The evening times., 1899-12-21
A Bad Military Situation.

| All we can learn from South Africa to-
day. and that is very little. apparently
| tends to support the pessimistic view of
news of the past week has seemed to JUS
| tify. II appears that Sir Redvers Butler
has been definitely placed on the defensive.
having Withdrawn from the river to his
old camp, as we understand it, under the
threat OF an attack en- his right which
would jeopardize his communications. The
reports relative 10 this movement are
severe fighting between Frere and Colenso
of which We know nothing. At all events
military opinion in London regards Butler
as stalled and unable to do anything for
the succor of Ladysmith, until the lost bat
teries have been replaced and heavy re-en-
forcements received.
Experts are now beginning TO talk of the
possibilities OF an effort by Sir George
White to cut his way out of Ladysmith,
but We do not observe that anyone of rec
ognized authority argues with anything
! approaching confidence that movement of
the kind would be presently feasible. We
have always been inclined TO assume that
support of such plan would be the CEN
tra idea in Buffers tactics. and that, while
he might reconnoitre in force, or make
strong feints against Joubert's centre and
extreme left. the main attack would be
delivered on the Boer right at or near the
Black Mountain. on the Dewdrop Road,
which runs from Frere by way of Spring
field and across a ford twelve miles west
OF Colenso. As position secured at Dew
drop would bring the relieving column
within cannon shot of the beleagured gar
rison. and thus probably enable it to CO.
operate by means of sortie il has seemed
good military reasoning TO adopt Dew
drop as Buffers first objective. But with
the British column in check. if not some
thing worse. at Cheveley, Whites prospect
for successful break through the Boer
lines. and through the entrenched passes
he would have to traverse to form junction
with his friends. does not look hopeful.
The cable is silent as to the situation at
Megarsfontein. Ii appears to be conceded
that Lord Methuen's communications are
cut of and that the Beers are in some
ioice III MS rear. II is now SAID that he
has three weeks supplies. The extension
of Cronie's flanks, envelopng the British
right and left, is causing much uneasiness
in military circles, but not great deal is
being said on the subject in the London
critiques. no one apparently caring TO in
crease the gloom which is heavy enough at
best.
General French appears to be holding
his own at or near Naauw Poort, but we do
not learn anything to indicate that he is in
a position TO help Methuen, in advance of
the re-enforcements, which it is expected
will soon reach De Aar under Sir Charles
Warren. The whole situation in Northern
Cape Colony is rendered vastly graver. if
il be true, as stated in our dispatches,
that twenty thousand Boers-mostly Afri-
kander Cape rebels-are massed at Storm
berg against General Gatacre. 1t is, per-
haps, not probable that even so large a
force would attack him in his strong de-
fensive position at Cypher Cat but half
of 10 could hold him there helpless and the
remainder be free TO operate against
French. Encouragement for the British,
to be extracted from the news, if il repre-
sents the conditions truly, is hard TO dis
cover.