The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1899-10-13
ENGLAND IS NOT READY.
Tie Government Crit c se1 for Not
Being Better Prepared.
TO COM MAND ARMIES.
81 p GRITTY Of the Mauee X h:-Lat.
est Aspect of the Bon IT,
ary - pute.


ing within short time, in South AFR
ca, continues 10 occupy large shar" Of
public attention. Many criticisms APP
pear. blaming tn" government for not
permitting tn. war office. months ago, to
put an adequate defensive force on the
scene Of action. But the rumors Of the
fortht 0ming departure Of the army corps
somewhat appeased these critics. 1t is
almost certain Gen. Sir Rcdvcrs Henry
Butler, the former adjutant general, will
have supreme command in South Africa
In the meantime the military RESPONSE
b:lity is dived'd between Maj Gen. Sir
George Stewart White and Lieut.. Gen.
Sir Frederick William Forester Walker.
the latter at the Cape and the former in
Natal, each being supreme over his Owl.
District. tcn. " hlte, who is Described
dis fighting man keen as mustard -
has not yet arrived in Natal. Upon him
will de"olve the duty CT checking any
dcsul:ory Bocr raids; or in case of pre-
mature outbreak of actual hostiliticS, OF
holding Natal until Gen. Buffers army
corps arrives, when the aggressive Brit
ish campaign will probably occur. Some
dissatisfaction is expressed BECAUSE Gen.
White has never served in South Africa.
But it is generally thought that his
fighting abilities will more than make up
for his lack Of Typographical knowledge.
Know. edge Of Hoer Methods.
Under Gems. White and Walker will
be Il host of officers specially selected for
their knowledge OF Boer methods and
South African campaigning. Gen. Sir
William Simmons. Gen. Whites second
i'll command. is one Of the few Survivors
<,f I.,.,, VI.
tillcry in Natal will be commanded by
Col. Downing, late instructor at tn,
school of gunnery. ShoeburynesS who
has the highest scientific and practical
reputation. comparing somewhat with
Rear Admiral SIMPSONS reputation in
the United States navy an ordnance
officer. Maj.-Gen. French. commanding
cavalry, is Il daShing officer. somewhat
on the lines Of an American officer Gen
Young served through the early Egyp
tan campaigns.
Much has been said regarding tn;
physical untitneSS Of Il large percentage
Of the British rank and file going t.
South Africa or already there. \ grea
difference of opinion on the subject ex
| lists. But. it can be said that the regi
ments selected are believed to have tn,
| highest standard of physique, and all ar,
comparatively long service men.
| A
| Many Of the British officers believe tn
MauSer with which the Beers are arme,
| are superior to the LeeMetford rifles 0
the British for use against civilize,
| troops. \ small-arms expert said to
reporter of the Associated Press:
| 1.-The Lee-Metford will stop savages
| but that is not the object most deSirabl
when fighting against civilized force.
Under ii well-managed Mauser fire troop
VIII come on. dropping gradually frol
the effect of CALLING wounds, and not rea
izlng the necessity of cover or retreat III
| til. WHOM within deadly zone. they fin
half their number disabled and unable t
| face the full weight of short-rangp fire
In other words, Mauserarmed troops ar
more deceptive to the enemy than thos
armed with ee-MctfordS the effect G
| the latter being visible to the officers d
rccting the fight
| The Indian and Australian horse
which will be much used by the cavalr
and mounted infantry will probably sui
fer more from the change of country tina
the men, being obliged to live on eats an
mealies, the form of fodder they are N
terly unaccustOmed to.
The apparent inclination of the secrt
tary of state for war. the Marquis G
Lansdowne. to run the campaign prepa
| ratiOnS on his own ideas. and his tender
| cy to consult subordinate officers hav
| called forth published reminder tina
| he has capable communicating chief {:
his elbow.
Some comparisons are made as to tn
status Of Field Marshal Lord WolSele
compared with that of Mai. -lien. Mile
when the latter was reported to hay
been disregarded by Secretary Alger.
Tae boundary Dispute.
Alaskan boundary matters are sti
taking UP cons, derable attention at til
foreign office. The Canadian minister {
marine and fisheries, Sir l.. NJ. Davie
is daily visiting the officials, who al
busy drawing up maps illustrating Can;
da's contention. He expects to finish h
share Of the matter in two weeks. II
will probably return home October I:
The negotiations at present. apparent,
are confined to consultations betwee
Great Britain and Canada, the Unite
States embassy taking little or no pal
in them until Sir l.. H. Davies reache
an understanding with the imperial 20,
eminent. Reports of the arrival of a Sc
Element continue to appear, but these al
unreliable as they are contradictory. y
definite settlement will be reached unit
after the converting of the high commi:
| sion.
Joseph H. Choatc. the United State
ambassador. who is still III Scotland.
the subject of this weeks Vanity Fai
cartoon, byno-means-u nkind carcic:
! turc. HumorouSly describing the an
bassador, the paper says he is known d;
the Charles Russell of America, is an il
reproachable man of charming MANNER
we'll married. yet he still regards life a
| a Jest, adding: He is an ambaSSado
vet he is no poet
Sir Thomas Lipton's Ambition.
NJ. \. T. MAINLY About People, say
it has been Sir Thomas Lipton'> keen al.
bition for many years to become tn
| cha llcnger for the America cup and tn:
the popular conception of him as IL
| knowing much about yachts is Il mistake
as, twelve years. ago. when the IhlStl
was fitting out, Upton. who was then l
business at Glasgow. took the greatest IL
tercSt in all the details of her sails an
he has done Il great deal for yachting l
a quiet way and knows how to handle
boat better than 80 out of 100 of hi
critics.
| 4 Temporary Kespite.
The Daily Chronicle publishes the SIT
patch is followed by an interim cahine
meeting"
The peace party is making the most q
the respite, urging every possible argu
mcnt likely to avert war. But it look
as though collision will occur bcfor
the cabinet reaSsembles. If war break
out. it is expected that Premier Schrei
ner of Cape Colony will immediately T..
| sign.
| The session of the British parliamen
is not expected to be either long OF OK
! citing, and to be mainly devoted TO vot
| ing necessary money and supplies. TIL
army board met after yesterdays cabi
net council and discussed the variou
strategic questions. Opinions appeared t
favor the belief that the Beers will maxi
no serious inva sion of Natal.
The prospect of stringency i'll the mon
cy market occupies serious attention il
financial circles. There has been an i'm
mense drain of gold to South Afric;
since the crisis. Altogether. from Lon
don and Australia about f5,OO0,WO have
been drawn. while it is impossible t.
adequately guage the future require
mcnts in the same direction. This, to
gethcr with the American competition
for gold and the need of gold to move
the crops in Egypt and South America
makes promise Of Il greater stringenc!
than has been experienced for years
past.
The Money Strineency.