The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-10-29
MANY OFFICERS
BEING KILLED
They Refuse to Take Cover When
Underline.
ANCIENT CUSTOM WITH BRITISH
Tommy Atkins" Needs More Leading
Than Any Man in the World.
What IL Means to Fight Civ
iiZed People.

LONDON, Oct. eS.-The large number OF
British officers killed in the battles which
have already taken place in Natal has
brought out strenuous protests from
many quarters against the ancient Gus
tom OF British officers in refusing TO
take cover when under fire. From figures
at Glencoe It Is apparent that one out OF
every four men killed was an OFFICER
whereas the organization exists upon the
nrinciple that 10 every twenty-five men
there is one officer. 1t is evident that II
the same rate OF mortality Is kept up the
British forces will become seriously IN
der-officered.
Among the enlisted men at Glencoe the
proportion Of killed TO wounded was 80 70
l5s. while 10 officers were killed 10 -
officers wounded. The difference In the
percentage leads 20 the conclusion that
many OF the officers we're hit more than
once and kept on leading their men aiter
the first wound.
Emperor williams recent criticism u
the British officers refusal 10 take cover
the army itself IS that though tho regu-
latiors DO not say the oGicers must not
lie down IL is such m nld-cstahlished prln-
cipie that II would axe e brave man 20
inaugurate a change. an0 the adage Il
the British soldier. follow wherever an
officer leads" is held still % e intensely
true. for though the officers believe lhe
personnel Of the army is as good as ever
il has been the history OF Great Brltaln
that they. at the same time. maintain
that Tommy Atkins needs more lead
ing than any man IN the world, 80 the
spiIing of Great Brltains best blood IS
likely to continue for the present
THRILL OF HORROR.
The proportion Of the casualties as a
whole has caused a thrill Of horror end
sympathy throughout Great Britain FOR
the people now begin 10 realize whnf
eight with a civilized enemy means Old
so dicrs point out that ~ he Alma, o:e
of the bloodiest battles IN Great Rrta r. .
annals the casualties totlllld ,rly six
Der cent. whereas in ,he recent B'cr
engagements. they considerably exceed
that figure.
General Whites strategy and mo g; ecu
ton Of his movements are warmly ptais-
ed and n IS said al the clubs THAI Cen
eral sir Redvers Butler viii have 10 itr-
nv up or General White will get Pcc-agc
FIRST. General White represents The In
dian element in the British army and
those who have served n india LJvc al
WAYS maintained that the commander
there had a more important pest than IN"
commander-in-chief himself As General
Lord Roberts was cousi le-cd 900 IN Tor
another campaign, Cene~lls While, sy-
mons. and Hunter were seat as a sop 20
the Indian faction. for General Butler las
always been more or less dntaSoniihc TO
General Roberts and bis p1rtisans.
Regarding European Intervention, Great
Britain plans % meet such at euefgen-
cv continue. The J0ur1u &c 1CEeve cub
fishes a despatch from CCnsiantnople,
saving that Russia IN ends 1dading the
Porte a note at an early dIte. Demanding
the opening of the Bosphor3us and Oar
danelles Unless Grslt britain Is par
" 20 such a demaui, RUssia's 1-ii)n VIII
undoubtedly sir up u hornets nest, com
pared with which tho Cr9lsvaM cues
ton Will be quite Insignificant
Such reports have n depressing effect
on conso's. and I'm spite Of the boom In
South African securities there IS consider
able uneasiness on the stock Exchange
regarding the future action 0f Russia and
France south African mine shares are
no longer referred 10 as "Kanirs." They
are now called British" while South
Africa IS optimistically described as q
mineraized Egypt