The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-11-07
THE PRESS CENSORSHIP.
L Has Made the South African War q Game
Of Guess.
THE BRITISH PUBLIC AND NEWSPAPERS
Are sufferers by the Policy which -
Being rurrucd by the Auto
Gratis Of the War office.

| dispatch from London says, 1he war in
the Transvaal remains game OF blind
mans's bum played IN utter darkness,
I The results are known when carrier
/ pigeon wings fligh, of l7a miles or when
n rough rider carries news hundreds OF
miles across rivers and open country.
Press agencies, which expand into vic
torious sorties cavalry raids accurately
described as reconnossances in force are
convinced by cold hard steel that the
faithful messengers tell nothing but the
truth and the amateur stratogist IN
smoking room OF comfortable London
CLUB is at the mercy OF the ruthless from
tiersman, who is liable to at any moment
upset the most scientific expert opinion
by riding across country and proving that
what can not possibly be true has hap
pened and is the most natural thing in the
world. II Is time when the red tape
system can well afford to despise the force
of public opinion and when the London
journals which have invested thousands
of pounds in systematized arrangem, nts
for describing the war day uy day at tour
shiilings a word. can learn Christian
grace and humility and be thankful If
their penny a-iiners are not turned out
OF the war office to stand in the rain aud
fog and cool their heels. The London
Journals are, OF course, hoping for better
things when the army corps Of which full
ly 10000 men Will arrive a the Cape this
week, once takes the field and their own
relays arc on the ground 10 describe the
trlumpha march through the two Dutch
republics. Apparently they do not know
shnt e Sir D..ftu ht lttar
is. He does moi consider war corresp1n
dents either useful or ornamental aha the
increased pressure put upon the censor
ship since his arrival al the Cape proves
how little license VIII he allowed 10 egeu
provide social experts When the real bust
ness of war opens. on the English side
meanwhile there are rumors barely in
excess of the demand for special editions.
The American papers midnight editions
show the ingenuity of the press news
: expansionist, who is paralyged by the fear
lest another bird may come home mop
portunely and convict him OF mendacity
in raiding Boers camps and sileucng the
/ enemy's guns.
The Ladysmith situation is in reality I'm.
changed pending thu arrival OF the next
carrier pigeon. The garrison is holding
out with English grit and the Boer gem
erals are forced to admit that the capture
of Ladysmsth is practically question 1f
superior artillery practice and direct at
tack upon the entertainments rather than
matter of deer stalking and setting traps
tor rash birds by hGTters wiles.
! There Is still considerable doubt over
4 what has happened at Colenso but none
whatever respecting the necessity for
supreme effort on the part of the Beers If
hey hope to win a decisive victory before
the arrival of The British reinfolcements,
which are due ut Capetown and which
can be dispatched at once for Durham.
The retirement of the garrison from
| Stormburg junction before il could DC at
tucked by Free State force advancing
/ from Blrghersdorp Is regarded by military
writer's as a proof that East London Will
| not be used as base OF supplies for thp
I army corps. and that Deaar and Naauw-
/ poort viii be- the first line of the British
! defense of Cape Colony, with Capetown an'
I Port Elizabeth behind them. StormbuSe
/ was occupied by half the Berkshire regi-
ment wltuont held guns or cavalry, and
Sir Rcdvers Butler has wisely ordered the
garrison to retire.
The retention of Naauwpoort is OF much
greater Importance since II commands the
approaches frcsn Port Elizabeth, the near
est base OF supplies for either Kimberley
or Bloenfonteln The remaining half of
the Berkshire regiment is there and can
be reinforced by the Northumberlands, the
( Munster Fusileers, the Yorkshire Light
{ Infantry ana possibly other oattalions and
I colonial e,ies at Daar Naauwp, orr Is no"
menaced by hostile force OF unknown
! strength,
| At Coleaburg the original Natal situa-
| ton Is reproduced the British force being
| distributed between two posts, Naauwpoort
! standing for Glencoe aud Daar for l.adyt
/ smith. But there is one important point
/ OF divergence between the Two Inns OF
defense; the Natal positions were selected
| for political relations. whereas Denar and
| Nant,Npporf of real strategic ltODDr-
! lance. Sir Redvers Butler. If he can hold
| both posts can command two bases OF sup,
! plies and when the bulk OF the army corps
has been brought forward he can choose
! between advancing directly upon Bloem'
| fontein and going directly To the relief OF
Kimberley and linen Invading the Free
State. Military writer's are divided be-
tween these Two courses and are unable TO
forecast Sir Redvers Buffers plan OF
campaign with correctness.
| Sir Redvcrs Buffers sagacity in reducing
the number OF exposed points from three
to two is apparent, even II he had to sacrl-
| Ace fine plan on paper for connentric
march on springfontein on thle points.
| The keenest military writer's who ana
| lyze the situation lay stress on the fact
| that the Dutch allies are wasting tnelr re-
| sources by attacking The British al too
| many points instead OF concentrating their
| efforts upon one or two lines. This ie
| true. Whsteyer advantage the Beers have
won have been from the recklessness OF
their enemies. who have forgotten that IN
| Bosr was first a hunter and then frontle,
! backwoods warrior, VINO have fanaied tns'
| the Beers are another Afridi. The Boers
| have made grayer tactical mistakes than
| the English staff, although its record is
not particularly brilliant In defensiy
| work and they have allowed three weeks
| 10 slip by without winning decisive sue
cess by virtue OF overwhelming superiorit1
! In numbers.
The Santiago campaign was better
| study of real warfare han any
| thing yet Witnessed In South Africa except
the arrangements for the rapid mobiliza-
| lion and shipment Of an army corps. II
| that respect British organization waa
worth more than American inexperlehes
| English opinion evidently considers II
good enough. as the result OF the Exeter
| election ji~t announced with an increased
conservative majority clearly indicates
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