The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-12-31

Maj Gen. Sir Henry CoiviiIs. who has
been invited to resign from the British
army on account OF the blunders which he
made while In South Africa. has declined
to obey the request OF the war office. and
has demanded a court-martial. He says
he does not propose to be the scapegoat
Of the army. The principal feature OF the
defense which he Is apparently about TO
make IL that he was not alone In his blum
ders but that there were others what
ever merit there may be In the other
heads or his defense. and whether or not
this particular fact will tend In any meas
ure to exculpate him. II certainly must
be admitted that he Is right IN this part
Of his statement. There were plenty of
biunders committed by the British gen.
Gratis IN South Africa. and there were
many Of them which were far more dis
sstrous than the single one for which II
is contemplated 10 punish Gen. Colvile.
In fact. when IL comes TO question Of
bIunders. they commenced long before the
actsaI outbreak Of hostilities. and the war
department itself was In measure respon-s
sible for the worst Of them.
II there u TO be full inquiry into the
conduct OF the war In South Africa. as
will probably he the case soon or late.
possibly as the outcome OF the court-mar-
tiai which Gen. Coiviiie has demanded.
that inquiry might start on with the at
tempt 10 and out who was responsible for
the selection OF Ladysmith as the depot
for vast amount OF stores. ana as ths
strategic point for the British defence of
Natal from the Boer invasion which was
certain 10 follow the outbreak OF hostllI-
ties. All military critics Of the war agree
that fadysmith was good base for Of
fensive operations but an extremely bad
one for defensive The frontiers OF the
Free State and the Trsnsvaal. as pointed
out BY Spencer Wilkinson. In a recent ar
ticle IA the Monthly Review. form three
sides % an equiiaterai triangle. Of which
the third side corresponds to the course
Of the upper Tugela river. The natural
polnt Of iunctnre % two armies advane-
Ing, the one from the Free State and the
other from The Trsusvaal was at Lady
smith. The retention Of t.adysmith ss a
defensive point by the British WAS STRAIT
egic blunder because II vas exposed to
an snvsiopins stack, 20 the loss OF tee
communications, and 10 Investment. an
n which a. should have been foreseen.
followed Inevitably
We, IL is evident that Sir George white
was nos responsible Tor the selection o.
Isaysmiih as defensive point Ga his
Arrival a, Na,ai he found srsas aepo,
Of military stores existing al that place.
II was NOT practicable to remove those
stores 90 a point south Of the Tuxeia. lie
was forcee to choose between destroying
these stores ana falling beck 10 a stronger
position. or 10 accept investment at Lady
smith, VERY great soldier might have
taken the first alternative. Almost any
other general o, good splri, and courage
would have done as white ala, and re-
NAMED
Here Was ths initial blnndsr OF the
campaign. aud beside IT an the others
were slight Had strong defensive po-
sitien south Of the ragcla been taken up.
/ Butler would not have been forced to d.
I vide his force and advance along two
lines. one towards Ladysmlth. the other
1 towards Kimberley. White could have
held the Beers from invading Natal. and
| kept open his line Of communication with