The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-12-16
AL ENG[ADIS appalled,
1t LATEST BRITISH REVERSE
British, With 100000 Men, Unable to Suppress
Handful of Fighting Beers Under
the Willy De Wet

LONDON, Dec 15.-The astounding and
utterly unexpected reverse of the British
at Masalicsburg, the news of which was
broken TO the nation exactly one year
after Cen Buffers defeat at Cclenso, ef-
fectually Qisposes of any hope that the
war in South Africa is nearly ended and,
completely ahated the hope that opera
tiens there were merely of a guerrilla
nature
AS Mr. Tloyd-George 01iberaD said in
the house of commons today: This is
one of the most severe reverses suffered
by the British and it is quite evident the
war will drag for many months to come.
De Wet is making England the laughing
stock OF the world. We have 100000 men
in the field, yet we are unable tc protect
ourselves from disaster at the hands of
small commanders drawn from a. pas
toral population"
The extent of the reverse and the dis
grace of such a large body OF men sur
rendering to small contingent of Beers
has created a feeling of shame and as
tonishment which finds free vent. With
somewhat cruel coincidence the North,
,umher1ands are known as the fighting
Fifth" The second battalion to which
the captured companies belong was one
of the heaviest sufferers at Stormburg
year ago. The regiment has; often been
pronounced by home and foreign critics
to be one of the finest in the British
array
Ali the forebodings and criticisms
which Colenso gave rise to a year ago
have been resurrected by the disaster at
the Magaliesburg The war office has
nothing to do but grin and bear it" and
trust to time. Until Gen. Kitcheners
forces are transformed into mounted in
fartry and. the mounted police get to
work Mr.. Broderick sees little hope Of
Improvement in the military situation
But, whoever was responsible for the
surrender at the MagaieSburg is likely
to suffer, fer the new war office officials
are determined to make examples of ge2.
erals or any other officers guilty Of such
gross miSmanagement or worse, which II
seems must have occurred at this last de-
feat. The stern attitude on the part Of
the authorities, however, by no means
decreases. the Scorn and ignominy VITA
which certain Liberal members of par
lament, who are avowedIy pleased with
the Boer successes, are regarded by the
major part Of the community. at a pro
T Boer. meeting on Friday, at which Leon.
ard Courtney presided, Lord I<itchener's 's
name was greeted with cries of ''Villain!''
"Butcher!' "Beast!' while mention OF
Stegn' and DeWet ELECTED loud cheers.
LIBERALS UNPOPULAR.
The Pail Mall Gazette today editorially
ooSldItS mat SUCH NeH as CouIlHeiy
Bryn- Roberts and Lloyd-George ought tc
be put III Coventry,. and be not4spoke1
TO, by any self-respecting Engiishman
The ,eXpedient, seYere as 1t is, is likely Il
meet with approval in all quarters, hot
excluding the moderate Liberal Journals
Sir Henry Campbell l-Bannerman the
Liberal leader in the house of commons
does not escape criticism for tacitIy- per
mitting his alleged followers to take UP
such an avowedly anti-Brit.sh attitude
CANAL IS FORGOTTEN
In view of events in South Africa, it is
scarcely surprising that the public re-
fuses to be cajoled into taking burning
interest in the Nicaraguan canal in spite
of the special American cable dispatches
which broke the records for length and