Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-02-02
Daily kennebec Journal.
SHARP QUESTIONS
Asked the Government in the
English Parliament.
More Skill Shown in Parrying Them
Than in Conducting War.
Liberals Lose Ground by Opposition 10 Speech
from the Throne.

| Commons. today, the government par
| ried most Of the question in regard to
the war in South Africa Mr. George
Wyndham, the parliamentary under
secretary of state for war, maintain
| Cd that the information furnished by
| the intelligence department was gener-
| ally accurate and he added that infor-
| nation in regard to the forces remain
| il in the United Kingdom would be
| included in the statement which the
| would shortly make. Relative to the
| speech made by Gen. Lord Wolsley,
| explaining the British revcrses in
| South Africa. Mr.. Wyndham said that
| Gen. Wolsley merely intended to con-
| vey the impression that the military
qualities shown by the Beers We're of a
higher order than had been antici-
patcd. At this remark the Irish menu
bers cheered.
Asked if he had any war news to
| communicate to the House. Mr.. \. j..
| Baltour. the government leader. re-
| Piled in the negative. MI Balfour in
| answer to another question, said that
while the military operations We're pro-
| ceeding he could not answer any in
| quyy as To the slaughter III the High
! llnders at Magcrsfontein.
| Regarding the dispatches of Mai
| Cen Sir VIM. Francis Butler. Who was
| in command Of tins British troops i'll
South Africa. until August. 1899 when
he was relieved by Lieut. Gen. Sir
| Frederick William Foges rier-W Walker, il
! being intimated that Gen. Buffers SYM
pathies We're in favor az the Beers, Mr..
| Ralfour said that there was no reason
! to present them To the House. Gen.
| Buffers opinion on South African af
| fairs he added. was well known. The
general had never suggested to the war
office. either publicly or privately, that
the number of troops required would
| be anything like the number actually
sent
| In regard 10 the suggestion that In
| dian troops should have been used in
South Africa, the House, Mr.. Balfour
said, would understand the impossible
| ity Of this.
Replying to questions relating to the
| letters of Mr.. r. F. Hawkesley. coun-
sci for the British South African Co,
! and other letters published by the
| Correspondence Beige. the secretary Of
state for the colonies, Mr.. Chamber
| lain. admitted that those Of which he
had personal knowledge We're publish
ed substantially correctly. The letters,
| he added We're stolen from Mr..
Hawkesley's Office by a clerk who was
summarily dismissed in 1897. MI
| Chamberlain declared that he was only
| aware Of the existence Of the letters
few days before they We're published.
| Mr. Balfour, replying to another
question by Mr.. John Gordon Swift
| MacNeiH. Nationalist. in regard to the
letters published by the Independence
Beige and what the government propos
| ed to do when the cabinet ministers
| We're "delibera tely charged with per
sonal dishonor and public falsehood"
said that, according to his view Of the
ease such accusations ought to be
| treated with contempt
| Sir Charles Dixie. Advanced Radical re-
stunned the debate on Lord Edmund Fitz-
maurice's amendment to the address in
reply to the speech from the throne He
said he thought no one could deny that
the net result had been to kill the belief
Of the world in Great Britain's ability to
conduct war The country's military
| reputation. he added was never lower.
and even now the government failed u
| grasp the seriousness III the war.
Mr.. George Wyndham, parliamentary
| secretary Iur the war office. who fol
| lowed. admitted that the war office had
not not been impregnable but he argued
that thc government had done its best,
| considering the limitations Of the mill
| tIry system, ana welcomed criticism, as
thc country would thus be enabled y
turn Y" hrst account thu tide Of patriot
| ism ANA Ihr lessons WI tnr war. If the
government mad done wrong. he contin-
urd. II hid done il with right motives.
Thr TWO cardinal points in the campaign
w i.., firstly y ,dr-irc ~ give. diplomacy 4
rhHi secondly. inc decision ol Zen.
Butler M relieve Iadysmith. 1t must not
III supposed that he criticized Gen. But
itr decision. Gau. Butler was On thc
, @p"t ana could doubtless explain hls as
MN. ~ WA t1sE w conceive other us
aSterS which might have occurred along
another itnt Of advance. They might haNt
had Il universal ris, of the cape Dutch,
Mr. NEEdham deplored the amendment.
which, he asserted would be 'misundef-
stood by thr continental critics. bN our
FELLOW subjects in Natal ana by our kin9-
.ntA II America who are Watching III
lclssitudes Of the struggle.
rs regards the forces engaged. Nh.
WEndhdm said that exclusive Of the Sth
Division ana the 4th Cavalry Brigade,
Great Britain had $4,000 foot ana drth
ieFN "a" cavalry. 3G siege guns. y naNai
suns. 81 hoUitzcrs. a batteries q h"rs'
| artli.ctF ana "a field guns, whlle me Colil
! hin"d forces Of the Two republics We're
estimated, IN 1893. at 59.ooo men. ,....
Mr Wyndham also said ne Would ndNf
| mean, in order that the war might pc
brought t. the only possible con 5dFsIc.s
|
! bc put Oh i sound footing.
Sir Edward Grey, Liberal. member 10y
BerWiC k-0n-TWeed. after some fufther ut
hate. said he recognized that the speech
If Mr. Wyndham was one when gay
greater strength to the Soyernment any
had done something to lift the gloom thdt
had fallen on the country ,r
There are differences of opinion AMONG
the opposition" he continued, but the
amendment is not intended % cover those
differences We cannot withhold cenSure
for what is past: but we are prepared 70
give our government our support IN the
future and are prepared to help in prose
citing Tho war to the end. The dominat-
ing object Of the government policy II
equality Of rights for the white races II
south Africa and next in point or I'M
nortance TO see that never again shall IL
he nnssible for vast arsenal to be
formed there under other control than
hat Of Great Britain. To that end the
government shall have our support
The gossip in the lobbies. tonight, indi-
Gates y belief that Sir Henry Campbell
Rannerman's support OF the amendment
to the address has landed him in tight
Mace The amendment as a party move
"a unite all sections of Liberals has
faiIed 1t has only resulted in rally1nG
ihn supporters Of the government, VINO
had been considerably embarrassed by
nrtticisms even on their own side. More