The San Francisco call., 1899-10-08
y y + 4 \ y 4 4 4 y y \ \ y \ = y
Of the Transvaal until the crisis IS

Of the Transvaal until the crisis IS
ended"
The Government is much criticised by
many of the papers of their own follow
ing as we'll as by the military assemblies,
for hardness in sending out the army
corps, some going so far as to say that
If Majuba Hill repeats itself, Lord Sails
bury will have only himself to blame
The Admiralty Is also coming in for a
share of criticism over the length of time
required to get transports. Incompetence
and bungling are alleged. Lieutenant ].
c. Colwell, United States naval attache
in London, when asked regarding this
charge said:
Il believe that the Admiralty has done
splendidly, fully maintaining the reputa-
ton Of the British navy. l am fairly ac-
oualnted with the details Of the present
operations, and l believe they are proof
OIL the great advantage to be gained by
having the navy control the transporta-
tion Of troops"
A royal proclamation summoning Par
lament to meet on October II and author
izing the calling out of the reserves was
signed this morning. The Gazette an
nounces that a summons will be issued
for the number of reserves necessary to
bring every battalion ordered to South
Africa up to its full strength of 1000 men.
The men must present themselves before
October II. The forward movement is
fully counterbalanced by stories of mill
tary preparations in the Transvaal and
Orange Free State.
The field force for service in South At
rica, the War Office announces, will COM
mence mobilizing next Monday. The War
Office announces that, under the procla-
nation calling out the reserves, % 900 men
will be summoned
1t Is rumored at Portsmouth that the
Admiralty will organize flying squadron
for the Cape
The scope of Great Britain's military
preparations can scarcely be grasped by
the mere reading Of individual items as
they appear from day to day. A fair no
ton of their immensity can be gained from
the semi-offlcial statement that for the
transport Of the army corps about seventy
ships of from 1000 to 1900 tons burden are
required, not including a score or more
of transports already on the way to the
Cape. If these vessels effectively disem-
bark their cargoes of men, horses and
equipment within five weeks from their
date of sailing, the programme will have
fulfilled the forecasts Of the most opti-
mistic British military experts If all the
troops are able TO take their places as
component parts of the army corps by the
end of November they will have done. ac-
cording to the best available opinion re-
markably well. The decentralization of
General Skaters army from its thirty
seven transports Is not forgotten by Brit
ish officers. Although the vessels to be
employed In the Cape service are larger
on the average than those which carried
the Americans to Santiago de Cuba, the
admiralty, in accordance with the exist
ing regulations, is supplying them all and
taking complete charge from waters edge
to waters edge. This means a tremend
Gus outlay Of capital.
1 Although the impending army corps is a
matter Of pre-eminent military interest
the troops already on the scene Of prob
able action constitute no insignificant
body. The original Cape garrison was
900 men. and this has been increased bv
k500 There are 1900 men at sea on the
kyay to the Cape, and their arrival Will
Itnake the approximate total of British
troops in South Africa, prior to the ar
/ aval Of the army corps, '25,000. These
/ loops do not include the irregular forces,
/ tae Cape Mounted Rifles, the Port Eliza
! bath Volunteers, the Natal Police, the
( Iarban Light Infantry, the Australian
fpce and the regular naval brigade
ahe Cape squadron now includes ten
wsfships, all heavily manned, and the
British first-class protected cruisers Ter
! ribe and Powerful will soon arrive, en-