New-York tribune., 1900-02-07
CROPPING IN THE DARK.
NEWSPAPER sTRATEGIsTs FAIL TO N
TEREsT THE PUBIIC.
Icopyr.sht. 1900: by The xev-york Trtbune.I

TCcpyr5ght 1900. The Sew-Eo-k Tribunal
IBE CABLE. THE rRIBUSE.l
London, Feb 7, ! a. m.-The military writers
who sent Sir Redvers Buffers army across the
TugeIa River On Friday and brought on battle
OF Sunday have received so little encouragement
from the War Office that they have transferred
their strategy TO another and more promising
field Of operations. They have taken charge of
the ouadrilateral campaign along the Orange
River, and are arranging the capture Of Coles
berg, the seizure Of NorvaTs Pont. the storming
OF stormberg. the surprise Of Bethulie Bridge
and the concentration Of Generals French's
cstacre's and Kelly -Kenny's forces at springfon-
TEN. on the straight road TO Bloemfontein- The
radical defect in all this newspaper strategy is
that il is expressed IN the future tense Mill
tsry reviewers have lost their public. The coun-
try is nor interested in conjecture about what is
likely 70 happen. ingenious as the forecasts may
be: il is waiting patiently for the opening Of
Lord Roberts's campaign as he and Lord
Kitchener have planned it.
OFFICIALS EXPECTING NEWS
When these hypothetical operations under the
leadership Of the experts at home were excluded
there was little news last night either in Pail
Mall or in Fleet Street. The War Office had
Lord Roberts's word for It that the situation on
Monday unchanged but high officials made
no secret Of the fact that they were looking
large scale in Natal and il Cape Colony
few special dispatches had been received at
the newspaper Offices before midnight. but there
was an almost complete silence from Upper
Natal and reports that General Butler had re-
crossed the Tugela still lacked confirmation
'HThe Times" had a dispatch from Rensburg
stating that the situation in that quarter was
unchanged on Monday, and that General French
was holding large Dutch force around Coles
berg and was shelling the Boer camp northwest
Of Singersfonten.
THE ATTACK ON NoRvAEs PoNT.
Pretoria dispatches from colesberg repeated
the announcement that the British forces were
approaching Achtertang on the way 10 NorvaFs
Bridge and there were rumors from Cape Town
that considerable force Of infantry had been
sent 10 support General French, and that Cen
ersl Gatacre, with heavy reinforcernents and a
strong body Of cavalry. surrounding Storm
berg. Dispatches received from the Orange
River frontier have been cut by the censor un-
t they ara unintelligible
Everything points 70 a vigorous prosecution
Of the war on the Cape Colony frontier and the
TugeIs within a few days even hours, but al
euratses respecting the strength Of the coli
UFnns OF the direction Of the movements are
futile. There are no cews upon which cor
rect judgment Of the situation Gan be based.
Meanwhile Lord Roberts's correspondence
with the Dutch Presidents on the subject Of the
alleged outrsges on each side and incidents OF
the service OF the American hospital ship
Maine IN caring for the wounded, help 10 nj
the long pause in active warfare.
DEBATE HELPS GOVERNMENT
The debate IN the House of Commons dragged
yesterday. and brought TO the front swarm
OF Ineffective speakers Mr.. Asquith and Sii
Henry Campbell -Bsnnerman attempted 70 reply
70 Mr. Chamberlain. but each SPOKE in hal
hearted way in defence Of the amendment which
has been q serious tactical mistake for the Op
Position. Mr.. Chamberlain's speech had beer
supported from several unexpected quarters
Sir Wifrid Laurierss strong imperialigtic speech
IN Canada had come like sn echo 10 Mr. Cham
eerlain's closing passage respecting the fedora
don q the united empire. and no liberal mai