The evening times., 1900-01-09
THE SITUATION IN NATAL.

The news of Sir George Stewart Whites
success in repulsing the BOer assault Upon
| the works at Ladysmith after seventeen
hours of continuous fighting, has hearten-
ed the British public and revived feeling
| of optimism which can hardly be regarded
as justified by the situation as disclosed
| by the dispatches and reasonable deduc-
tions from them. One point OF previous
| doubt has been definitely settled by the
! battle of Sunday last, and not in a way
encouraging to the British: 1t is that the
Beers are quite capable of rushing forti-
| fed positions in mass, and cannot hence
| forward be counted upon to limit them
selves to defensive battle tactics. When
we reflect that they are without bayonets,
and yet were able repeatedly to take two
at least of Whites redoubts, it must be
conceded their their aggressive ability is
not to be despised an opinion this journal
adopted long ago on the record of Majuba
Hill.
Granting that the Boer repulse was COM
plete and bloody, it cannot be regarded as
final on any military reasoning. 1t might
become so in fact; but the fact would
and not on what the garrison has done.
Whites losses must have been serious,
and his expenditure of ammunition ruin
Gus. He viii now be hampered with the
care of large number Of wounded. and,
in the circumstances, the reactive effect
of the recent struggle on body of men
weakened by insufficient food, disease, and
anxiety, will not tend to enhance the
morale of the force. Under these condi-
tions there is small reason to doubt that
the assault will be renewed unless Sir
Redvers Butler can make it hot enough
for his foes on the Tugela line to render
it impracticable for them to spare the
troops necessary for another attempt on
Ladysmith.
What Butler has done so far, or what he
seems able to accomplish Immediately, does
not appear to fulfill this condition. Stra-
| tegically and tacticalIy his position is one
of inferority. His force is unwieldy and
his transport service inadequate Five
thousand mounted men-regulars and ir-
regulars-will probably cover his force for
scouting and light flank work There is
scarcity of water in the field, and this, it
is said, has prevented him from concen-
trating even at Cheveley. But still more
depressing circumstances exist in the Boer
possession of Inhlawe Mountain on his
right, and Springfield on his left, both
south of the Tugela, and both strongly and
scientifically fortified. In the battle of Co.
lenso, he was effectually hanked from the
former position and compelled to retreat
That Buffers situation is regarded as i'm
pregnable, even for defensive purposes, by
the British war authorities, is improbable,
1t is reported that hurry orders have been
sent TO put Durham in a state of defence,
an action which if true is ominously sug-
gestive Indeed it would be far from sur
prising if the Beers, having demonstrated
their strength in attack. to their own salts
faction. were to assume the offensive and
assail Butler, in case he has not already
taken the initiative.
The censorship over the news from Natal
is too strict to afford US any hint OF what is
going on at Cheveley, Frere, or Estcourt.
There is a possibility that Butler is engi
neering some movement which, if success
! full, will change the face of the situation,
but he will have to act very quickly now
! il Ladysmith is to be saved, and he will
have to go about it in some way ether than
! by a frontal attack. II he could manage TO
| seize Inhlawe, and simultaneously effeet a
| long turn beyond Springfield, that might do
the business; but the taking of Inhlawe
! would doubtless mean heavy sacrifice Of
| life. and might fail, in which case the
/ other movement might be too hazardous,
! as it would divide the British forces. The
j London military critics are severe upon
/ Butler for permitting the Beers to fortify
/ themselves on his side of the river, and in
ideal positions commanding his flanks. He
NAV have the best of excuses for permitting
it, but the result is the same.
This morning We hear that General
Joubert has been severely injured by hav-
ing his horse roll over am after being shot,
and that he is out of the fight for the fu-
ture. He will no doubt be succeeded in
the field command in Natal by General
Schalk- Burger. 1t will make no differ
ence The Boer commanders and their men
do the fighting, but they appear TO be doing
it under the advice and according to the
plans of the best foreign strategists. On
this account they have been able to out
general the British commanders SO far.
Perhaps Butler may be about to show that
he. too, is a strategist, or he may be only
waiting for Roberts and Kitchener, who are
due at the Cape today, to come UP and ex-
tricate him from a precarious situation.
But one thing may be set down as certain.
If the British on the Tugela do not get
down to work and accomplish something
tangible Immediately the doom of Lady
smith is sealed, and it will not be many
days before the curtain will fall upon that
long siege and heroic defence.
THE BROWN GUN TESTS.
The Trustees Want Assurances From