The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-02-12
suller as follows, dated Friday. Feb


Butler as follows, dated Friday, Feb
ruary 8:
lit was necessary after seizing
Vaal Krantz to entrench it as the pivot
of further operations. But I found af-
ter trying two days that owing to the
nature of the ground that this was i'm
practicable. It was also exposed to
the fire of heavy guns in positions from
which our artillery was dominated. 1t
is essential to troops advancing on
Ladysmith by Harding or Mongers
Drift to hold Vaal Krantz securely, and
accordingly we are not pressing the
advance by these roads, as I find we
cannot make it secure"
LADYSMITH MUST WAIT.
London, Feb. I2.-Not a line of war
news having been received since yester-
day, Great Britain remains waiting anX
iously to learn which side will succeed
in striking first. The feeling however
is much more confident than at the
opening of last week. in consequence of
the widespread belief that the hands of
Field Marshal Lord Roberts and Gen.
Kitchener are now firmly gripped at the
helm and that whatever happens, the
campaign will now be waged under
careful comprehensive plans IN which
all the forces will cooperate. Both sides
seem to be collecting themselves for at
tack.
The left horn Of the Boer army is
creeping through Zululand and threat
Gen. Joubert with 5000 men is reported
to be endeavoring to attack Gen. Butler.
Boer aggressivenesS has already deVeI-
oped and has met with a repulse at
Rensberg while from what now be-
comes the most important point of the
campaign the Modder river, comes the
news of ceaseless activity and redou-
bled vigilance.
These reports create hopefulness in
Great Britain rather than anxiety for
the impression exists that the Boer ag-
gressiveness will give the British troops
their long yearned for opportunity and
tend greatly to assist the broad plan of
campaign which Lord Roberts may
shortly be expected to set in motion at
the Modder river.
In the meantime Ladysmith must
await the eSigencies attendant upon the
more important military movements
now on foot. It is said positively that
Gen. MacDonalds withdrawal from
KoOdoosberg was ordered by Gen. Meth
uen, under Lord Roberts instructions.
Frank Harris, former editor of the
Saturday Review in a pamphlet pub
lished today reiterates the view which
the st. James Gazette has been insist
ing on, that quality and not quantity
is what England needs to beat the
Beers, and that England always fails
to learn by experience" He adds the
battle of Saratoga should have taught
every Englishman the true theory of
war There the American militia not
forced them to an ignominious surren-
der and mark it, these same English
troops were the best soldiers of their
time. Or take a still clearer case. We'll
lington's veterans were beaten at New
Orleans by half their number of raw
militia. But even New Orleans taught
the English nothing.
+ THE British, in their turning play
save to the Beers and advance across
the open to be swept away by rifle fire.
They don't seem to see that their bra
very is just as useless and just as stu
pid as the bravery OF the HadendoWa
Arabs. Get up your corps of marks
men now. Give them telescope sights
and the best rifles. Train them as sharp
shooters not as pugilists, and you will
beat the Beers yet and not otherwise" :"
Another reason for Great Britain s
failure is given by Arnold White, the
author, who attributes everything to
the banefuI influence cf LondOn's s
smart society. He has written a letter
on the subject to the Daily Chronicle,
which has given it much prominence. In
it he says:
"Disreputable WE en- who affect the
conduct of a. lady without her graces,
are amongst the leading spirits of
| smart society. Every now and then an
explosion takes place and the public
learns with bewilderment that cheating
at cards is a normal feature of smart
/ society, or that women who are cOur-
tesans in all but name, are no more ta-
booed in smart society than they were
from the pavilion at Brighton in the
| days of the regency. The secret influ-
/ ence on the government welded by this
/ common rout of circles, sybarites, Gym
/ les, fnanciers, is subtle and prfound.
/ Legislation, foreign policy and taxation
/ are not settled in parliament. The real
| decisions are made in the smart draw
/ ing rooms in the season on Sundays in
| the country houses, in boudOirs and
/ restaurants. Some smart women with
out character men without self-respect
I and a government that is too philOso-
! phicaI, effete, preoccupied or exhausted
! to see that England's greatness is slip
/ ping away from her, are the allies OF
! this infamous confederacy."