The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-12-12
LAND IN MOURNING
Britain DiSConsoIate Over CAT
acres Overwhelming Loss
At Stormberg
STOCK EXCHANGE
BADLY affected
Nation Calm in Spite of the Long
succession of Defeats in
South Africa

London, Dec. 11.-English comments
on the reverse is universally of the
most gloomy character The Times says
the disaster is more likely to be serious
politically than from a military point
OF view. The Morning Post says: AN
other Nicholson Mex, this is the most
serious reverse of the war;
The Chronicles critic remarks that it
is curious to see an experienced soldier
trusting so implicitly to his guides,
ana that his scouts and advance guard
did not inform him that he was COM
ing in close contact with the enemy,
and that the ground in front was inn
practlcable The afternoon newspapers,
ike the morning newspapers, withhold
the apportionment of blame until they
are further acquainted with the facts,
and take the reverse philosophically.
The Pail Mall Gazette remarks: 1.-THE
country's calm will again surprise the
continent. If the blow is more serious
than 1t appears, neither the crown nor
the ministry will be in danger of even
a single seditious vilifying howl in the
street. We have confidence in those
who are fighting for us and in their
directors
There is little in the story to miti-
gate the intense humiliation occasioned
by the episode, which is almost an ex-
act counterpart of the battle of Mich
olson's Mex. The war office is besieged
with anxious relatives, and the success
sive editions of the newspapers were
eagerly scanned. Men and women were
equally persistent in pleading for in
formation, but the authorities either do
not possess any or have not published
1t up to the present. The affair has
caused the most depressing influence
everywhere, not excepting the stock
exchange, where consols were at the
lowest price in many years and South
African securities slumped, not so
much on account of the military re-
verse, which is retrievable, but owing
to the profound apprehension as to its
political effect.
No great surprise would now be felt
If General Gatacre's reverse resulted in
Cape Colony becoming aflame from end
to end. Indeed, 1T is the general opin-
ion that the most serious feature of
the reverse is the probability that it
will give impetus to Dutch disloyalty
in Cape Colony where hosts of farmers
are wavering, waiting to see which will
prove the winning side. The defeat is
also serious because it will delay the
junction of Gatacre with French at
Naauwpoort. The plan was for their
combined forces to relieve the pressure
on Lord Methuen's column. Doubtless
Gatacre was the victim of treacherous
guides, but the result points also to the
absence of proper cavalry scouting.
The fact seems clear that Gatacre
was led unsuspectingly into an elabo-
rately prepared trap, and it is almost
wonderful that the disaster was no
worse, when, as correspondent says,
the force was not molested by the en-
envy until it had actually reached the
impregrable position occupied by the
Beers, when a hot fire was opened IN
expectedly upon it, Everything seemed
to have been unexpected, from the To-
cation of the enemy to his numbers and
guns while the country itself was APP
parently absolutely unknown, though
it is the very district Gatacre has been
preparing to operate in ever since his
arrival. Wonder is expressed as to how
the Beers increased their numbers at
Stormberg, which all along has been
Gatacre's immediate objective, without
his knowing of the increase. Reinforce
ments will doubtless be sent up with
all speed to make Gatacre's position
secure, but the fact that he has great
~ underestimate the strength of the
Beers opposed to him is responsible for
a feeling of considerable uneasiness as
to the immediate future of the cam
paign in that section of the country.