and On the dock a naval officer
supervised the whole The army officers
had their men lined up and a staff SER
geant passed along the ranks, chop
ping IS men off at atima, thus forming
messes. Marching on board they found
Il. 4 4.