The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-20

The British generals who have com
manded IN the field during the South Afri-
can war have been compelled psrforce to
overcome the contempt for irregular sol
diers which has been characteristic Of
their service from the days Of Braddock
down to the present time. Most Of them
have come 10 realize that colonial Nolun-
teers on familiar ground are superior 10
regulars. and their equals in any @ircum
stances. But it appears that this feeling
was not shared by Lieutenant Colonel
Kekewich. who. with four or FIVE hundred
regular troops. was shut up in Kimberley
from the beginning OF the war uutil the
other day
Some Of the siege history Of that town
has been given by the Ri Hon. Cecil
Rhodes in a newspaper interview Ac-
cording to Mr.. Rhodes the city raised a
force of four thousand five hundred de-
Tenders. without whose assistance Keke-
witch could not have held the place for a
week; but in practice he accounted the
civilian volunteers as of so little import
ance that he omitted to publish the names
Of their killed and wounded in his casu-
atty lists; while solemnly announcing
from headquarters the loss of a mule.
One hundred and eleven men of the gar
rison were killed during the siege, and
they were all from the ranks OF the Kim
berley citizen soldery. After relief came,
it would have been easy TO follow and
capture the big Boer gun which had played
such havoc. and which was being hauled
away at a speed OF a mile and half an
hour: but Kekewich and his officers we're
too busy entertaining and questioning
their comrades of General French's COM
mand.
Mr.. Rhodes is outspcken in blaming Gen
eral Sir Redvers Butler for not raising the
siege Of Kimberley weeks ago. The move
ments by which the quadrilnteral was held
and the operations at Naauwpoort. Coles
berg. Rensburg Molteno are all severely
criticised by the Afrikander statesman. He I
says that Butler ordered Methuen TO re-
lieve Kimberley. take ali the inhabitants /
under convoy and fall back with them to 4
the Orange River. This Mr. Rhodes CON
sidcrs to have been laundering and dis
graceful
Perhaps e was, but the other part of /
his military analysis will hardly scan. The /
strategic quadriIateraI once in the hands
Of the Boers. Lord Methuens march TO
would have been defeated. as
his communications with the coast would
have been severed and be would have been
in imminent danger OF being checked at
he Modder. just as be was. with the ad-
iitional probability of a fatal attack in re-
verse. 1t is altogether probable that Butler
lid the right thing in disposing Gaacre.
French. and Clements in Northern Cape
Colony as he did.
We have once before referred TO Mr. !
Rhodes declaration that The Beer Republics
have together had not more than thirty
thousand men Ia the field at any time since
he beginning Of hostlities. He knows the
conditions in South Africa so well that his
opinion ought to have great weight If It
De correct in this particular. we are afraid
hat. in voicing it so loudly. he is expos
nc some OF the British generals to EU-
'opean ridicule Perhaps for once he is
wrong. Bat if be is not. then the natural
conclusion is that Lord Roberts will not
ind it as hard TO reach and take Pretoria
md terminate the war as all authorities,
English and foreign. heretofore have
bought he would II has been a sharp and
,loody struggle. short as the time has been
ince it started. All friends OF peace and
mankind will be glad to have ii over.