The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-12-16
event IN Great BrltaIn's military his-
tory since the indian mutiny
FfiI,n Standard lnyne

event In Great BritAin's military his
tory since the Indian mutiny
Tho Standard says.
General Buffers dispatch Is deplor-
able reading. II 10 the now familiAr
story Of concealed Beers and Of British
troops marching up blindly almost 70
the very muEsles Of the enemy's riiies.
II cannot be doubted that the moral et-
feet will be to Aggravate our dihcultles
over the whole iield Of operations.
''The country had discovered Win
annoyance and surprise that gnbduing
Boer farmers 10 about the hardest work
we have eitcred upon since the 1ndlHn
mutiny. Their commandments have
shown themselves able TO give our
generals useful, but expensive lessons
In modern tactics"
The Times says: "sinee the days Of
the Indian mutIny the nation has not
been confronted with 30 painful and
anxious q situation, Plainly, Generel
Buffers advance Is paralyzed for the
moment as completely as Lord Ne
thuen's and General Gatacte's.
The depression over the defeat o.
Great Bfitain's trusted aud idoliEed
commander Is all the greater, aa dur
ing the last fOrty-elght hours, there
have been reports Of the RELIEF Of Lazy.
amith. Yesterday the war Ottlce allow
ed Il 10 be understood that the position
OF affairs IN Natal was entirely satlg-
factory, The reaction is all the more
pronounced on this account The
gloomy information came too late 70
reach the service clubs and only Few
journalists and stragglers were waiting
at the war ONCE,
Il has hardly been realized untH
now, even after the experience OF the
T1ta1taV nOVVIH fall
Virtually nothing had been allowed 10
leak through regarding his prepara'
tions, but the public waited patiently In
the confident belief that he was taking
such time and precautions as would
ensure success. No independent reports
of the engagement have yet been al.
lowed to come through, but General
Buffers own dispatch tells the sad tale
in sufficient outline 10 show that the
British have been entrapped again pyi
the astute Beers. 1t was not onuclpa7
ted that General Butler would make
frontal attack. No criticisms OF ms
movements are made, however, since
apparently he suffered q repulse rather
than defeat, and did not push the Mt
tack home, but broke It of in the mid.
die, 80 as to save useless sacrifice OF
life. II IL expected that he Will renew
the attack shortly.
Immediately on receiving the news,
the war office decided to mobilize still
another division and to replace the
losses OF artillery. The necessary re-
Inforcements will be hurried OF as
speedily as possible. Fifteen trans
ports are due to arrive at Cape Town
between December II and January 5,
with about 1900 troops Of all arms,
but unless General Butler Is able to re-
new the attack, which ls exceedingly
doubtful. the British generals Will be
Compelled for another fortnight or more
to remain practically on the defensive.
Belated dispatches indicate the con-
tinued bombardment Of Ladysmith,
whose position Is now perilous. Major
General Sir Herbert Charles Chermside
has been appointed to command the
Fourteenth brigade in the seventh di-
vision.