The Elbert County tribune., 1899-12-21
RADICAL CHANGES.
British Government Rep aces Butler WI
Roberts and Kitchener.

Brittsh Government Rep aces Buner "'"
Roberts and Kitchener.
London. Dec. 1S.--Shortly petore
midnight the following notice was post
ed mt the war office: -.
-As the campaign In Natal, Ia INT
opinion OF her majesfy's government,
Is likely to require the presence ana
undivided attention OF General Sir hen.
vers Butler. II has been decided 10 senu
Baron Robcrts OF Candahar ana wal
erford as commandcr-in-chief In south
Afrlca, with Lord Kitchener as chie'
Of staff
Upon the receipt OF General bniiei
defeat mt Colenso, the defense comnlt-
tee of the enbincf met and decided on
the following measures to strenethen
the field force in South Africa:
The Seventh division. now moboilz-
ing. will proceed at once to South Al
rica. Heavy reinforcements OF artl-
lery, including three Howitzer batter
les. will be sent out Immediately
General Roberts has been authorized
to raise local mounted corps In Soutn
Africa. and Il considerable mounteu
force from home will be sent out. Nine
battalions OF militia. In addition TO the
three which have already volunteered,
viii be asked to volunteer for foreign.
A special force OF volunteers from
the yeomanry and volunteer regiments
will be formed for South African SER
vice, and the offers of mounted men
from the colonies will be accepted
These measures should give the Brit
lsh $1,000 more men for service against
the Beers. This. including the loyal
Cape and Natal forces, Will give the
British 40. 600 additional troops Thus.
81. sstt I. in tho field Will Dt4
almost doubled. The newer levics VIII
be used mnlnly to guard the long lines
of communication. thus setting free
regular trained troops for the front.
Officers, men, arms, ammunition ana
stores are to be poured across the
ocean In volume unprecedented In
history The work thus entailed Is TO
be placed in new hands, and new
plan of campaign Will be evolved. IL
Is now known that Sir Michael hisks-
Beach. chancellor Of the exche1uer, de-
clined to grant the money necessary for
the first war preparations, and heavy
blame Is being put on him now.
The appointment OF Lord Roberts
and General Kitchener Is the most pop
ular move the government could make
to give the public encouragement. They
are universally recognized as the most
able fighting generals in the British
army. and their records certainly justi-
fy the belief that they Will be able to
bring victory out of defeat. General
Roberts is fighter admired by every
Tommy Atkins, who famlliarly call
him "Rob" Kitchener Is a master
mind Mt organization, and In the dlrec-
tion of troops they certainly ought to
make fine team.
II is said that at the same time Lord
Roberts received notice Of his appoint
ment as commander-ln-chief in Africa,
message came saying that his only son
had died of wounds received Mt Tu-
gcla river. Bowed with grief. the stern
old soldier. who now lives in Dublin,
as commander of Ireland. began max
Ing imemdiate preparations to go to
the front General Kitchener Is In
Cairo, governor general of the Soudan
but will resign from the Egyptian ser
vice Mt once. General Butler will re-
main In command of the Natal army.
1t was high time that something very
energetic was done. The British losses
In killed. wounded, prisoners and miss
ing. throughout the campaign, now
reach the enormous total Of 1850.