The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-10-31
oENERAL JcUBERTs PLANS.
British Alarmed As to Possible Tao
tics of Beers.

TICS OF b06rS.
New York. Oct 30.-A dispatch to the
Tribune from London, says: General
Whites force is now known to have
been strengthened by regulars and To-
cal lesies from Pietermaritzburg until
it includes fully $4,000 men, with addi-
tional battalions moving up from the
COASTS.
The objects of the British reconnois-
ssnce in force from LadysmIth is read
lily explained by military writer's for
tOday's London papers. 1t was an at
aempt to draw the Boer force, which
1Ad been twice attacked. into another
engagement before it could be heavily
reinforced from the main body under
Jaubert. General White had not sue
cee6ed in his purpose Saturday, and
while the war Office was suspected of
su9pressing important dispatches, the
situation in Natal was unchanged. BY
the scanty news received yesterday
great battle still seems imminent. since
two large Boer forces are reported near
I3dysmith, even If General White has
not made a determined attack on the
enemy's position.
General Joubert is credited by more
than one military writer with using
Fabian tactics at Ladysmith, where
General Whites force can be masked
by an army of equal strength acting
on the defensive and also with the bold
lnaneuver of overrunning Natal with
the remainder of his troops and strik-
ing at Pietermaritzburg and Durham.
II is not easy to believe that he viii
cut off his own communications with
l.aing's Neck and march to The sea, as
Sherman set from Atlanta for the coast,
and there is one sharp line Of diver
gence between the two military sltua-
1ions. Sherman knew that he would
have command of the sea when he
reached Savannah, but JOubeTt at Dur
han would be exposed to an attack from
The British fleet.
A rumor has reached London that q
considerable Boer force is moving from
Nryheil on Melmouth in Zululand.
whence the distance to Durham win
be somewhat over 100 miles; but this
IS a slender foundation for the theory
that the Beers may repeat Sherman's
strategy and make a, bold dash for the
sea. What they are more likely to do
IS TO break off the communications OF
Isadysmith with the sea by sending q
hody of raiders from the Free State
mountain passes to blow up the bridges
over the streams, which are now swoi-
Zen with the rains. When this has
been done and every wire to the coast
-s-rt Jealberts forces can be concentrate
I'd against General Whites army and
all supplies and reinforcementS for
l1adysmith be intercepted.
This is what some of the shrewdeSt
military experts are expecting.
95ut they are undertaking Cen
eral Whites vigilance and in
fet5sence and are giving the Boer
commanders more credit for strategical
skill. mobility and maneuverinS power
than has yet been displayed.
While General White is compelled to
defend Ladysnith and protect his lines
of communication with the coast, Cen
cral J0ubert can operate III any direc-
ton in Natal without being exposed to
z flank attack and without having his
retreat to Dutch territory cut off The
best explanation of General Whites
second reconnaissance in force is that
he suspects. General Joubert's intention
Of throwing a large force between him
and his coast base, and is eager to draw
The Beers into pitched battle near
Ladysmith and inflict a crushing de-
feat
There is little new respecting the
menace Of an uprising of black races
against the whites, now fighting a bat
lie for supremacy. The Basutos, who
have 60 COO warriors, are reported to be
less excited and more Indifferent 10 the
issue of the white mems warfare. It is
this black menace that sobers every
rejecting Englishman when he at
in Africa.
Little now appears in print about ma
Nal preparations. This is because the
government learned from the comments
Of the continental press shat the signs
OF unWonted activity We're exceeding
suspicious and the admiralty at once
took effective measures for preventing
a leakage of naval news. There are no
fresh rumors of Russian or French in
srigpe. and there is no probability that
any coalition viii be formed against
England or that any organized. attempt
VIII be made TO bring into operation the
arbitration machinery improvised by
The peace commissioners.
The American peace commissioners
at Paris established the principle once
for all that arbitration must precede,
l.Dt follow an outbreak Of hostilities.
This truth Is beginning TO be discerned
in every capital of the continent.
Lord Salisbury took long look ahead
before Mr.. Chamberlain and Sir Alfred
Miner opened negotiations with Presi-
dent Kruger. and it is evident that he
cleared the field for action by a secret
understanding with Germany which
would effecteally prevent European in
or complications.