, 1899-12-27
ROBERTS TR|UMPHS
HALO OF RED TAPEISM IN ENG
LISH WAR OFFICE
DISPELLED.
Lord Roberts and Kitchener Will Full
ly Prepare and Organize Forces in
South Africa Before Continuing
Campaign-Buller Told to Quit
Fighting.

London, Dec. 27.-From behind the
as 1t is popularity called here. The
story is that Lord Roberts at first re-
fused to take command in South Africa.
That a change was DESTROYS was the
first particular point urged by the war
office authorities, and Gen. Roberts said
to them: THE only conditions under
which l will go out is that l shall have
absolutely supreme command and re-
ceiye no instructions from home"
That was his ultimatum. Gen. But
Ter had been hurried to awful trouble,
that we all know Of, by urgent orders,
it appears, from home to retrieve the
loss of prestige sustained by other en-
enals and by England. Sui Roberts
will have none of this.
There was a very momentous meet
ing at the war office, at which were
present Lord Lansdown, secretary OF
state for war, and Lord Wolseley, COM
mander-in-chief. 1t lasted several
hours, during which it was demon
strated by arguments that the opinions
of those present were far from being
unanimous.
Then l will 60" said Lord Roberts.
That was after the gathering of the
great men at the ministry of war had
agreed to give up any further attempts
to lead a campaign from maps studied
in these dingy quarters called the war
office.
Now, from what | near, Lord Rob-
erts holds his ideas all through. This
means that the war-the new war
will not be commenced till perhaps the
beginning of March. The presence OF
Lord Kitchener is looked upon as that
influence which will not allow the CAM
paign to commence until everything is
absolutely ready. That is Kitchener
all over. Lord Roberts knows him and
his methods intimately.
Lord Roberts will be the mai 10 re-
store confidence and esprit de corps
among the men. His name in the Eng
lish army is like that of Madhi to the
Soudanese. But Kitchener's role will
be thoroughly to organize the forces.
Not until he says that all Is ready and
until the last mule and man has been
placed in proper position, the last train
started and the final gun sent forward
will Roberts and Kitchener give the
word to advance.
But it has been an awful struggle.
Lord Wolseley may be well enough in
clined, but, then, he has to do with a
whole nest of high officials. who have
lived all their lives amid a halo OF red
tape and who love and revere that at
mosphere.
"Bobs," as Lord Roberts is Familiarity
called, knows this. He agrees with
the South African, who had been in
Matabele and Zulu wars and whose in
terview l sent you a few days ago. that
red tapeism and departmental jealous
les must now and forever cease If the
British army is to do any good in South
Africa.
Having gained his victory and being
In a position to dictate to the war de-
partment, instead of the reverse, Lord
Roberts said: Now give me Kitche-
ner." Thus he was given Kitchener.
Such is, / believe, a brief outline of
the coming campaign, but 1t tells Just
as much as a much more detailed de-
scription.
The great question Of the moment is
to find out how to get suitable artil-
lery. Howitzer batteries are being sent
out, but they will not be of long
enough range il brought against the
Beers long range guns.
Facts which are coming out go to
show that the only available long range
guns in sufficient numbers similar to
those that saved Ladysmith are to be
found aboard the war ships, and it Is
a great task to get them out of those
ships.
The navy does not see why it should
be showed into the service OF repairing
the blunders and shortcomings, Of the
army. as it is generally the way, and
more especially to attempt this on a
large scale, as would be the case were
the coming campaign to depend for ar
tillery entirely upon the navy, as is
suggested in certain quarters.
AS 1 close this dispatch a curious re-
port reaches me to the effect that pub
lie feeling is SO strong against Sir
Michael Hicks-Beach for his parsimon-
ious policy that he has asked to be re-
lieved of his post and that Mr.. Cham
berlain is in view to succeed him. Mr..
Chamberlain's selection seems 30 i'm
probable that l cannot quite credit the
report.