The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1899-11-08
The British Disaster,

The early reports of decisive British
victories at Glencoe, Dundee and
Elandslaagte had dwindled to the van
ishing point. Later information dis
closed the fact that the British forces
had retreated with great expedition to
Ladysmith, the Beers remaining in
possession of the contested regions and
closing in on Ladysmith from three d.
rections, with superior forces. Then
came-from British sources-reports of
successful encounters with the Beers
and the disabling of the artillery they
had trained on the English position.
All these accounts of adversely to
the forces of the two republics were
received with the allowance that cir
cumstances and experience had taught
the public to make, when incredulity
was justified by authentic reports of
disaster to British arms 80 serious it
may well have caused "stupefaction in
military circles" in the British capital.
Laing's Mex and Majuba Hill of 1881
seem to have been combined in one
and multiplied many fold in the dis
aster which overwhelmed the column
Gen. White had sent out from his left
wing to discover the position of his
enemy. The column found the Beers,
and the latter found the British. A
strong accommodating British force was
surrounded, within the environs Of the
British fortified position, cut to pieces
and what remained after the bloody ac-
ton was compelled to surrender. The
British commander appears to have
been outgeneralled by Gen. Joubert
who laid snare for his antagonist and
in it were entrapped force of some
1000 British soldiers and several guns,
constituting about one-ffth of the mill
tary strength at Ladysmith.
The reverse had an immediate effect
in depressing stocks in the London ex-
change. The press comments are in a
varied strain, there are the usual
charges of laundering that follow a
great military disaster, but English
resolution rises to the occasion and
brings to white heat the determine
ton to carry through to the bitter end
the ill-starred enterprise in which the
government has embarked. Sir Redvers
Butler, the English general-in-chief
has arrived at Cape Town. But he
cannot end the war without an army
and the forces needed to oppose the
Beers successfully are either on the
sea or have not yet embarked from
England.
Desperate energy will be put into the
work of sending re-enforcements to al
parts of South Africa. The disaster al
Ladysmth is not simply the defeat ant
capture of large military force; it il
an encouragement to Dutch sympathiz
ers throughout all South Africa; it il
an invitation to the natives to ris,
against the British; it is stagge rims
blow at English military prestige and {
source OF elatiOn to the Beers, an evi
uehce Oh aDlilly IN generalshlp ant
proves 10 battle that sustaius al thei
traditions.
The sorrowing feature Of this whole
wretched business ia that the bes
blood OF Englandiis spilled in 80 bad
cause, and that the valor, heroism anC
infinite sacrifices of the men who ar
defending their independence must
so far as mortal sight can discern-be il
vain. If the Beers resources were il
proportion to their martial spirit an
their deserts they would triumph. Blu
the days OF miracles are past. If thi
David shall slay the Goliah of the na
tons the instrumentalities are not ye
apparent to mortal men.