Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1900-02-01
\ Critical Situation.

The British have carried the war into
nth Africa but the Beers have carried
the war into British territory, and it IS
significant that the present defeat of part
of Gen. Buffers army, like other British
rcverses was accomplished by the burgh-
ers on British soil. Owing to the strict
censorship of news from South Africa
maintained by orders of the English gov
eminent it is impossible to form any
adequate conception Of the complete sig
nificance of the British disaster on the
Tuguela river, but accepting even the es-
Inmates OF the newspaper organs of the
British government the disaster to Bull
ler's forces completes a record of reverses
without parallel in English history since
the days of the American revolution.
1t is now evident that the plan of the
British campaign in South Africa centred
on the idea that the first end to be ac-
complished was the relief OF the different
cities invested by the Beers ignoring.
therefore, the military maxims laid down
by Napoleon and other famous soldiers, the
English divided their forces in South At
RIGA and despatched small armies to drive
the Beers away from Ladysmith, Kimber-
ley and Mafcklng simultaneously, instead
of concentrating their forces and overcon-
ing the different Boer armies in success
sion. The English government apparently
acted on the supposition that the surren-
dor of either of the towns beseiged to the
Beers would lead to an uprising of the
natives and have other serious effects on
loss Of any one of these towns, which have
little strategic Importance In themselves
would not have been 80 disastrous for the
British as the loss Of prestige suffered
through the series OF reverses which have
come to their arms since the beginning
of hostlites.
The greatest stress was laid upon tho
saving of Ladysmith, and accordingly the
commanderin-chief of the British forces
in South Africa was directed to devote his
attention to the task of relieving that be-
loa9uered town. After suffering various
reverses a portion of Buffers army un-
dor Gen. Warren succeeded in driving the
Eocrs from Spion Kop, ana the British
sr"med to be on the point Of realizing their
Tine Boer version OF the combat in ou, s.
ton. however, is thNt the British were
enticed TO Spon Kop and forced to leave
behind them a considerable number n,
guns as well as "A formidable list of oris.
oncrs. But however this may be. as a
result of the disaster, Gen. Butler was
constrained to withdraw his forces to the
south bank of the Tuguela river, and sur.
rcnder the advantages gained as result
Of the loss of 1900 men, the expenditure OF
an enormous quantity Of supplies and the
lapse Of much valuable time.
In forcing the British army to with.
draw from its position on the north side
OF the Tuguela river tho Beers have not
only won a substantial victory over the
enemy but they have also compassed the
failure of what the British press concedc
to have been the most serious effort oil
the present war The disastrous characte,
OF mo blow sustained by the British cause
can be inferred from the fact that variou,
London journals are already urging a
concentration of the different British ar