The evening times., 1899-11-20


LONDON, Nov Americans old enough
to remember the dark days of 1861 to 1865
and the excitement displayed by all classes
OF the community over news from the
front, can realize what is happening in
London at the present writing 1t is i'm
possible for an American resident in Lon
don not to take lively interest in the wal
news now forming almost the sole topic
of conversation in all circles of society
1t is an interesting war in many ways, in
teresting from the complications which led
up to it, from the vast interests involved.
and from the undoubted bravery and de-
| termination displayed by both parties to
| the strife. In the clubs men have forgot
ten for the nonce their shooting. their polo,
| their golfing, even their whist, and their
| 1irtations; war is the sensation, nothing
| but war.
! At gatherings CT society women mutter-
! ings Of sympathy, accompanied by tears in
! the voice, are heard for those whose dear
| ones are moaning upon hospital cots, or
| lying stark and stiff upon the battlefield.
! Middle-clas society talks Of nothing else;
| clerks, bus drivers. artisans cabbies, even
| tramps discuss the situation, and scan the
J bulletin boards with eagerness born OF IN
| terest patriotism, and emotion, for there
are few who have not a relation or friend
either at the front, CT now en- route to the
! scene of action.
At the music halls the strains OF Rule
| Britannia" and Soldiers of the Queen
bring audiences to their feet, inspire the
ever ready British chorus. and arouse In
| every instance the widest enthusiasm. Ev-
| cry war map displayed by enterprising
publishers and booksellers is daily sur
| rounded by eager. gaping throngs of anx-
ous observers who discuss the various po-
| sitions of the opposing forces. and the lat
! est battles with intelligence and force AT
| the war Office scenes are daily enacted
which would draw tears from the most
! hardened eyes-wives weeping for their
| heroes. fathers mothers, sisters. brothers,
| sweethearts-all in fear and trembling. de-
vouring with nervous eyes the latest llsts
Of killed. wounded. and missing, hoping
against hope that there may be some mis-
take. and that the loved name has been
| substituted fer another, or that the dear
| one NAV only be wounded, not dead.
| IL is impossible not to admire the calm
| ness and impurterbability with which the
| citizens of London receive the news o.
uudoubted reverses. Continental hotheads
| would have shrieked for the removal or
| decapitation of someone; not so these
s,aIwart Engiishers; they simply set their
| teeth. brace their shoulders and oner
| their services TO the Government. Such
people may be beaten, but never sub
| 'dued.
There comes time in the history of all
| nations when resort to arms appears 10
| be the only alternative when the vital
| question of supremacy Is in dispute, par
ticularly when there is racial hatred or
! prejudice upon both sides, and when upon
one hand there is determination to con-
| quer or 10 die, and upon the other the
| consciousness of superior right and abfl-
| ity to govern. When the Beers brought
| matters TO a climax. and committed an act
| OF war the British authorities. hoping
| against hope, that a peaceful settlement
| of the questions in dispute might be ar
| rived at and somewhat undertaking their
valiant. willy. and well-prepared foe, dill
| ly-dallied to such an extent that totally
| inadequate force was present in South
| Africa TO meet the initial onslaught.
There will be reverses at first as usual,
remarked comfortable old colonels. who
display the bald spots on the back OF their
heads behind club windows to the passers-
by in Piccadiily. and reverses have come
sure enough: in fact. at the present writ
ing the ignorant Beers are masters of
the situation.
Now that General Buller-sgnificant
name which recruit of 50 would have un-
doubtedly hailed with Bully for you"-is
on the ground. and that anxiouAy looked
for army corps is nearing the shores OF
Africa all this may be changed. but the end
is not yet.
With every sympathy toward the British
cause, and the rights of the sorely tried
Uitlanders. and with little admiration for
7
much fear it will take all General Buffers
ability, and perhaps more than the force at
his command. to bring Kruger and his
burghers 10 satisfactory tetrms. Upon the
British side. if We except the clever work
done by Col. Baden Powell. and by the
naval brigade. the successes. not to mention
reverses. have not been such as to inspire
an outsider with special confidence in the
ability of their leaders.
Ii is easy TO criticise of course. partic::-
larly at a distance: but in so doing one is
only following the brilliant example set
before us during our little unpleasantnass
with our Southern brothers by our Anglo
Saxon cousins During the early years of
that irrepressible conflict, and in a more
modified degree up to the close. they were
by 70 msans blate-as the Scotch have it
at ridiculing our commanders, sneering at
our "mobs" and lavishiIg all their en-
couragement and affection upon our dear
old friends. the Johnnies. marks of approval
for which, judging from the editorials pub
lished by that valiant people at the time, |
they were by no means grateful.
II the doctriraires-and there are few |
at headquarters-are right in their favorite |
dictum that an undisciplined mob. such as
We have been taught to believe the Beers
to be- are no match for educated officers
and disciplined troops, the 12008 men origi- |
nally at the disposal of General White
ought to have had no difficulty in crush |
ing Kruger's cohorts.
Judging from results. II looks as IL the
trained officers. at all events, are not in ii |
with the cunning and cleverness of
Ioubert and Kronje. Regulation military |
men are seldom willing to acknowledge the |
truth of a fact which has been demon |
strated more than once to the discontinue |
even of the British army. namely. that one |
natural-born soldier in command of well |
armed and expert marksmen who know
their country and have their cause at heart, |
is match, II not more than a match for |
the best commander that civilization can
produce. discipline or no discipline
The British military authorities are so |
welded to etiquette. red-tape, and tradi- |
tion, that they too frequently sacrifice ex-
pedisncy to favoritism or seniority, and
place generals in command who may have
distinguished themselves in other lines Of