The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1899-11-05

. Ia Natal unless We made a vigorou.
: stand there.
Natal has risked her little all on be.
half Of the empire, and the least we car
do is to risk something ourselves and &c
prevent the overrunning Of her pros
porous towns and rich fields by hordes
OF the enemy. Purely military consid-
era:ions, I admit, might point to the
fact that We ought to have Immediately
withdrawn from our advanced position,
but purely military considerations have
sometimes to be subordinated to the
interests Of the empire and. although
many good lives have been lost in the
cause, they have not been wasted"
Dessrters from both the army and
navy continue to give themselves up
in order to be returaed to their regi-
ments and ships for active service.
Several small detachments of county
yeomanry are going out independent OF
Ehe war Office. to the seat of war, on
the chances of joining the Light Horse.
Lord Lonsdale and Lord Harris, both
yeomanry officers are aiding the move
ment.
The heavy losses among the British
officers in Natal have led the Military
Journal to suggest that the sword be
abolished not only on account of its
uselessness but also because its glitter
ing attracts the aim Of the enemy and
indicates the officer.
Her majesty. it is reported. has per-
sonally conveyed to Field Marshal Lord
WOrseley an expression of her gratlfi-
cation at the manner in which the
whole military machine has worked
since it was first set in motion by the |
Boer ultimatum, especially in the mat
ter OF mobilization. Apparently the
queen has not forgotten the existence of
the commander in chief-a lapse Of
memory to which the public Is now
rather prone and which, so It is said.
the Marquis Of Lansdowne committed |
Although agreeing that
the mobilization, 50 far as it has been
carried, is well done, the foreign mill
tary attaches are anxious to see the ef-
feet Of a more severe test. Said one
Of them to the correspondent Of the As
sociated Press today:
When England calls out second and
third army corps as believe is quite
possible, It will be time enough to say
whether the mobilization system is ex-
eellent as at present seems to be the
case"
Although no orders have yet been re-
ceived for the commissioning Of addi-
tional warships there is little doubt
Judging from the activity on board
them that the frst-class cruisers Am
phitrite, Argonaut and Blakes and Sec
ond class protected cruiser Charbyds
will soon hoist the flag. In addition to
these, there is now at Chatham a pow
erfal reserve feet, consisting Of two !
battleshiDs, three first-class cruisers. six
torpedo boat desuoyers and seven tor !
pcdo boats, 8
The efforts Of his constituents to In +
duce DR.. G. B. Clark, liberal member t
Of parliament for Caithnesshire, to re- ,
sign on account Of his pro-Boer attitude il
have thus far been frutless. Meanwhile
Mr.. Clark publishes letters received
from the Transvaal secretary Of state
written the day the Boer ultlnatum ,
was presented, in the course of which +
Mr. Reitz says that Dr. CIsrks protests Il
against the British action has been like .
the voice Of one crying in a wilderness
IF Jingoism, race hatred and mIIitar. I
sm."
Lord Hillingdon Of the banking house +
q Glyn, Mills & Co., in a recent address q,
'efore the institute Of bankers said E
hat the increased Transvaal gold out. p
'ut for the year ended August II Il
mounted to more than a8,OOO,Ooo. He ;,
aid he believed the worlds gold pro. c
uction during the present year would "
e nearly thrice as great as It was ten fC
ears ago. Referring to the enormous ie
roportion Of the gold fields Of the world h,
oW under British control, he congrat- m