The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-11-05

A<o&o WV
Copyright, 1899. by the Associated Press.)
London, Nov. 4.-Though the events
of the week have aroused the spirit of
the British nation to the utmost, and
though its military escutcheon has been
more stained than it ever was before.
there seems to be ahead still more
crucial ordeal-that of suspense. Days,
perhaps weeks, may pass before word
comes from the isolated British force
in the neck Of Natal, and the long wait
will strain, as does a death bed watch,
eagernesS to learn how the day went
with the beleagured, with overpower-
ing dread that they have Jared the fate
of those that fell at Nicholson's Mex
Whatever may be the justice or
otherwise of the criticisms passed on
General White, it is palpalble that he no
longer possesses the confidence of the
public He may be fully able to with
stand the attacks OF the superior Boer
force, and may be ready at any mo-
ment to execute a mastery retreat, but
as long as he is cut off from commune
cation with the outside world, there
Will exist terrible anxiety regarding the
welfare of the 1000 or 5000 men of his
command.
Int 1iOSl OlJlI1liSllC OCllcfc liidl q
fortnight is the minimum in which re-
Inducements of any potentiality can be
pushed to LadySmfth, and then ii may
be too late. 1t is this interim, enbit-
tered by the vivid memory of recent
disaster, which will try the temper of
the British nation. which, as a whole,
can be said to have embarked in the
war with stupendous over confidence,
and which has now awakened to the
realization of the fact that if General
Whites force is annihilated, it will
cause an indefinite prolongation of hos
tilities, though it is said here, of course,
il can only defer. and not alter the re-
suit. and the British taxpayer, however
patriotic, objects to a long -drawn-out
war, especially when waged against a
people whom he has been brought to
believe immensely his inferior.
White May Hold Out.
AS a matter of fact, granting Gen.
eral White possesses the qualities of
fair generalship, there are many rea-
sons to believe he will be able TO hold
out until reinforced, even if completely
surrounded. 1t is presumed he has
employed the past week in strengthen
ing his position with earthworks and
trenches which, when manned by such
fighters as the Gordons and Irish fusi-
leers, cannot be taken without a ter
rible struggle.
his dI llntlS mas llON Dtcll
by the naval brigade. and even if lit is
not a match for that of the Beers,
should be able to keep the enemy from
coming to close quarters. He has an
abundance of stores and, apparently,
has been favored by good weather
Combining these advantages with the
military truism that the opportunity to
select your own position is half the
battle won, il is said there remains TO
General White fairly even chances of
holding his own. in spite of the report
that he is outnumbered two, or even
three to one
The weeklies exhibit no little self
satisfaction at the British patriotism
and stoicism as evidenced by the re-
ception of the news of the LadySmith
disaster. The utterances of public men
fully justify this feeling. and the same
IAN be said of the majority of the more
serious published comments.
Bitter Abuse of White.
But, beneath this splendid stoicism.
there has prevailed in all classes a
feeling Of intense clagrin and amaze
ment. such as has not stirred Great
Britain IN a century, and it has fire.
quently been coupled with the bitterest
abuse of General White, the man held
responsible for the unparalleled surren-
der of such a British force to such an
enemy The only redeeming feature of
the weeks operations, in the opinion
of the majority, is the work of the
naval brigade.
The difficulties which must have been
encountered in getting the guns over
the country. and even when at Lady
smith in getting them properly mount
ed, can we'll be Imagined, while the re-
sources employed can be gagged by the
fact that the carriages were construct
ed at wheelwright's yard at Durham
by naval artificerS.
These guns from the British cruiser
Powerful have 2,20e feet initial velocity,
while that of the army guns at Lady
smith is only 1890 and of nearly two
miles less range. The dramatic and op-
perfume arrival of these guns has
caused the nayy's praises TO be loudly
sung. These are coupled with admir-
alton for General Whites generous ac-
knowledgment of the help from the
other arm.
Stories of Correspondents.
1t is amusing TO note how often the
British correspondents report the
Beers guns knocked out of action, while
the next day the same guns are report
ed to be peppering away nerrily. This
is commented upon by the weeklies and
merely eXemplifieS what was found to
be the case during the frequent bonn
bardments of admiral SIMPSONS fleet,
namely, that it is impossible TO ascer-
tain the exact effect of heavy fire
against batteries, and equally hard to
hit the guns themselves, though the
shots may go so close that they are
covered with earth and their gunners
killed.
The British army corps will not COM
mence arriving at Cape Town until
Nov. s. and will scarcely be able to take
the field until the middle of Deem |
Der. though ii is likely that units will |
be busily engaged before then It is |
reported that General .Hildyard's brj-
Sade will be moved on Natal without
delay, probably by the end of this |
week.
The war office is still ignorant as to |
which column General Butler will per-
sonaltv take. The developments at |
Mafekins and Kimberley it is believed. |
will probably have much weight in |
prompting his decision. 1t is now
to hold out though the war office thinks |
that. after the r-lief of General White |
II is next most important to relieve |
Kimberley.
The War In Politics.
British politics continue TO consist of |
lengthy arguments concerning the right |
and wrong of the war, and the contro-
verSy has not been assuagei by the
lists OF killed and wounded and the
reports of victories and defeats Lord |
Rosebery's out-and-out support of thel
government and his criticism of Mr.. |
Gladstone's war policy have widened
the breach between himself and the
recognized liberal leaders to such AMI
extent that il seems impossible that it