The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-02-04
ENGLAyB's ARMY Nv SOUTH AFRICA.
Indications That Its Actual Strength Wa
Oyerstats ed by Mr. Wyndham.

The statement made by Mr. WyndhAm, thu
Under Secretary Of State for War, in the British
House Of Commons on Thursday that the British
forces in South Africa comprised 1880 un-
mounted and 81, 800 mounted men. -iuu S6x guns,
OF which 80 are siege and IS naval guns, seems
susceptible of considerable modification whom
analysed. On Jan. 20 the total force OF regular
troops actually in South Africa and on their way
there from India and England was 10 regiments
Of cavalry, 0 batteries Of horse artillery, ~ nsld
batteries, 2 mountain batteries and IS battalions
Of infantry. Putting these different organize
tons at their full strength, they would work ous
as follows:
The Is regiments OF cavalry al 500 horses each.
which il more than some Of those in the field have.
gives 1900 electives.
The 8 batteries Of horse artillery with $50 men
and 80 horses each. give I, no men and TAO horsee-
The a field batteries with the anne compile
ments Of men and horses give 7.720 men and
$500 horses
The 2 mountain batteries with 100 men and
20 horses. or mules, each give aO men and Lev
The s. battalions Of infantry, reckoning them
at their full war strength. would give 5000 men.
but 1t is doubtful II The average effective OF the
each. This would reduce the total " $3.50 men.
The entire strength, then, Of the regular forces
WOlll0 De Dy lnc dDONo hHhlySlS otylfO hcu duo
IL, $50 horses, TO, the number OF horses, how
ever, should be added those OF the mounted in
trantry actually IN the field Whs, the num-
tainty, as no definite report Of their number hao
appeared in any account Of the forces in the field.
From the fragmentary accounts OF the forces
engaged on different occasions, they cannot be
stimated at much more than . 1000. This would
bring the mum Der up TO II, $3.50.
The total Of the colonial contngents does not
come up To more than 1000 men, with perhaps
5. 900 horses, and the local Natal and Cape Colo
NAL corps, though officially put al 20, 900, are.
from the accounts published, not much more than
half that number, probably II, 900 men with, say.
10, 900 horses. Then there are the naval brigades
numbering about 900 men altogether. their
guns being moved about by country oxen.
This would bring the fighting force up 10 about
los, liO men and %. $50 horses. The rest Of the
men and horses Of the $50, 600 men and 81, 800
horses OF which Mr.. Wyndham spoke are still
in he ali, the Eighth division, the 10, 900 yeomanry
and the 10, 900 volunteers and militia being only
in process OF organization and . large part not
even yet enrolled.
Then, out Of the force Of regulars given there
are a full squadron Of cavalry, one mountain
battery, and the strength Of more than three
effective battalions o. infantry prisoners Of Bloem-
iOnlein and Pretoria. Drafts TO ill up the va
cancies caused by death, disablement and dis
ease are on their way out from England or being
got ready. None Of the English papers a. vet
at hand has published a clear, tabulaied STATE
ment OF the various corps and organizations
actually in the field in South Africa: and II Is
quite certain that the statement Of the Under
Secretary u State for War errs by overestimats
rather than by underestimate