Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-12-07
OPINIONS Of MILITARY EXPERTS
S to Their Movements Are Not All Agreed-= General
Cronje Has Received Heavy Reinforcements--Re
ports of Boer Victories Have Caused Many to Flock
to Their Standard--Presdent Steyn Of the Orange
Free State Has Taken the Field in Person.

Clery is gradually preparing to turn the
| Boer position at Colenso and relieve
] I.adysmith, While Lord Methuen holds
| General cronje's forces al Spytfontcin
and Jacobsdahl and General Gatacrc is
| playing with the Free State raiders
among the Dutch villages Of the disaf-
| fected district Of Cape Colony. The va
| rlations Of these three themes continue
20 occupy the attention of military
writer's for the London press.
Evidence is found Of General Buffers
controlling mind in directing the British
campaign for the expulsion Of the Free
Staters from Cape Colony and the re-
lief Of Kimberley. The defeat or cronie's
army would release forces of consider
able strength from operations remote
! from Natal and open the way for the
! concentration Of Dutch army at Bloem-
1onteln, whence reinforcements could be
sent to the Boer laagers between Co.
lenso and Ladysmith. Premature action
either at Modder river or on the southern
frontier of the Free State would tend
70 diminish the pressure now brought
10 pear upon the enemy'S camps around
l4adysmith for a withdrawal OF portion
or these commands to the passes or the
Drakensburg range
These are the best explanations offered
by military men in London clubs for the
continued inaction of both Lord Methuen
ana General Gatacre, and it is always
easy to follow them up With the reflec-
ton that time is on the side of the Brit
ish army, with it's superior discipline and
systematic arrangements for supplies,
aud heavily against the irregularly or
ganiZed Dutch forces. While theories
like these are a Door substitute for war
news, the veteran officers are glad to
accept evidence that the generals are
no longer in hot haste to attack the
enemy in strongly fortified positions
without maneuvering for protection for
4. J1,y G,r
in front
Inc o1licIal news yesterday included
the casualty list in the sorte from kim
berley on November Is. when the Boer
laaser was surprised and captured. This
was a serious fight, for 80 were killed
on the British side and 81 wounded.
South Africans readily identify two
names in the list of killed. Major Scott
Turner was gallant rough rider who
had seen much hard service in Matabrle-
lahd and Hhodesia under Forbes and
carrlnston. He was Il fine horse,nan
and a man utterly fearless with an in
born love of adventure. Lieutenant
Wright was famous as one Of tn. coolest
and most expert rflemen in South At
flca and a match for the best hunters
among the Beers.
An oiiicjai bulletin also came from
General Butler respecting the LOSSES OF
the enemy. which he estimated al sno
KILLED and wounded before Iadvsmi,h
on November 9, and lao in Hilyari's fight
~ Willow grange. These estimates stere
accompanied by Il general charge that
the enemy did not admit more than one
tehth OF the losses suffered. AS General
Methuen had tcIeSraphci in a similar
way respecting the Eoer losses at MGti,Ier
flet, II was evident that the war office
had suggested that something should
be said by hin, and General Hullar IN
countefaci the effect of he publication
.. me heaNS casualty lists on tn" British
.'ie. 'ues Tor the reports had come
from London, where the officials were
ANNOYED by L"yds' brussels ball tins !
showing insignificant Dutch Losses .,s AN
onset to the terrible havoc wrotl.l,
among the British battalions