The times., 1899-11-20

! bly,. The rush of heavy column Of say
/ twenty thousand men from Estcourt might
/ be successful but probably it would also
| strew its path with slaughtered soldiers by
! the thousand. And, If successful and re-
/ enforced by the Ladysmith garrison, it
! should be able TO give Joubert decisive
! blow. then it would be likely to happen
/ that it would have to hunt him on the other
1 side Of the Drakensberg Mountains. 1t
/ therefore, may be the object of Sir Red
/ vers Butler to keep Joubert occupied by
/ a movement from southern Natal, strong
! enough to divide his aggressive force be-
tween Ladysmith and the attack on his
/ Tugela front, thereby increasing Whites
! chances for successful resistance; and at
! tempt TO raise the siege by a dash against
/ Bloemfontein, which would turn Joubert's S
! campaign of invasion into one for the de-
! fence Of Pretoria, and compel the with
drawal Of the Boer army from Natal.
This idea of the strategy of the British
/ general seems to find support in the mea-
( gre news we have received of his operations
( so far on the Orange River border. With
/ regard TO the division of Lord Methuen,
which is being organized as rapidly as pos
sible north of the river, and is ostensibly
intended for the relief of Kimberley, the
news censorship at Cape Town has been
singularly lightened. Military experts in
London are inclined to think that there
may be purpose in this and possibly they
are right From Belmont, where we un-
derstand Methuen's headquarters were at
latest accounts, Kimberley could of course
be reached by way of the railway line,
which however, probably will be found
pretty badly wrecked. But relief might
perhaps be accomplished equally as well
and as quickly If Methuen were to leave
the railway line at Modder's River, and
move east and north over the main road
which trayerses the country by way Of
Jacobsdal-on the highway to Bloemfon-
tein-and thence north to Banks Drift.
which is a little south of east of and near
Kimberley,
Such a movement might be expected to
send the besiegers in the direction of
BloemfonteiE before it developed far
enough north to hinder their retreat; or,
Butler might consider it wiser to ignore
Kimberley if that place is not in des-
perate straits, and order Methuen TO keep
right On for Bloemfontein from Jacobsdal.
In the latter case the diversion would be
one certain to be felt at Joubert's head
quarters in frcnt of Ladysmith, with what
immediate results It is too early to pre-
diet. Il viii pay to watch developments
in Methuen's direction. and also TO keep
close eye on the Orange River line be-
tween Colesburg and Bethulie. We are
very much mistaken if the advance of
Lcrd Methuen for the relief of Kimber-
ley is not to be synchronous, or nearly
so. with another advance from a point
farther east. with Bloemfontein as its OBJ
jective.
II must be borne in mind that every day
during the next two weeks VIII find Sir
BedvsTs Butler in better and better shape to
push the war into Africa" As soon as he
can plant q sufficient force to hold the
points he desires on the Orange River, and
protect his communications, he viii be able
10 concentrate two or thrce large columns
al such bases as De Aar. Naauw Pooyt. and
Steynsburg. and when that has been done
the Grange veldt viii not long be bare of
British bayOnets. II these plans succeed
il transferring the principal field OF
war from Natal TO the Free State, it is
useful to note that Butler viii be able
TO throw his forces over the Orange River
and into the enemy's country. quite as
quickly. il not faster. than the Boer army
can move from the Neck OF Natal and by
Van Reenen's and Tintwa passes to meet
them. Joubelt's transportation and COM
missarial organizations are not Of the best.
and his ability and resources would be
badly strained by a sudden retrograde
movement from Ladysmith TO the centre
Of the Orange Free State.
Ia view Of the Indications and suggest
ions OF what may be looked for in the
general theatre Of war during the coming
weeks, the struggle viii be observed with
increasing interest both here and in
Europe from day to day Great surprises
are not to be considered by any means
impossible, Ladysmith possibly may be
taken. so may MafekiGg. or Kimberley. be-
fore relief or diversion shall help them
out Of the eight places they are in: bur,
If they are 10 hold their own and escape
with whole skins, a wide survey of the
currcat conditions leads US 10 think that
they are ali likely TO benefit more by an
invasion in force Of the Free State from
the Orange River than by direct re-
enforcement