The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1900-02-17
SOUTH AFRICAN SITUATION.
Commenf os General schofe;d on ths
PurpJse and Extent British
OpsratiOn1.


NEW YORK, Feb. Is.-Lieutenant
General John M. schofeld. in a dispatch
to the Herald from st. Augustine, Fla,
reviews the war in South Africa as fol-
lows:
"The experience Of the British In
South Africa up TO near the present
time has been the natural result q a
lack Of preparation and previous exper-
ience and overeonhdence in Britiah
prowess. Thcy have suffered defeat in
attempting 10 do what a cool and fully
enlightened military judgment would
have decided TO BE- impossible
THE situation thus created may in
evitably lead to further losses. espec-
tally that Of the garrison Of Ladysmith.
But the worst feature Of this situation
is that It has forced upon the British
( general-ln-chief the moral necessity Of
pressing aggressive operations before
being fully prepared for them and
along very difficult line. in the hope Of
raising the siege Of Ladysmith before
the garrison may be compelled to sur
render.
But the general estimate in England
and on the continent Of Europe Of the
magnitude Of the results already
reached or probable In the near future
Is out OF all proportion 10 the facts. The
British reverses so far have been in
comparably less than those suffered
from strikingly similar causes by the
Union army in the east and BY the Con-
federate army in the west during the
early stages OF the Civil war In this
country. The present situation hardly
affords ground for conjecture as 20
what the ultnrate result will be-. From
the military standpoint of this country
the war in South Africa has only be-
gun.
In making a just estimate OF the
more recent operations OF the British
forces il is important to bear In mind
that the situation compels their com
manders to press aggressive operations
as constantly and vigorously as possl'
ble-first 10 prevent the Beers from
detaching large bodies of troops 10 OPP
pose the advance along the line chose
by Lord Roberts and, second, to take
advantage of any considerable weaken
ing of the Boer lines which the other
movement Of Lord Roberts may cause,
to break through the Boer lines and
relieve the beleaguered British garri-
sons.
Thus. it may possibly happen at any
time in the near future that Generai
Butler may find the Boer line at some
point in front too far weakened TO re-
sist his vigorous assaults. IL not, Cen
eral Buffers vigorous operations and
/ those of General Methuen on the other
flank must So OCCUPY the Beers as io
make sure Lord Roberts advance IN
an intermediate line.
strategic principles suggest that the
British operations in South Africa
should be conducted on at least three
lines. IL n fourth from Delgoa bay
were available it would be greatly tc
/ their advantage. Such a division of 4
superior force increases very greatly
/ the possibilities Of the success of som'
I one OF the three or four grand divisions
and the success of one is the success q
all
when the Union army of the west
/ after three years of hard fighting. wer,
able to march through Georgia and tht
Carolinas. destroying all the military
I resources of the Confederate army II
Virginia, the end necessarily came, II
spite of the fact that the Confederate
army of Northern Virginia had beer
able TO defend Richmond nearly foul
years. Yet the Army of the Potomac
though il made little progress IN al
that time performed the most heroic
and difficult task of all by holding the
most formidable Of the Confederate
armies while the western Union armies
did their deadly work.
! $50 General Fuller may yet perform
the most important British service In
South Africa BY holding the Beers
along the line OF the Tugela river until
Lord Roberts penstrates into the heart
of Boer territory. In the meantime
whether the troops at Ladysmith are
able 10 hold out to the end or must
surrender before they can be relieved
the course Of General Butler must be
the same. He must press his opera
tions there to hold the Beers, while
Lord Roberts advances on the otheI
/ line.
I "Of the Peers. the information re-
4 ceiVed in this country. though meager
appears to Justify us in saving that
their operations have been conducted
with considerable skin and courage. A
long time may be required to determine
which side Is most powerful.
4 "lTnless our British and Dutch cous-
ins on the other side of the Atlantic are
/ degenerate, our own Civil war must be
accepted as a fair Indication Of what
/ the character IF the conflict in Soutl
i Africa must be. We can only hope that
the ultimate result may be as beneficial
to civilization and human progress in
I Africa as il was in America.
"Tha late dispatches indicate that
+ General Buffers operations have al
ready borne legitimate fruit by ena-
bling Lord Roberts to make his initial
move with little or no opposition. This
should result in forcing upon the Boerf
! the necessity of attacking in their turr
troops in favorable positions and in
j trenched, thus reversing the conditions
which have heretofore existed. The re-
I suit of such an attack must be looked
for with keenest interest.