, 1900-01-10
ARMIES RESTING
ARMIES OF ENGLAND AND TRANS
VAAL RESTING IN AFRICAN
WAR FIELDS.
Big Battle Will Probably Follow
Mistakes of Leaders-Cost of
Whites Victory Not Learned-A
Feeling OF Discomfort Manifest in
London,

London, Jan. 10.-Again there is a
dearth of news, and since Saturday
temporary peace seems to have de-
scended on the various fields of war.
General French has made TeconnOis-
sance toward Achtertang, which lies on
the east of Co,esberg, making the Bo-
ers retire. General Gatacre gives no
sign, and General Methuen's force is
still lying intrenched on Modder river.
No further news of General Whites
victory has come through, and it is
yet to be learned as what cost it was
purchased by the garrison.
From Colenso comes the intelligence
of General Buffers demonstration on
Saturday, which emphasizes the fact
that the Beers are conducting their
campaign with great cunning and
skill.
When, with the faint hope of draw
ing off some of the Beers from an at
tack on Ladysmith, General Clery led
out a strong force of cavalry and guns,
iilS l'AN having DO TO obJtNtiNo
kop and his right Hiangwana noun
tains, the Beers refused to disclose
their strength. They evidently were
in their trenches and in CoIenso itself,
but though both brigades advanced
well up to positions where a battle had
ragged most fiercely more than three
weeks ago, there was no animated re-
Spouse to the British challenge. Even
when the artillery came within 1000
yards of the Boer rifles and General
Clery himself rode close to the Tuge-
la the trenches remained silent.
The interest in the attack on Lady
smith has been so absorbing that very
little comment has been heard upon
certain phrases of the conduct of the
British campaign, which has been
shown in all its glaring faults in the
full descriptions of the battles of
Stormberg, Magersfontein and Colen-
SO, which reached England through
the mails this week.
Since their publication a vague feel
ing of discomfort over the British gen.
erals tactics mas developed into out
spoken condemnation. When we read
that men in close formation were led
into a trap-as happened to the High
land grigade at Magersfontein, by ord
er of the commanding general in spite
of the protests OF the general COM
handing the brigade-or hat the Bo-
er positions south Of the river had not
been discovered, or that an important
elevation vas taken and not retained
owing to wan of supporu-both Of
which incidents occurred in action on
the Tugela-that the night march was
responsible for catastrophe at Storm
berg, and again in the case of the Suf-
folk regiment, at Colesberg-it is not
surprising that the public is asking
why a policy of such well-known dan
ger has been tried so often in this cam
paign.
The correspondent of the Globe, de-
scribing the battle Of Magersfontein,
says: 1T is useless to disguise the
fact that n large percentage of our
troops are beginning to lose heart in
this campaign. The close succession Of
frontal attacks on an invisible foe, Sc
curely entrenched, may well, shake the
nerve of the bravest. Our men fought
well, but they have been asked to per-
form miracles. The Highland brigade
marched, by orders Of the general com
handing, to its doom, almost falling
into the Boer trenches. Wauchope's
last words were:
For Gods sake, men, do not blame
me for this"
The Daily News correspondent says
of Stormberg disaster: THE men were
marching at ease in fours, with their
rifles under their arms, when without
the slightest warning, a murderous fire
was poured into them from long range.
So sudden and unexpected was the
flank attack, that the line was broken
up in confusion, and the general at
once gave order, make for cover
In this connection there was a well
defined report in circulation last night
that n general o commanding in
South Africa will shortly be suppressed
ed.
Another storm is brewing that is
likely to break over the heads OF the
transport authorities.
Reinforcements are urgently needed
in every direction in South Africa, yet
three batteries and four b~attalions
which should have embarked several
days ago are still waiting for ships.