The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-03-08
Lord Roberts Easy Victory.

Although the British public is much elat-
ed over the latest success achieved by Lord
Roberts against the Beers. in the affair
east OF Paardeberg there is nothing in
the reports Of the engagement which have
reached us 10 impress the professional
mind with any idea that Joubert inteu ded
to make a serious stand en- his long
straddiing line OF several miles and twenty
seven kopjes. One cannot believe that a
general such as the old BOer commander
has shown himself to be. would think for a
moment OF taking broad chances of rout
and capture or detruction by attempting
TO give battle on ground where necessarily
both his hanks must be in the air The
burghers are not afraid Of work and all
the elaborate entrenching Joubert has
been doing for the past week probably was
only intended as a blind No doubt the
time gained at British expense will be
found TO have been well utilized at the
real point OF concentration farther east.
There is a hope expressed in London that
Lord Roberts may be able 20 overtake, sur
round. and capture the retreating foe who
are described as thoroughly routed and
flying precipitately- This is as much as 90
say that. IF wishes were horses then beg
CARS might ride The only command in
all Roberts army capable Of overtaking
Joubert is the mounted division Of four
. brigades under General French. We enter
tain a suspicion that the willy old Joubert
would like nothing better than to draw the
single mobile force OF his enemy away from
its immoble main body and into trap.
The hero OF Candahar is not likely to give
him such a chance.
On the whole the engagement reported
by Lord Roberts seems to have been cred
liable to the British side. French appears
to have sustained his reputation as an
able cavalry general. There is little to
be said about the tactics Of the occasion,
which were simple and clearly indicated
by the unprotected condition OF the Boer
TANKS. The event, on the whole. may
perhaps re best considered in principle as
a skirmish preliminary to a considerable
battle. For general reasons this might
be expected to take place on the line from
Abraham's KraaI to Kip Pan. which COW
ers BlOemfontein. and has been hitherto
reported as strongly defensible and in
course Of fertilization. Lord Roberts
headquarters have been advanced to Pop
lar Grove. point about twenty miles due
west Of Abraham's Kraal. IT, as we think
probable. General JoUbert has been pre-
pairing TO make a determined stand on the
line mentioned the two armies might com"
TO blows again within a day or two. Per-
haps that will depend upon the possibili-
ties OF the country. Roberts will not in
dulge in the extravaganza Of frontal at
tacks where they can ne avoided Flank
ing Is better than fighting in most cases,
as General sherman demonstrated to Gen
eral Johnston's dissatisfaction when the
former whipsawed the latter all the way
from Chattanooga TO Atlanta. Sull the
main object Of war is not so much to
march and cover territory as it is TO meet
and destroy the enemy. II is easy enough
to meet the Beers, but a prudent com
mander will not avail himself Of the op-
portunity when they are in a position to
do most of the destruction.
One OF the London dispatches this morn
ing stated that the Dutch rising in the
northwest Of Cape Colony was the single
cloud on the British horizon today. This
was rather an exaggerated statement of
the situation. Just how serious the rebll-
lion may prove il is impossible to predict
at this time and distance from the scene;
ut it rS"resents a grave and persistent