Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-10-28
SHOULD TAKE COVER
English Officers Criticised for Stand
ing Up Under Fire.
DIFFICULT TO CHANGE CUSTOM
British Realize the Extent of Task
to Subdue Beers.
FOREIGN NEWS AND GOSSIP

FOREIGN NEWS AND GOSSIP
LONDON, October 2S.-The large number
of British officers killed in the battles
which have already taken place in Natal
has brought out strenuous protests from
many quarters against the ancient custom
of British officers in refusing to take cover
when under fire. From figures at Glencoe
1t is apparent that one out OF every four
men killed was an officer, whereas the or
ganization exists upon the principle that
to every twenty-five men there Is one
officer. 1t Is evident that If the same ratio
of mortality is kept up the British forces
will become seriously under-officered.
Among the enlisted men at Glencoe the
proportion of killed to wounded was 80 to
1856, while ten officers were killed to TWEEN
ty-two officers wounded The difference in
the percentage leads to the conclusion that
many of the officers were hit more than
once and kept on leading their men after
the first wound
Emperor Williams recent criticism of the
British officers refusal to take cover is
now frequently quoted. The feeling in the
army itself is that though the regulations
do not say the officers must lie down, 1t
is such an old-establshed principle that it
would take a brave man to naugurate
change, and the adage of the British sol
der, Follow wherever an officer LEADS Is
held still to be intensely true, for though
the officers believe the personnel of the
army is as good as ever, it has been the
history of Great Britain that they at the
same time maintain that Tommy Atkins
needs more leading than any man in the
world, so the splling of Great Britain 5
best blood Is likely to continue for the pres
ent.
Horror ut the Loss of Life.
The proportion of the casualties as
whole has caused thrill of horror and
sympathy throughout Great Britain, for
the people now begin to realize what
fight with civilized enemy means Old
soldiers point out that at the Alma, one of
the bloodiest battles in Great Britain's an
nails, the casualties totaled only per cent,
whereas, in the recent Boer engagements,
they considerably exceed that figure.
Gen. Whites strategy and the execution
of his movements are warmly praised, and
1t is said at tho clubs that General Sir Red
vers Butler will have to hurry UP or Gen.
White will get a peerage first. Gen. White
represents the Indian element in the Brit
fsh army, and those who have served in
India have always maintained that the
commander there had more important
post than the commander-in-chief himself.
AS General Lord Roberts was considered
too old for another campaign, Gems. White,
SymOns and Hunter were sent as a sop to
the IHuldH faction, IbI tIcl. buIISE 4iiS Ill
ways been more or less antagonistic to
Gen. Roberts and his partisans.
Regarding European Intervention. Great
Britain's plans to meet such an emergency
continue. The Journal de Geneve publishes
a dispatch from Constantinople saying that
Russia intends handing the porte note
at an early date demanding the opening Of
the Bosphorous and Dardanelles. Unless
Great Britain Is party to such a demand,
Russia's action will undoubtedly stir up a
hornets nest compared with which the
TranSvaal question viii be quite insignifi-
cant.
Depressing Effect on Consols.
Such reports have a depressing effect on
consols, and, In spite of the boom in South
African securities. there is considerable I'M
easiness on the stock exchange regarding
the future action of Russia and France.
South African mine shares are no longer
referred to as "Kaffirs." They are now
called British while South Africa is op-
timstically described as mineralized
Egypt.
Russia is reported to be endeavoring to
raise a loan of go, 600, 900 in Paris, but, so
far, she has been unsuccessful.
The internal conditions of labor in Eng
land have not been improved by the war.
About 1900 Welsh miners are likely to be
thrown out of work November l by a
threatened strike of the surface engineers
and other mechanics, who are claiming
shorter hours. The negotiations on the
subject have failed and the surface men
announce thattth strike will begin the
date mentioned 1t will then be pracu-
caIly impossible for the miners to continue
underground.
Mr. Joseph H. Choate, the United States
ambassador, is enjoying a holiday at the
Duke of SutherIand's place, Trentham Hall
Society is busy. In London there has
been series of dinners and luncheons. and
the Bradley-Martins and Marlboroughs fire.
quently figure on the lists of guests
ad Dixie has J,DI Sb
on French painters, and the Duchess of
Sutherland also appears the author Of a
book dealing with the life of factory girl,
a subject she seems remarkably well ac-
quatnted with.
Peefs Silver Plate Sold.
Sir Robert Peers silver plate consisting
of valuable heiriooms, was sold at auction
this week fetching 10000
Miss Klumpke of San Francisco, to whom
Rosa Bonheur left all her large fortune,
has decided to share half of it with the
deceased painters relatives. who were dis
inherited. ALI the paintings and other val
uables left by Rosa Bonheur will. conse-
quently, be sold.
The marriage of Princess Marguerite of
Orleans to i er cousin Prince Jean of Or
leans. October 80, at Kingston, Will bring
together several royalties, among them
Princess Waldemar of Denmark the BRIDE
grooms sister and perhaps the Prince of
Joinville, grandfather of the bride, who is
eighty-one years old. 1t is reported that
the Duke of Orleans wishes the wedding to
be as quiet as possible, because he cannot
be festive when SO many Of my friends are
in prison.
st. Luke's summer" corresponding with
the American Indian summer" favored
Newmarket this week, where the Prince of
Wales, the Duke and Duchess of York the
Duke Of Cambridge. Mr.. Leopold de Rotns-
child, Lady Georgiana Curzon Baron Rus
sell of Killoweu and Lady Russell and MANY
lingering Americans watched the phenom-
email recuperation Of American jockeyship.
The fact that on Wednesday the American
Jockeys won four out of seven races and
secured places in four events and Thurs
day won four out of five results has given
Great Britain another surprise CurIously
enough, this success comes after Riley
Grammar and other Americans have re-
turned to the United States, disguised with
Tod Sloans series of losses.