The times., 1899-12-27
In south Africa.

In south Africa.
Practically and tactiealIy a new cam
paign viii open in South Africa after the
arrival of Lord Roberts and the fun
strength OF his proposed army In the mean
time we are justified in considering that
the first campaign of the war closed with
the British reverses at Magersfontein and
the Colenso foTds, and i'll suspecting that
each side is planning httle adj interim
movement TO keep things from being too
dull Tor the next TWO weeks.
There are late evidences that this journal
has been right in the theory that condi-
tons al Ladysmith are bad enough 10 rem
der it greatly necessary for Sir Redvcrs
Butler to effect. if possible an early reliet
movement He appears TO be waiting for
the siege train. but that is long propo-
sttion It can hardly reach him for three
weeks. and there is reason to doubt Sig
George Whites ability to hold out that
long. Again Butler is deficient in field
artillery. aside from the loss of Longs
guns at the Tugela. The batteries sent out
by the British War Office are generally
found TO be inferior in range to the ar
tiIIery Of the Beers. We have a few Of
the favorite Wolseley type of cannon here
in Washington. Some of them were cap
tured at the battle of New Orleans by
General Jackson. and the Washington Ar
tnIery Of Savannah is ornamentally armed
with a few more which Lord CORVALLIS
surrendered at Yorktown: but what had not
been lost in the ways indicated the ord
nance department. OF the British army APP
pears TO have sent TO the Cape and Durham
10 cope with the splendidIy destructive
modern productions OF the Krupp and
CreusoJ works.
This is a serious consideration FOR Butler
Methuen, French. and Gatacre: but partieu-
larry so just now FOR he FIRST named To
add 10 his evil luck, it is said that glaHders
has broken out among his cattle and he
has been compelled 10 XII j large number
of horses. On the other hand he is accu-
mulating troops at the rate Of a thousand
OF fifteen hundred o day and the New Year
ought to and him in command Of an army
of not much less than forty thousand ef-
fecyive troops Nov. Notwithstanding
Buffers inferiority IN cavalry and artillery.
that many soIuiers should put him in a po-
sition 10 attempt a turning movement with
at least fair chance of success. Twenty
thousand would seem ample to hold the
Tugela line and to keep Joubert well oc-
cupied and twenty thousand more. one
would think could be used to strike the
Boer right toward Dcwdrop and place
Buffers left in touch with Lsdysmith. The
situation ia that soreIy pressed camp is
sufficiently desperate 10 render IL likely that
Butler win make su attempt Of some kind
within he next ten days Ior its relief
On the Boer side there are indications Of
an important movement TO destroy the
British communications between the Or
ange River and tI.a sea. A string of Bos.
commands seems 10 be drawn across from
D0rdreoht 10 De Aar and unless French
and Gatacre already have been considera-
bly, REINFORCED. this may involve their re-
treat south Of the sJrasegieal triangle NC
doubt Butler has forezean this possibility
which may even extend to Jha dimen-
sious OF threat OF Invasion as FAR south
as Cape Town bur whether il be really
. movement in force or q feinL ii has MOI
/ been permitted 10 influence the arrange
ments which are being made for another
struggle at Colenso. What we hear from
/ Cape Colony does ret teHd to make Lore
/ Methuen's prospects any brighter, but. foI
/ all that he may be able TO maintain him
I self until the arrival Of help. That h'
( could either advance or retreat without
/ disaster. IN present cireums. .ances. doe.
not seem very probable