Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-01-01
Recent Reverses in South Africa Has
Hurt English Pride
READY TO ACCEPT ANY HELP NOW
Hope of the Empire Now Rests on
Roberts.
VAR LOSSES COM RED



LONDON. December ~. 1899
The ut VS. of Gen. Buffers defeat came as
q crushing blow to the English people.
EuIIcr MAS their hope and their stay. CAT
acre and Nethuen ouidone by the willy
I:',-r. ant. then to can the climax. Butler.
the sstute. silent Butler. was unable to cope
WITH the peaceful farmer These tidlpgs
AMI the realization of what they meant
awakened Britain at last from her calm
nSc of superiority, and she is now push
ing ahead with full determine ton to re-
rri"vc lost ground and lost time. Not
every Englishman is yet convinced that
there are people in the world who near
Is good az himself. for on Sunday last,
when Canon Gore. the well-known preach
~ at Westminster Abbey. in a sermon on
The war declared that the reverses suffer-
I'll i'll South Africa Were Il Divine rebukc to
national arrogance. many persons got up
and left the church a protest. 1t is i'm
possible not to sympathize with our friends
IN England and l know many Ameri, ans
living here who felt last Saturday
though their own country had suffered
raiImity. but | maintain that the r"verses
Will ne good thing for England if they
in wen ii slight degree cure her Of two
tstults-inSuff cradle superiority and con-
tempt for her colonial subjects. She is fast
getting over the latter complaint. for the
splendid patriotism shown by her colonies
Appeals I" her most fnrcibly at the present
rriSi=. At first the war office grudgingIy
accepted the spontaneous offers from Can
1da and Australia. more in spirit of
showing the world the sOlidity of the Brit
I<h empire than for thc real service the.
colonial troops would be. Now however ii
has hccoInc evident that irregular troops of
men used t" the saddle and the gun will
i..- tI,,- most valuable material possible for
south African hghtinS-
Country Has Walked Up.
=" the country has walked up and Al huge
we've at enthusiasm is going over it.
Th'. extraordinary enthusiasm with which
the Invitation of the government To- the
y,"maury and the volunteers has been re-
Sp"Jd.d to in every part of the country.
ILnG"h it has excited no surprise, has
c:'IJ-'d profound qualification. 1t is felt
That the public spirit which is now seen to
animate all classes of the community must
have an excellent effect on opinion abroad.
vh"r" the idea has been too long enter
tair'd that the nation of ShopkeepcrS.'
While prepared to subscribe to Mansion
ii,'u$.- funds or to send out ShipluadS of
'f.itUTt. comforts to its ''mtrCcuari-S''
fighting in South Africa. would shrink from
III" t.~t Of personal service and The sacri-
Iir"> u hiyh that service must involve.
The difficulty Of III" authorities at the
war ..ffice is not to obtain sufficient men.
but |" select among tn many thousands
no are eager to serve only thn~" who are
most efficient 1t is certain tf!at only Il
Omitted humber uf volunteers will L.. sent
to South Africa. but those who arr, en-
played garrison duty in England will
u'.nc thu less Ire serving their country be-
cause they are 3ebarTed the excitement Of
active service the field The demand
fur tht- enrolment If Il still larger num-
heT Of volunteers in Natal and Cape Colony
continues to b. made every hand. and
oil coioLiStS are coming forward i'll shoals
1" bear their testimony to the abundance
ri excellent material which still remains
UEutiiizei and To the opportunities of which
the military authorities have not awaited
TN mSclYcS of increasing the number of
mounted infantTy-the arm in which the
greatest weakness lies. ! have made in
puiritS to the reason why more mounted
volunteers have not been enrolled i'll South
Africa. and find that i'll view of the mixed
character of the population and the wide
SIread sympathy of the Dutch Afrikanders
for the republics it felt to he a very
difficult task to insure the eniStmen Of
none but men on whose loyalty absolute
reliance could be placed There have been
instances in which legal volunteers at the
cape have gone over to the enemy with
all their belongings, and in CriticisinG the
authorities for their apparent supineness
This very real difficulty must not be over
looked.
Rig Force for Roberts