The times., 1899-10-30
The Military situation in Natal.

Operations in the vicinity of Ladysmith
have progressed to a point where it IS no
longer safe to offer opinions or p-edi- -tions
not strictly based on fats accomplis
Many, and perhaps the dominant factors
Of the problem which faces Sir George
Stewart White are beyond our knowledga.
any theoretical view we might take o.
his situation and prospects at the hour
CT writing might later be exploded by
the impact of a two line cable message
from Cape Town. Our morning news
may tell US OF a battle fought yesterday.
or of something else possible although
according to our incomplete information,
improbable.
There are, however, some features Of the
tragedy about TO be enacted, if indeed the
curtain mas not already risen, which are
worth mention or discussion. In this con
neeticn, it is interesting TO note that, in
the reyulsion OF public feeling in England
yesterday. the opinion was expressed in
some quarters that the British general
would better retire on Colenso, a station
OF the railway line to Pietermaritzburg, a
few miles south of Ladysmith. than allow
himself to be hemmed in where he is, or
was yesterday. It is 10 be said that no
one in authority appeared TO entertain
any idea that he would adopt this course,
even if it were open to him, which is sub
ject TO grave question. But. assuming
that he was, or is, in a situation to re-ire
toward lis base at PietermaIt.zburg, the
argument against such movement on the
obvious.
The plain military policy Of Sir George
White, TO be qualified of course by the
possibilities or necessities of his situa-
tIon, is to keep the enemy occupied as
near the frontier as possible, and thus
prevent the Beers from oyerTunning the
Colony OF Natal and devastating it, which
would happen in the event of a British re-
treat. If we could be sure that he had am
munition and supplies for a three or four
weeks resistance, his chances for success
in this effort might be considered good, de-
pendent somewhat upon his strength in
men and guns, as compared with the same
on the other side. II IS alleged in des-
patches received yesterday that Joubert
had been heavily Te-enfoTced, and then
had approximately thirty thousand men op
posed TO the Ladysmith garrison. This re-
port, though by no means to be relied on,
may be true. Less credit may be given 10
another story, from London, which places
Whites present strength at twenty thou
sand five hundred. If correct. the latter
statement would show that between five
and six thousand fresh troops have reached
Ladysmith since the affair al Elandslaagte.
and that Is 70 be doubted. IN both direc-
tions We suspect some exaggeration and
do not see any reason to much revise our
estimates Of Saturday, which allowed Jou-
bert from twenty-five to twenty-seven
thousand men, including the Free Staters,
and White fifteen thousand, a figure which
may be a thousand or fifteen hundred too
low.
From our yesterdays news we learned
that Sir George White, after the fight at
Elandslaagte. blew up the railway bridge
over Sunday River. This would delay the
movement Of the column from Glencoe.
marching down the Ladysmith- Glencoe
line, and would tend to postpone any con-
templated general attack on the British
position. Probably it would also prevent
the enemys column from the Beth road
from at once developing its movement on
the British rear and communications, and
Colcnso may not yet have been occupied.
Much Of this is surmise, and nothing else
is possible. The fact remains that IA
nous battle at Ladysmith is likely TO be
the next world sensation. Sir George
White has seemed to eyince desire to
bring it on as quickly as possible His
reconnaissance in force on Friday demon
strated this. and that it was ineffective in
precipitating fight is proof that the enc
my was not ready. Whether conditions
have since changed. the cable should tell