The sun., 1900-04-18
ROBERTS BLAMFS BULLER.
ALSO CRITgCISES GEN. WARREN FOR
THE FAILURES ~ NATAL

S,.c,o, cab,s Dsspdirh to THE Sr"S

Recall Looked For -Boers Stiil at Wenener.
Spscta, Cabs Dstodirh to THE Sr'N
LONDON, April 1.-THE ONcldI Gazette con-
! tains Gen. BullerI desnatches describing the
events OF Jan II and Jan, Is. Gen. Warren's
| report on the battle Of Spion Kop and Gen.
Roberts's comments thorson. Gen. Roberts
| severely criticisAs Gen Warren. Major Thorney-
| croft and Gen Butler. His concluding words
| are:
Whatever faults Gen. Warren may have
| committed the failure must be ascribed TO the
disnclinaton of the off'rer In supreme COM
mand to assert his authority and see that what
| he thought best was done. and also to the un-
| warrantable and needless assumption OF re-
sponsibility by a subordinate officer
The last words refer to Major Thornsycrofts
| order for the withdrawal OF the British from
Spion Kop. Gen. Roberts adds
The attempt to relieve Ladysmith described
| In these dispatches was we'll devised agree
with Gen. Butler in thinking IT ought to nave
| succeeded. The failure was due in some meas
| ure to the difficulties OF the ground. the COM
mandlng positions the enemy held, and proba-
! bly, also 10 errors of judgment and want OF ad-
ministratlve ca pacity on the part OF Gen War
| rem"
Gen Butler says he thinks Major Thorney
croft exercised wise discretion. since the
preparations for the second days defence had
not been organized during the dav or COM
| menccd at nightfall.
| LONDON April lS.-Al the news of present
happenings In South Africa has been eclipsed
| bv the publication OF important d"s-
matches in which Gen. Butler and
! Gen. Warren mutually recrimlnatr and
! Gen Roberts censures both That It
| was Gen Roberts's function to crltlcse their
! operations Is unQuestouef. hut that the
! MARQUIS Of Iansdowne Secretary OF state Tor
| War, presumably with the Governments con-
sent. should have seen III 10 make the criticism
public while the officers affected are still con-
trolling troops in the field causes ama2ement
The censure and the publicity given 20 il are
generally interpreted to signify that unless
Gems. Butler and Warren voluntarily retire
they will share Gen. Gatacre's fate. The STRIFE
lures on Major Thorncyrroit as a subor Innate
will naturally excite less sensation. The re-
.ponsiblity for his appointment to command
at the top Of Spon Kor. despite his being a
colonial officer OF limited experience. IL Gen.
| Buffers.
The newspapers. which all share the popular
| belief In Gen Robertss nfalliblltty DO not
question his judgment In this matter. They
treat the incident "a being Of the Rrayest con-
cern. and deplore exceedingly the painful
| revelations.
The Standard says II Soes cause for national
anxiety in the clear fact that the supreme con-
troll OF tho Nata army badly lacked precision,
forethoucht and intelligent directness Of rnr-
pose and il assumes tnat the publication
OF the ensure will be followed be fur
,her important changes in commands. The
! Standard further comments on the fact that
the stern lessons OF the early part OF the war
| hnye NOT vet beeh learned. II instances the
racent disasters in the Free state To the British
arms and In connection with these 1t seems -
launch a yelled blow AZ Gen. Roberts himsel'.
1t says:
THE Boer raids in the southern part
| OF the Free State are Officially certi-
| fed as unimportant and a. having
! interfarod in no way with the prosccu-
| ton OF the Commander Chiefs plan. Yet
we could have expect that precautions
would have been taken 10 render these un-
happy incidents impossible. lust as We were
| justified in anticipating that the first sue
cesses we obtained in the war would be
followed by something less than month of
| naction."
The paper adds that 1t fears there are fatal
| defects in the whole system OF British military
! training.
The Daily Neus says it would be difficult
70 exaggerate the effect the publi-
cation Of the dispatches will have
upon the opinion o. the country.
following as It does Immediately
upon the recall OF Gen Gatacre. 1t thinks It
will create a widespread feeling OF uneasiness
and anxiety, ami It declares that the jes-
patches are dsqueting and dlsheartening In
no ordinary degree. Referring TO the censure
! Mems thinks N
must make it most difficult for Gen.
Warren to exercise authority In the future.
and as regards Gen. Robertss criticism
OF Gen. Butler, who IS a full General.
and who has held the highest post
in the army save one. it says 1t is a
very grave and deplorable event that
he should Ne stgrnatized In q pub
lie despatch for dsinclnation to
assert his authority nt one Of the most critical
moments OF the whole campaign. 1t says in
conclusion that Gen Butler Ia man Of strong
character and great ability but It looks as II in
a pressing emergency he had failed to realize
the need for personal supervision
The Morning Post saws that the publication
OF the dispatches must have positively de-
moralizinG effect on the army in Natal unless
great changes are made In the commands.
| The changes. II necessary. ought to have
been made without a public ventilation OF
| mistakes. There Is no need to trumpet
these things to the world. The positions otthe
officers censured have been rendered unten-
able Gen Bullers resignation or recall Is
| matter OF course. The paper blames the
| Government for lack OF consideration and
generosity. and suggests that It Is shielding
itself behind Gen. Roberts.
The Telegraph. while admitting that the
dispatches are unpleasant reading and saying
that many will doubt the advsabilty Of their
pu blication at the present moment. neverthe-
less commends Gen. Roberts for speaking
without reserve and not hestating where great
national interests are concerned to wound pri-
vate suscsptibiitlss.
The Chronicle says; THE public will read the
dispatches with something like CONSERVATION.
Had the publication come at the end Of the
war It would have been bad enough. but We
are still In the middle OF an arduous
undertaking. The revelation Of disorganized
military counsels would be simply appalling
II Gen. Roberts had not changed the whole
face OF the campaign. Foreign critics will be
justified in treating Spion Kop as the culm-
mating proof OF that want ofla head which IL the
gravest defect OF our military system"
The Times thinks II Is well for the nation and
army that the censures were published with
out concealment or exaggeration. 1t rays a
| tribute to Gen. Robertss judicial impartiality
| and his wise and wholesome severity.