The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-12-13
AN EYE ON RUSSIA
Her Activity Increases With British
Ravsrsea

New York, Deo ia dispatch to the
Tribune from London says: The Mail
publishes this morning the evidence Of
Russian activity at Ceuta and Tangier,
and in Central Asia and Abyssinia. and
urges its readers to watch the movements
of Russia, France and probably another
II! & sIlt u ally u! SHeL reverse ~
the BRUSH troops IN South A1r1ca-
There are current rumOrS in high cir
GII eS tnaL LORD salisbury, SIR Mlchael
HlchS-Beach and other members OF the
cabinet are now angry with Mr.. Cham
berlain Tor not warning them Of the mag
ment- They can not justly hold him re
sponsible, when the ministry as a body
IeIl INTO a )utch anbuscade, as Vel as
the war office Whatever may be the
grievances of the military staff or of Mr..
Chamberlain own colleagues, the min
istry now has the united country behind
end. The Stormberg reverse causes in
tense humiliation but there are no signs
land has Undertaken.
The Dutch forces have not followed up
their victories at StOTmberg by attack
ing General Gatacre at NIoltenO and the
British reverse has not interrupted
trench'S cautious advance toward Coles
on Monday General CSatScreSs second re-
port of his disastrous battle is badly writ
IF horizons of Tvvo baffa1iO1s 16sdIved
The unfortunate general has no sense of
humOr, or he would have avoided saying
that the policemen took the British army
round some miles and landed it in an
impossible position" and that he had sent
the Irish Rifles and the Fighting Fifth
to SterkstroOm to recuperate. Pretoria
certainly is not an ideal cOnvalescent's
home. While he admits that distance was
underestimated, he acquits his guides of
Intentional error and thereby of deliber-
ate treachery- While the report is not
clear. it is evident from the beIated des-
patches that, after finding himself com
pletely entrapDed he COLLECTED his force
and had a. running fight from ridge to
ridge for nine miles in the retreat losing
two gums and that the excellent handiina
OF the field battery alone enabled the
main body to escape.
The fusiliers and the Irish rifles were
probably captured in small groups at diff
ferent points, and many of them were I'M
able to join their column when the re-
men from the fusiliers is increased by
sixty in General Gaia cre's report.
President Steyn accounts for 4SS prison.
ers in one dispatch and 672 in another.
Seldom have Englis hmen had q more
fanny never one that was told 50 badly
by the British general It remains true.
- IletI " Inc Inc esedtelCIe was uHICrluLeLe IN
know the first turning on the right he
ed ana arIlIlery forces to attack by night
Il a.. he were to have any hope of success;
that the British stan was unprepared for
the campaign and was very slow in send
ing out cavalry and artillery. Gatacre is |
Dutch allies The war office was taken
by surprise when the war opened and un-
suspected strength of the Dutch republics
in Krupp and Creusot artillery and in
fighting force was disclosed. It has been
an open secret that the military STAFF
has condemned Mr.. Chamberlain for al
lowing the war to come on before it was
ready. 1t is a fact not generally known
that Lord WOISelev urged Lord TaDs-
but that the ca binet overruIed the sug-
gestion. The military star is likely to
be sharply criticised for its conduct Of
the war when parliament meets but it
was the ministry that failed to look
ahead and prepare for the campaign in
good time, instead of allowing the grass
to grow on the veldt for the Dutch ponies. /
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