The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-10-28
GENERAL BUTLER
Is Supreme in the
Campaign.
Man Who Demanded sixty Thou
sand TyoOps apd May Curths
Wires Behind ~ m.

LONDON. Oct 14.-war. so often
predicted in these dispatches As being
the inevitable climax TO hopeless
things. has come at last and is now in
full swing for the subsection OF the lit
tie republic whose whole military sun
sets and rises at Majuba hill. Great
Britain has set going machinery more
powerful than that which crushed Ma
poleon and twice as strong as that
which gave her Egypt and the Soudan.
General Sir Redvers Butler has gone,
and already the Boer bullets have
sung a song OF desperate defiance.
That the next few weeks will be
marked by sharp fighting can be taken
for granted. That the result will prob
ably be for a time not too favorable to-
the British is also to- he admitted. The
main question is how long are HOSTILE
ties 10 last. The ultimate English vic
tory is almost assured by virtue OF
overwhelming strength.
A forecast of the length and nature
of the campaign should not be ven
tured without knowledge OF an extra
ordinary circumstance communicated
on most reliable authority, though
hitherto not printed in England, name
ly that General Butler has gone To
take entire control of the South African
situation. He will be as absolute as
was Wellington. and less hampered
than was Kitchener. Therefore. not
only the conduct OF the war lies in his
discretion. but also virtually the future
of all South Africa, and no prognosti-
cations are of value without first TAX
ing into consideration his personal
character for obstinacy and frankness.
traits responsible for the position he
has attained.
Two months ago the Secretary of
State for War, the Marquis OF Lans-
downe. offered Butler command of the
projected army corps. Sir Redvers
gave a point-blank refusal unless the
War Office would guarantee him be-
tween 10000 and 10000 men. He is
quoted as having said on that occa-
sion: Il shall not be handed down in
history as another Sir George Colley.
The reference was, of course. to the
defeat at Majuba Hill. He also said
that if he were to go il must be on the
distinct understanding that he could
select his own stan. and would be en-
tirely uninterfered with by the War
Office. His request regarding the stan.
it is said. was prompted by his suspi-
cion that Lord Wolseley would at
tempt to pay off old scores by foisting
upon him staff officers antagonistic to
him. Lord Lansdowne demurred, but
the stronger man prevailed. and Butler.
having gained all the points he covet-
ed, accepted the supreme command.
Prior to Lord Lansdowne's assent.
General Butler freely expressed the
| opinion that when he had driven the
Beers into a corner. his hand might be
| STAYED by n peace-loving public or a
| well-intentioned War Ofiice-a condi-
| ton of things he could not tolerate
for. as he expressed it, his hand was
| mot one of those that once put to the
pillow releases its grip
| 1t appears that both the Queen and
the Cabinet practically acquiesced In
his demand. although. of course. retain
ing a nominal control. scarcely worth
the name. Butler is pretty certain &C
cut the wires behind him and TO be ou
of touch with London at critical mo-
ments. for fear the Cabinet nigh
change its mind.
1t is this man. then. who some OF hi:
own officers do not hesitate TO call
brute, however much they admire hi,
determination. who holds the destin!
of the Transvaal and the Orange Free
State in his hanu. He knows the Boer
and he hates them. He has cam
paigned over the whole present battle
ground and is, above all, 4 soldier from
head TO foot. AS soon as he reaChe
South Africa he will inaugurate cam
paign OF aggressiveness such as tn
world has seldom seen. but which h
| | hal irs Lilo hy- yirtttn ~ his
superior force. The sternest measure
will not be too stern for him. and unit
the last vestige of Dutch power, wheth
er in the Transvaal, the Orange Ere
State or Cape Colony is swept out. h
will not stay his hand. The idea is We
| illustrated by Sir John TennieIs cal
toon in this weeks Punch. represent
ing John Bull saying. "As you wi
fight, you shall have 1t this time. IL
fight to the finish
General Buffers mission is nearly /
keeping with the spirit of the Colonis
Office Rightly or wrongly, believin
war TO be the only possible method {
solving the Transvaal trouble. thoS
officials have made no attempt TO COZ
zeal their satisfaction at receiving ii
ultimatum from President kruege
thus enabling them to place the ont
or the war on the Beers ne on
thing that surprises an impartial ol
server is that the Transvaal Presidel
did not adopt this course before En-
lands re-enforcements arrived. II
only explanation of his failure to do :
:. lies in the report that he overestimat'
. the strength of the British peace part
Once General Butler gets to work.
is believed here, the Beers will of
little organized resistance. Somethil
} depends, of course. upon the succe
they may achieve in the interim, b
\ the life insurance companies are on
J asking an extra premium OF pence
war risk; in other words. placing q
odds at 20 to l. This does not apply
South African irregulars, fighting ST
by side with the regulars, but IL Is 81
that the Beers will show them no qua
ter. This, il is hard to believe, VIII
it is recalled with what unusual h
81. II