The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-11-01
Tho British Disaster.

The final disaster to the British army at
Ladysmith comes az n logical consequence
OF the disaster at Glencoe, for though re-
ported as victory the engagements there
wero really British defeats, MS was
made evident at the time bv tho hur-
red retreat from Dundee on Ladysmith
with great loss of mon. munitions and
stores. An army falling back under such
circumstances. leaving its wounded, even
its commander, in the hands OF the enemy,
and rushing headlong to the rear, while the
inhabitants OF tho abandoned town are
thrown into the widest terror, is necessarily
disheartened and to q serious extent de-
moralized. Now comes tho succeeding
reverse, for which Gen. WHITE assumes he
responsibility. las the position was I'M
tenablc." The surrender OF two OF the finest
regiments OF the British army cannot be
regarded IA less than crushing blow,
which indicates n probable speedy retreat
from Ladysmith.
The extent OF the disaster Is not yet
known TO the public. The details OF the
Glencoe battle even are unknown. OBJ
vously, besides the great losses OF men in
action, killed, wounded and prisoners.
or sacrifice OF stores, guns and munitions,
the moral effect Of which is as depressing
TO the defeated army as II il cxhlarat-
ing to the vlctors. The circumstance
that so little regarding the British opera
tions In South Africa has been allowed To
leak out through the severe censorship is
also OF sinister import to the British.
II appears to be- evident that, so far, the
British campaign has been unsuccessful,
though they were fighting on their own
soil and on the defensive. The Bocr terri
tory is intact and tho Beers have driven
back the British in their own territory with
great loss. and with corresponding moral
discontinue; and stratogically the advan-
tagc ia with the Beers up to to-day.
1t is bitter blow for England, and all the
btterer because 1t was SO utterly uuex-
pected. Defeat for the best troops Of
the British army was not imagined ms pos
siblc, and the early news allowed by the
censorship was all favorable. But the con-
fdence in the prowess and genelalship Of
the army Is shaken. After exuting over
imaginary victories, tho English papers
have discovered suddenly that they wer"
really virtual defeats. They are con-
scious that they have no sympathy from
Continental Europe in their sorrow. This
terrible experience at the beginning Of
the war indicates also that they have
entered on n struggl" which will hr long
and enormously costly, for il is not pos
sblo that any defeat or any series ~ do
feats will lessen their determination to
carry II through nj Whatever cost. The
worse tho beginning tn" more r.solut. will
they be to continue To- tn" bitter end The
desire to obtain revenge for Maiuba IIill of
the former war with the Beers went far ~
q motive for this war, and these worse de-
fcats now are n humiliation which oven
stimulates more their determination To hc
avenged. That the mortifying failure of
British arms must he retrieved will be IN"
universal British sentiment,
As to the Beers. their victories nj the
start will give spirit to their armies and
aprestige to their cause which will tend to
strengthen them morally. and probably
materially, in South Africa. ifnot elsewhere.
They have struck tho British army the
severcst blow it has received in this gen
Grafton. So far tho glory of the South
African war is wholly theirs.