New-York tribune., 1900-07-15
NEWS OF TWO CAPITALS.
LONDON.
DEPRESSION OVER THE CHINESE AND
SOUTH AFRICAN SITUATIONS
DANGER OF WEAKENING INDIAN CARR
sONs-TALK OF DIssOLUTION-TFTE
FAC END OF THE SEASON


FAC END OF THE SEASON
copyright: 1900: BY The New-York Tribune
IBy cARLE To THE rEIBUSEl
London, July 14.-EngIand is drawn by a pII-
lar Of cloud. even a horror of great darkness
into another great war before the campaign in
South Africa has ended. The mystery of Peking
remains inscrutable in motive and detail and Is
unspeakable in pathOs and atrocity. Men brood
IN silence over the inevitable catastrophe the
crime of unparalleled horror in modern history
and are well nigh convinced that no foreigner
.emains in the anarchy rent capital to tell the
ghastly tale. So fragrant an outrage against
civilization cries out for reparation. and when
Europe. America and Japan moving. Eng
land cannot stand still and confess that she is
helpless and heartIess.
Two divisions have virtually been ordered from
India for a war in China fraught with danger
and intrigue India is stripped Of 5attaIions at
a time when the garrison is already too weak
and the swarms of native population are pulsat-
ing with unrest and a second campaign is en-
tered upon in which the jealousies of the Euro
pean Powers are as periIous as the blind. IN
reasoning forces Of barbarism and fanattcism.
When the end. which neither statesman nor
journalist ventures to forecast, is reached the
legations Will not have been saved nor any
punitive measure of vengeance commensurate
with the enOrriUy Of the crime enforced. nor
any adequate safeguards established against a
European conflict over the partition Of China,
nor any limitations placed upon the vast in
crease Of British responsibilities in Asia The
situation is simply appalling, when the only
adequate scheme Of vengeance for the massacre
of the legations is something impossible. like
the burning Of Peking. and when The campaign
leads up inevitably TO the partition Of the en-
pire with another India for England in Central
China
Botha's bold uanoauvres tr the Transvaal. and
the evidence that Roberts's campaign IS drag
ging in consequence OF sheer weight Of the mill
tary mechanism required for occupying large
districts of hostile and Impoverished country,
are iII-timed and almost dishearteninS- LORD
Roberts's first measure after entering Pretoria
was the clearance Of the Western TTansvaai,
so that the ground would be safe behind when
he followed Botha eastward His next step was
the concentration of forces in the northeastern
corner Of the Free state in order 10 crush and
disperse De Vets commacI0es; and TO &C
compush this purpose he was compelled 10
weaken the army of occupation at Pretoria and
TO remain on the defensive there. BOtha seized
the opportunity for a brilliant and haTassins
counterstroke by which the Western Transvaal
might be menaced and the concentric move
ment against De Wet paralyzed- RUstenburg
not captured, anu JLlI6c GllCT LldthS LdLlCtA
but NitraTs Mex was signal success, beginning
with well planned surprise and ending like
Nicholson's Mex II IS not YET clear whether
De Vets commanders can be dispersed in the
Free State without a proI0ngauOn OF guerilla
warfare for weeks or even months is il
certain that Lord Roberts can resume offensive
operations against Botha and prevent repeti-
ton Of the attacks upon isolated posts.
Criticism Of Roberts is now heard for the
first time and there is a disposition in military
circles TO censure him for allowing the small
force at NitraTs Mex 70 be isolated and over
wheImed Criticism is natural. when the West
End is divided into cIiques, with grievances OF
pet generals to redress, but it is not reasonable
Lord Roberts. not being able to offer the Beers
any terms short of unconditional surrender, is
compelled TO conquer the country district by
district, and gradually to narrow the field Cf
C. Ierations. There must be many isolated
posts and the mobile Eoer commandoes are
enabled here and there to swOOp down upon
them. The American Civil War might have been
prolonged indefinitely if Lee and Johnston, in
stead Of surrenderins when the contest was
hopeless. had divided their forces into small
bands and adopted guerilla tactics. Botha and
De Wet are brilliant guerilla leaders. and they
are making a hopeless fight with obstinate cour-
age. but ten thousand Beers must finally yield
when there are two hundred thousand against
them. enormous as are the difficulties Of trans
rort on the British side
Detailed reports OF the battle of Nitrars Mex
and the operations in the Free State contain
evidence Of the care 'essness and reckIessness OF
the British officers in arranging outpost work.
and show their failure 10 make fun use of scouts
and properly 70 protect the guns. The rank
and hle always fight Wen but the officers
are not alert and equal TO campaign with a
vigilant and mobile foe Among Tie generals
there are clearly many heartburniags and jeal-
ousies which find expression in private letters
home. and are reflected in the censorious talk
Of social sets and barrack cabals-
To these feuds and coIIapses are added the
vexatious problems Of transport. OF which the
critics among the smart sets know nothing.
First came the necessity of feeding a great
army in country barely able 10 support the
families of the burghers; then followed the
breakdown of horses, the failure OF the medical
service when the hospitals We're filed with fever
patients. the lack of warm clothing for a
winter campaign. and. finally. the wearing out