The evening times., 1899-12-20
The South African situation.


1t is reasonable to assume that some Sc
riouS movement is under way or has occur
red in South Africa. since the censorship
is stricter than ever and. although the
British War Office will not deny that Sir
Redvers Butler has again attempted TO
cross, or possibly has crossed, the Tugela
River. it will not give out any information
A late Pretoria despatch this morning
asserts a British reverse on the north bank
and the capture OF two guns; but it is not
definite enough to be accepted without re-
serve. Additional details Of the Tugela bat
tie serve to strengthen the opinion that it
was badly conceived movement bare
bold frontal attack upon the most nearly
impregnable position in the whole theatre
of war. 1t is said that il was successful in
developing the actual extent of the Boer
entertainments and emplacements On the
heights commanding Colenso but these. we
should say. might have been found to be
impracticable TO attack by assault. without
such loss of men and guns as happened.
The British military authorities have
walked up at last to a realization of their
pitiable foolishness in ignoring the factor
of mobility in the BOer strength, to which
We have often called attention. As any
thing seems possible in the way of ineffi-
cheney in the intelligence office. it may be
that Lord Wolseley was not informed that |
the Beers had their horses trained to stand |
without human control, and without tying |
or hobbiing. behind a firing line; SO that |
command could gallop to position, and |
every man in it become instantly effective, |
The mounts looking after themselves. |
Wolseley it appears is an infantry fiend. |
and. when the war broke out refused all |
offers OF mounted troops. He sent as few |
cavalry as possible to the Cape and treated |
the colonial mounted forces with disdain. |
He has his reward.
Wolseley, Butler, and the lot of them |
seem to have been agreed upon the fine old |
English policy OF regarding provincial
troops with contempt. 1t was that which |
cost Braddock his defeat in the French and |
Indian war. 1t is seen to have been the 1
same thing which caused Gatacre's mex |
cusable repulse at Stormberg He had a |
corps of Cape Mounted Police. who knew
the ground thoroughly, and could have car
red him straight to his objective point.
scouting by the way. He did not permit
them TO reconnoitre in advance. and in the
movement he marched them behind the in
fantry, preferring TO depend upon native
guides. Butler, while suffering from the
lack of horse soldiers, has hitherto secuted
,he idea of organizing the considerable and
efficient force which could be raised in
Natal. The one officer who has appreciated |
End utilized the splendid fighting material
Of the colonies, is Baden-Powell, who with
rot more than twelve hundred irregulars.
las held Cronje at bay for weeks, with
ak thousand men at his back But there
VIII be a change now. One South African
rough-riding. close shooting mounted COLO
nial is worth dozen of the British infan-
Try, and the irregulars will have their day in
court the regulars, who refuse or do moi | I
know how to meet the Boer tactics. having
failed. F.,
We are not surprised at the manifesto :
lions OF dislike for provincial troops shown /
by British officers generally, because it 1
'nly represents traditional sentiment q
'shich has lasted for a century and a half. /
What is astonishing is that it should he 7
shared by a man like Garnet Wolseley. i
whose success. such as it has been has O
been due to his early field training in the d