New-York tribune., 1900-01-31
REVIEW OF THE SITUATION.
ADVANCE THROUGH CAPE COLONY MEANS
PROLONGING THE WAR.

London, jan dispenser Wilkinson review
ing the military situation in The Morning
Post" says:
There is again a remarkable scarcity of in
formation about what is taking place In the
theatre Of There must be more than one
hundred war correspondents at the front, but
they kept silent
The column under General Kelly Kenny has
occupied Thebus, about ninety miles by rail-
way from Colesberg, where General French is
Stormberg Junction. where the Beers opposed
TO General Gatacre are believed to be- The
strength of General Kelly-Kenny's column is not
told. but as that officer commands the Sixth
Division the whole Of which has reached Cape
Town. and there is no word of any part of it
having gone TO Natal the probability is that the
column is identical with the division.
At any rate it is to be hoped that this is the
case and that the last has been heard of break
ing up divisions into fragments. The dispatch
of this column, if, must be presumed it is
strong enough for independent operations, por
tends great deal.
In the first place, it means that the campaign
in Natal is to be left to take Of itself, for
If the Sixth Division is at Thebus there is no
other force at Cape Town capable of turning
the balance in Natal. Ladysmith, then, is not
to be relieved. Its garrison must hold out
long as possible, or make desperate attempt
to fight It's way out, unless, indeed General Bull
Ter, with such forces as he has, tries third time
to drive back the Boer army
This decision implies that the will be
prolonged and that the Beers are to be given
time to push their advantage in Natal. They
and to take the offensive against General Butler,
whose army they would in that case. perhaps,
be able to hold by putting several parts Of their
own more mobile force in positions on his front,
hanks and General Butler would keep
them occupied long his supplies and am
nunition lasted.
During these operations the British forces in
Cape Colony and the reinforcements on the way
would be collected into army to march
through the Free State. II that march could
be rapid enough to produce an effect on the
mind of the Boer commander in chief while
General Buffers force is still occupying him. the
plan mfsht lead to decisive result. but there
can hardly be a start for another month, and a
march through the Free State must take
month at least It is not easy to foresee what
happen in Natal by the end of March.
Meanwhile the mission of General Kelly
Kenny does not altogether explain itself. 1t
seems a little strange that the column
should not first have been sent to the assistance
of General French. who has hemmed in force
of Beers, but finds them reinforced from the
north. Anything like a division added to Gen
eral French's force ought to enable him to de-
stroy the Boer forces with which he is dealing
by completing his circle around them, and then
gradually closing 1t in upon them.
The formation Of fresh column while this
kind of concentration possible looks like a
continuation Of the old policy of dispersion in
stead of concentration. General Kelly Kenny
will have to mend the railway bridge at Steyns-
burg he moves eastward, and his advance
continues he will enter hilly and perhaps diff
cult country.