The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-01-14
Discomfort IN BRITAIN.
Generals Jealous OF Each other
while Public ana Newspapers
Unhraid Entire ManagemeMt.

Upbraid Entire Management.
Copyright, 1900, by the Associated Press.
LONDON, Jan. 1.-THE time has come
when the people of Great Britain no long
er keep silent regarding the mismanage-
ment Of the war. The fioodgates of criti-
cism have been opened and. under the
stream of adverse comment pouring
FORTH regulations are whiting. The stern
upbraiding Of the government by papers
that almost for q century have been con-
sentative, has already been touched upon
in these dispatches. Abuse Of the war Of
flee has always existed and now 1t is only
q few degrees more bitter than 1t was
before What chiefly marks the passing
of the British from q period of passive
discomfort to most severe fault finding is
the outspoien abuse Of their generals In
the field There are unpleasant stories of
fierce service jealousies, and. in short. all
the army's shortcomings which heretofore
have been secretly whispered in clubs. are
this week finding their place in print, and
not In disreputabls Journals. but organs
that month ago would have fiercely de-
nounced such tales az unpatriotic. whether
they were true or otherwise.
1t is now well known that Gen. Butler
despises Field Marshal Lord Roberts and
hates Gen. Lord Kitchener: that Lord
Wolseley, the commander in-chief. shares
Gen. Buffers feelings. and that Wolseley
ID scarcely on speaking terms with the Sec
rotary Of state for war, Lord IAnsdowne.
To such fragrant extent does this en-
nifty 60 that Lord Wolseley wrote to Lady
Butler that he knew nothing about Lord
Roberts appointment to command the
British troops in South Africa, and that
he disapproved Of K.
Butler and Methuen.
without enormous obstacles to overcome
In the way Of the Beers strenuous resist
ancs and initial advantages. this condition
of affairs between the army leaders
would constitute q stupendous drawback
to the success Of the British. One paper,
usually well informed on service matters,
declares It In quite likely that Gen. Bull
Ter will throw up his command and come
home and be thorn in the side of the
government This Is probably an exag-
geration. but 1t is admitted on all sides
\ that he Is likely to make himself as dis
agreeable as possible to Lord Roberts AS
II this were not enough, 1t is openly said
Gen. Lord Methuen has gone mad. that
his mother died insane. and that all his
life he has been afraid he might share
her fate. Hence, 1t is added, his unceas-
ing restlessness. Only this week a high
cavalry officer returned from South
Africa with complaints against Lord
Methuen that the general. during one of
his first actions. had ordered him to ad-
vance with his cavalry, and that upon the
colonel sending the general word that his
horses and men were too exhausted to be
physically capable of doing 90, Lord
Methuen is reported to have said:
well. you had better 70 to hell"
The officer to whom this remark was
made has come home. demanding a trial
by court-martial. but it is probable that
he will not get 1t. as he has been slated
for another command.
Gems. White. Gatacre, Clsry and French
all como in for their share of abuse. and
there is evidence presented that the senior
generals are divided against themselves.
How all this will end, If the campaign
drags on much longer without serious
change for the better. no one can tell.
The resignation of Lord Wolseley would
not surprise those who are cognizant of
the inner workings Of the war office A
great victory would probably quiet the
feelings of discomfort till the day Of reck-
oning in Parliament arrived.
Mistakes OF the Government.
But, lacking that. there seems pending
an upheaval which BODIES Ill for the gov
eminent, the war office and some of the
generals in the field. for these rankings
are current. not so much among the
lower, sensation-loving classes, but
among the highest born and most even
minded of Great Britain's best citizens.
Nor is the discomfort confined to the in
action of the generals Several of the
most powerful civilian factors in English
life, some of them almost as much finan-
cially interested in the future of South
Africa as the government itself, repeat
edly urged certain reforms in the meth
DDS Of carrying on the war. not meddiIng
with the purely military phases, but Of
fering. for instance. to purchase horses