The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-11-06
British Military Weaknes.es.

1t is too early and our information Is vet
too little for any authoritative criticism Of
Sir GEORGE WHITES plan OF action In his
fights with the Beers, either as whole or in
detail. We have no precise and authentic
account OF what really happened to the I'M
fortunate left column, or why 1t happened:
and it is only just to withhold blame or
praise until we know on which side they
should be given. We are only justified
in saying that the indications are unfor
tunate.
High Continental military authorities and
even some British Observers 1t is true
long ago predicted that on the first
occasion on which British troops met
a white foe they would be defeated The
reasons for this judgment were that all
their experience, like that OF the French
before the Franco-German War, had been
against Asiatics and Africans, poorly armed
and indifferently organized. except with the
Beers alone, but the British General STAFF
looked upon the affairs OF ssl In the Trans
vaal as purely exceptional, ir not merely
accidental, and they believed at the outset
OF the present war that the Beers OF to-day
would not put up any fight That, OBJ
vlously. was the assumption OF Mr.. CHAM
BERLAIN also. They all know better now
Sir GEORGE WHITE himself, before leaving
England and Immediately after his arrival
In Natal, is said to have expressed the opin-
ion that with the troops then In South
Africa the war could be speedily ended. He
also knows better now.
The truth, however, is that the defects OF
the British army are not the outcome ofany
one cause, but lie deep In the social system
OF England. The system OF land tenure and
the development OF industry and commerce
have depleted the fields and built up the
urban and manufacturing population at the
cost OF the morale and physique OF the mass
OF the people. The last report on the re-
cruiting Of the British army shows the
standard OF height to have been reduced to
feet inches for the infantry, in order
to get the ranks filed, and even then
recruiting was found exceedingly diff
cult, owing to the numbers rejected for
constitutional and physical defects. Now
too, reports from London are that, though
recruiting Is pushed vigorously throughout
the United Kingdom, tho results are dis
appointing and the physical requirements
are being lowered. Regiments so composed
were not likely to force men like the Beers
into swift submission OF fine physical
development, animated by strong religious
fervor, and fighting in defence Of their
homes and what they believe to be their
rights, 1t may even be questioned IL it
would be possible for the British regiments
to beat the Beers at all, except for their
vastly superior resources OF scientific and
mechanical skill and their practically I'M
limited resources in money, II England is
prepared to persist in the war to the bitter
end. At best, q long conflict, costly in lives
and treasure, seems now to be obvious.
Another thing from which tho British
army suffers, is known rather than talked
about, Itsthe Vicious system OF favoritism
in the staff and in the commands. During
the latter part Of the tenure of the Com.
mander-in-Chiefship by the Duke of CAM.
BRIDGE, there were three rings" in the
army, known as the Cambridge, the Wolse.
ley and the Roberts rings. The first was
the aristocratic and court ring; the second