The record-union., 1899-10-30
SITUATION AT lADYSMITH.
WHAT CRITICS THINK WILL BE
JOUBERTS TACTICS.
He May Surround Ladysmith, Blow
UP Bridges and Prevent
Help Arriving.

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 local levies from Pietermaritzburg
until it includes fully $4,000 men, with
additional battalions moving up from
the coast.
The object of the British reconnois-
sance in force from LadySmith is
readily explained by military writer's
for to-days London papers. 1t was
an attempt to draw the Boer force,
which had been twice attacked, into
another engagement before it could be
heavily reinforced from the main body
under Joubert. General White had
not succeeded in his purpose Saturday
and while the War Office was suspect
ed Of suppressing important dispatches,
the situation in Natal was unchanged.
BY the scanty news received yeSter-
day a great battle still seems immi-
nent, since two large Boer forces a,
reported near Ladysmith even if Gen
e1al White has not made determined
attack ON the enemy's position.
General Joubert is credited by more
than one military authority 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
maneuver of overrunning Natal with
the remainder of his troops and striking
at Pietermaritzburg and Durham. 1t
is not easy to believe that he will cut
off his own communication with Laings
Mol nd
set out from Atlanta for the coast, and
there is one sharp line of divergence
between the two military situations.
Sherman knew that he would have
command of the sea when he reached
Savannah, but Joubert at Dutban
would be exposed to an attack from the
British fleet.
rumor has reached London that a
considerable Boer force is moving from
Fryheid on Melmoth, in Zululand,
whence the distance to Durham would
be something over hundred miles; but
this is a slender foundation for the
theory that the Beers may repeat Sher-
mans strategy and make a bold dash
for the sea What they are more like
ly to do is to break off the commune
cations of I4adysmith with the sea by
sending a body of raiders from the
Free State mountain passes to blow up
the Drldges over the streams, which are
now swollen with the rains When
| this has been done and every wire to
the coast cut, Joubert'S forces can be
concentrated against General Whites
army and all supplies and reinforce
ments for Ladysmith be intercepted
ms is what some of the shreWdest
military experts are expecting But
they are undertaking General Whites
vigilance and intelligence and are Civ
ing the Boer commanders more credit
for strategical skill, mobility and ma
neuVering power than has yet been dis
played. While General White is COM
PEELED to defend Ladysmith and pro-
tect his lines of communication with
the coast, General Joubert can operate
in any direction in Natal without being
exposed to flank attack and without
| having his retreat to Dutch territory
cut OFF. The best explanation of Gen
eral Whites second reconnaissance in
force is that he suspects General Jou-
| bert's intention of throwing a large
force between him and the coast base:
Is eager TO draw the Beers into a pitch
a
crushing defeat,
Ihere Is little new respecting the
menace of an uprising of black races
against the whites. The Basutos. who
nave $4,000 warriors, are reported to
be less excited and more Indifferent to
the issue of the white mems warfare.
| 1t is this black menace that sobers
/ every rejecting Englishman when he
attempts to forecast the chances of war
in Africa
| Little now appears in print about
| naval preparations. This is because
! the Government learned from the COM
ments of the Continental press that
the signs of unwonted activity were
exceeding suspicious, and the Admiral
" at once took on measures for pre-
| venting leakage of naval news. There
! are no fresh rumorS of Russian or
French intrigue, and there is no prob
1 abllity that any coalition will be formed
against England or that organized at
/ tempt will be made to bring into oper-
| alton the arbitration machinery i'm
/ provised by the Peace Commissioners.
Inc American Peace Commissioners at
Parls established the principle once that
aroltration must precede, not follow. an
outbreak Of hostilities This truth is
| beginning to be discerned in every cap
| ltal of the Continent.
Lord Salisbury took a long look ahead
pefore 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 effectually prevent European in
reference or complications.