New-York tribune., 1900-04-22

honor the splendid bravery and self-sacrifce OF
these rude untutored tillers Of the SOIL nave
once as lay a prisoner in a rocky ravine, all
through the hot afternoon: l heard the rifles snap
watched the Beers they moved from cover 70
cover one here one there t ntoe tu' R te U tIIrai
fortress a group of eight; 50 they were placed as
far as my eye could reach. The British force l
could not see at all They were out on the ve-dt,
and the kopies MD them from me; but / could hear
the regular and ripple OF their disciplined vol
Of the Beers, could anticipate the sound .,
They watched officers. and when the signal
to fire was given they dropped behind cover with
hit. Then. when the ieaden hail had ceased to
fail upon the rocks, they sprang out again and
gunueTs seemed to locate them and the shells came
through the air snarling savagey as leopaFds snar
many of the Beers, wounding manning or killing
them; yet they held their positions with indomita-
Bile pluck those who not hit leaping out, re-
gardess Of personal danger, to pick UP those who
were wounded They We're q strange, motley % looh-
ing crowd, dressed in all kinds of common farming
apparel Just such d c[oWQ crow aS I oms y "PC 20 Sc - ~
a far inland shearIng shed IN AustraIla DqI no mn
with mans heart IN MS poHy couIu le!p ddInlr-
TO the cause for which they were risiling their
one sight saw which will stay with me while
memory lasts They had placed me under wagon,
oehe{m ar mas mas 6ro1@6t Ui two WouDded men one
a of fifty, hard old veteran with
complexion as dark as a Ne7,-Zeaand Maori. The
beard that framed his rugged face was three
fourths gray; his hands We're as rough and knotted
He looked what he was-a Boer Of mixed Dutch
life His father descended from one OF the old
Dutch families who had emIgrated to South Africa
IL SeatgL oL LEit-'''s ir.,se m II 1Iis ,,otber bai
come in an unbroken line from of the noble
5aL-s of the terrible persecution of the Hueuenots
He himself had been many things-hunter trader.
farmer and lighting man. He had fought against
the natives, and he had fought against our peo-
pie. The younger man was his son. tall. fair
fellow scarcely more than STRIPPING. and | had
no need oe a prophet 70 tell that his very hours
We're numbered Both men had been wounded by
one OF our shells and IT pitiful to watch them
of the younger in loving clasp. while with his
gestures thar were Infinitely pathetic Just
the stars were coming out that night between
tho clouds that loated the Boer boy
Watches of that mournfuI darkness the father Law
his own wounds must have been dreadful. but I
the dawning they came to take the dead boy from
his grizzled lips 10 the cold lace ana then turned
his gray beard to the hard earth and made no fur
Their sign.
CRITICISMS OF BRITISH GENERALS.
British officer writing IN To-day" of vaal
Krantz, says:
! do not know if it is OF any use TO descant al
ways the shortcomings Of Our generals. but they
are brought nome to Us 50 constantly by bitter eN-
minds. ana W., cannot but resent the oostnacy OF
the War Office authorities, who dehat-aley allow
promotion by social influence and backst;,irs in
disasters The General who led his brigade in
mass OF quarter column under ne enemy 5 suns
at Coenso Is stiIl in command of tAat brigade ana
there has been voice raised IN ENGLAND against
such stupendous loIIy tlNt HuuCIeu dtu NJ l
lost on that occasion. but because the irish
Brigade stood it did not attract public atten-
ton. The Highlanders at Magersfonteln, under
greater loss. retreated three times from Jhe
held and all England clamored for the superse--
sion of the responsible person. Since then General
Hart has lost no opportunity OF repeating ms Oh
fence. he even attributed the i'll success OF the day
the fact that the battalions were aiterward eS-
tended TO single instead or douDle rank, ana cen
sured commanding officers for having saved an
personal command of the York and Lancaster ana
the south Lanca shire regiments. and ordered
F+i,fla bavorTr cbarc-e an an enemy nearly fifteen
hundred yards away. This attracted 5ucE heaNY
Are that The two regiments sought shelter and de-
riined 10 follow their officers another ward. The
Irish Brigade had 10 be called to the rescue and
naEsed through the prostrate line No one has any
95I 7inra m in General Hart's leadership ana every
officer and man. from General Butler down, is
9u-ora of his inconpetency Nearly half of his
5StIt % -, i-iiIsI rt vvounded. neither the
TIiPhIard nor any other brigade has suffered in
ANYTHING like the same proportion; the Innisklling
VII VII ei ~ an muster only fys officers A few more
rI,i ie,ier of men No latitude is given TO even
vqy-s keen AS he saws tight grip on his brigade
[ybrb means discomfort ana annoyance f. peace
As an example OF the extremes 20 which this pol-
lev is carried VIII give one instance alonS many
"a ftcr the battle of Spon Kop the troops who had
% r- -. 80, - . Sarjshio were nar,lralIv ~omev hat
march covering the rear Of the retreafinC army
CsreraI RulIer darifed ft was necessary that they
IN the morning and the men lav out In the all
dav In the afternoon General Hart was of the
opinion that the camp might be within range of the
enemy pig guns ena aeeioSa 20 ti PIIgn Gnp am tb q
ground to the commanding officers and directing
them TO move their battalions the place. ne