New-York tribune., 1899-12-17
COMMENTS OF AMERICAN OFFICERS.
SOME OF THEM SAY THAT THE BRITISH
GENERALS ARE DEALING WITH TIRE
MENDOUs DIFFICULTIES.

ARMY officers who were seen at Governors ISL
and Yesterday and asked what they thought OF
British generalshp in South Africa did not copdemn
It unanimously. as laymcn have been doing for
time.
1T is all very we'll for people to sit in an arm
chair before wood fire at home and critlcise'
said one officer but when you're on the field the
problems which seem so easy thousand miles
away take on a very different complexion The
British generals accused OF dsregardlng canol-
nal rules OF scientific warfare Well, that Is Just
what we did before Santiago. but we got there all
the same. know OF officer named Wagner VINO
has written an excellent book on strategy and
who went through the fights before Santiago.
Why they didn't use anything in my book he
said laughngly after It was all over BY all the
rules we should have retreated down there more
than once and the Spanards said we didn't play
fair because we didn't follow out the rules Well,
we all know what happened. | don't think the
breaking Of rules did much harm And so 1t is with
the British generals in South Africa. They must
lot be judged hastily. They are dealing with
tremendous difficulties. They do not know the
country whereas the Beers know 1t by heart
think this lack OF information is at the root OF
the trouble IN the Civil War the general who
succeeded most often the one who knew most
about the enemy, and the same thing VIII De true
always II has been pretty we'll proven that the
British have little information about the people
they are fighting against or the ground they are
fighting on and you can depend upon It that this
ignorance has been OF a factor in their re-
verses than have the bad tactics Of the command
ers."
Another officer VINO asked that his name should
not be mentioned. was disposed 20 criticise the
generalship exhibited on both sides.
THE Beers are on the defensive, and that gives
them a great advantage" he said. Yet they do
not follow up their victories as they ought They
have confined themselves to cutting off reinforce
ments checking advances and repelling attacks,
and in this lack Of initiative they have erred They
ought TO deal swift sharp blows after Britisn
reverse and tear things to pieces while the BRUSH
still have few troops on the ground.
THE British have shown magnificent hghting
qualities but they have also shown a disregard OF
the first principles of marching threughoa hostile
country and that is what has caused, them TO fall
into traps and lose men.
"The stir that England Is making over these ter
ribe losses Is amusing 10 me A British general
loses per cent of his command in open battle and
a cable is sent TO England describing fearful
loss Why. in our Santiago campaign in any big
battle OF the Civil War. such as Gettysburg Chan
ceorsville, Petersburg, Chickamausa-and In bat
ties where great numbers Of men are engaged, the
losses are apt 10 be proportonatey small--n any
OF these battles, say as well as IN the big Euro
pean battles OF this century Will find the losses
ranging from II 10 20 per cent OF the total number
engaged And yet the British make, a wild outcry
OF loss of per cent 1t is ridcui9Ys-9i