The Topeka state journal., 1899-10-26
IT IS FRANCE AND RUSSIA
That England Is Watching-Germany
Is All Right

new 4OIhs OCL- ga QlSDalCu 10 LAAG
Tribune from London says:
1t can not be doubted, whatever may
be the attitude of reticence or even de-
NAL on the part of officials, that the
superhuous proportions OF the army
dispatched under General Butler TO the
Cape, with the activity that prevails
point to expectation Of possible ser
1ouS complications with foreign powers
Russia and France are the powers in
dicated- To have British fleet in
readiness and to dispatch large force
to the Cape under a commanding of1-
Ger and a. star who would direct Brit
ish arms in the event of a European
war must be regarded as an extremely
wise and prudent move on the part OF
the government The Persian Gulf is
the point where it is most likely that
any active complications will center as
in event Of war and the Suez canal
would inevitably be blocked even with
great fleets to keep it open The Cape
is England's natural route and half
way route to India and Persia. Sir
from the Cape to India and good for
tune in having them sent involved
Britain's salvation at a most crucial
point in the Indian mutiny.
If the secret history of the present
crisis could be told it would be found
that the foreign offices of Great Britain
and Germany have never been on more
friendly terms This fact must be taken
into account by those seeking to fore
cast the future Those most intimate
with the high officials of both countries
section of the German press toward
England, while resented by the German
foreign Office, is derided by the govern
ing classes of both countries Germany
and England are acting together and
hope to carry the moral support of
America with them Meanwhile the
channel fleet Is bound for Gibraltar and
the remarkable activity at the dock
yards points to the mobilization of an
other flying squadron Wherever it may
be needed and it Will not be a demon
z~rr1N ton
many this time.
Every day eight thousand or nine
thousand troops go out to the Cape but
the entire army corps will not be afoat
this week.
The usual phrases are used by the
military writer's here to disguise the
real nature Of Gen. Yule's movement
from Glencoe It is described as
scientific change of base, a brilliant
StrategeTIc manouever a recOnnaiS-
sance in face of the enemy's position
and prudent measure of military con-
centratiOn- 1t was, in reality. a we'll
conducted retreat from position
which was occupied for political rather
than military reasons and which be-
came untenable when two British gar
risons forty miles apart were menaced
by a greatly superior force Similar
unscientific tactics based on political
CONSIDERATIONS nave involved the de-
fense of Mafeking, on the western bor-
der, when military reasons are valid for
a concentration Of forces at Kfmher-
ley.
General YuIe's retreat leaves the
Beers in undisputed possession of the
upper triangle OF Natal and enables
them, after two defeats and a third ar
tillery duel, to boast that they have
driven back the British and broken up
the first line of defense The British
wounded have been left in their hands
and Ihey must also have secured pos
session of considerable quantity of
supplies and military stores at Glencoe
The Beers, without winning a single
hot 10 L -
OF having forced Yule to retreat and
there is enough in the situa-
ton to justify a feeling of eIation- The
British troops, on the contrary can
justly complain that their brilliant vic
tories have been clouded and impaired
by the original strategic bIunder of
separating the garrisOns for the sake of
protecting the coal fields.
Generals YuIe and Whites columns
were within three miles of each other
and virtually in touch at 4 O'Clock yes
terday, according to a war Office bull
Ietln issued late IN the evening Rum
Ors of a great battle were siIenced by
this official report, since General White
knew nothing Of an engagement A
less satisfactory part of Gen. Whites
earlier dispatch, from a military point
Of view, was not so much the list of
casualties in the third battle, which
was comparatively small, as the cap
ture by the enemy of a squadron of the
Eighteenth Hussars, including the col
Onel of the regiment In the zeal of
their pursuit of the flying enemy, the
HuSSarS rode too fast and far and be-
came enmeshed in the Boer line No
fear is entertained for the safety of the
prisoners, as the greatest care and
kindness have been shown for the Boer
prisoners by the British, who permitted
armed Beers to enter their lines. seek
ing friends, after night had fallen on
Elandslaagte- Escaped prisoners from
the BOer lines testify to the perfect
kindliness of their treatment Both
sides vie in tending the wounded af-
ter the battle, without respect to the
uniform.
The general feeling of army officers
is that the Beers attack has failed and
that British va1or and skill have tri-
umphed- The Boer strategy is consid-
cred excellent
1T is good enough" a prominent Of
fetal Of the foreign Office remarked to
me today, with a significant look, "tO
have come from Berlin
But in the execution, Joubert and his
staff are no match for British generals.
An officer on the headquarters staff
compared them in conversation to a
railway company with an admirably
clear and worknanlike time table. but
inability to see their trains come up to
time. This is no reflection on the fight
ing quality of the men, whose behavior
in the field is warmly admired Wher-
ever Englishmen discuss the war.
Some compensation for the retreat
may be found for the English
side in the fact that General Joubert
will remain in the field and continue to
/ conduct the warfare on modern meth
/ DDS. instead of revertfng to guerilla tao
/ tics as might have been done il a sec
Ond assault upon Glencoe had been re-
! pulsed with heavy losses He will be
no match for General Butler when the
army corps is ready for an active cam
paign in December. for his force viii
be hampered and embarrassed by the
necessity Of protecting guns which are
not well served and fighting from a
base with lines of communication to
keep open. The military critics agree
4 in saying that the war may be indef-
nitely prolonged by guerilla tactics, but