The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1900-01-05
CRITICS AT WORK.
Find Flaws in the British Plan OF
Campaign In South Africa-Est1.
mated Cost of War.

In South Africa the papers are filled
with letters and articles criticising the
government and the campaign and
suggesting remedies, improvements,
alterations in the plans and the like.
The Times complains of needless
censorship and concealment." 1t cites
the fact that nothing has yet trans
pired to show how Gen. Gatacre came
to lose 600 men at Stormberg.
The dispatches from the front all
| represent the Beers as in nervous con-
dition and constant dread of the Brit
ish advance, but this is probably an
| eXaggeration.
The British government now evinces
a marked change from it's attitude in
the early stages of the war and shows
disposition to accept assistance
from any quarter. The imperial yeo-
many committee has issued a state
ment to the effect that the govern
ment considers the formation and dis
patch of yeomanry as one of the most
pressing needs of the situation and
has intimated that it is now prepared
to accept from 5000 to 10000 yeoma1i-
ry, instead of the 5000 originally asked
| for. 1t is expected that the first
contingent of 1000 will sail about the
middle of January. The government
has announced that it will accept the
services of battery from the Honor
able artillery corps. When these serv-
ices were first offered they were de-
clined on the ground that the corps
was not affiliated with any regiment
of regulars. 1t will now be attached
to the city imperial corps. Lady
| Gresham and Lady Georgiana Curzon
have issued an appeal for public funds
to establish field hospital for the
yeomanry.
1t is now estimated that the war will
cost at least e60,000,000 ($300, 900, 00O),
and it is suggested that the sinking
fund of the national debt should be
suspended for five or six years in order
TO defray the cost.
Durham, Natal, Saturday, Dec. 3D.
Mr.. Winston Churchill, on arriving here
after his escape from the Beers, re-
ceived a tremendous ovation. He says
that from conversations with members
of the Transvaal executive, at Pretoria,
he learned that the Beers began the
war with trepidation, but that Presi-
dent Kruger is now confident Great
Britain will soon sue for peace. In the
| highest Transvaal circles. Mr.. Churchill
asserts, there is serious talk of COM
| promise, by which Great Britain would
cede the territory now occupied by the
armies of the two republics, pay an
indemnity of e 2O,OCO,O 900 ($1oo,OoO, O0O),
| and acknowledge the complete indie
pendence of the Transvaal.
London, Dec. ga dispatch to the
| Daily Mail from Pietermaritzburg,
dated Saturday, December %, says:
every day reveals some new fact re-
| garding the strength of the Boer position
| at Colenso. Thanks to the services of
| continental officers, the character of the
| campaign has changed. We are no longer
| fighting foe who relies upon guerrilla
| tactics, but we have to deal with what is
| rapidly becoming a disciplined army, en-
| joying the advantages of knowing the
| country and of selecting the scene of con-
| test without the burdens of cumbersome
| commissariat. The Beers have converted
| the hills near Colenso into fortresses of
| immense strength. Everywhere they have
| splendid trenches many of them bomb
proof. Tramway lines permit the shifting
| of guns with astonishing rapidlty. The
main positions are connected with the out
lying positions by underground passages
| and the forts proper bristle with ma chine
| guns, that command the approaches. Prob
| ably mines are laid. One hears less nova
| DAYS about Boer shells not bursting. OBJ
servers of the Colenso fight say the Boer
shell fire was very effective. This is due
| largely to the fact that the distances are
marked off with white paint The en-
emy's discipline is improving. The trenches
represent great manual labor, for which
| the Beers have keen dislike, and the way
| in which they restrained their fire when our
troops were advancing is another proof of
| improved soldering"
London, Dec. 90. = In view of the
apparent supineness of the British
commanders in preventing the daily
strengthening and extending of the
Boer positions along the Tugela and
Modder rivers, which are now consid-
| cred to be practically impregnable,
| many experts here are coming to tie
conclusion that the British have given
by assault and will await the trans
ports and cavalry required to give
their forces the necessary mobility,
when they hope to be in position to
besiege the Beers in their respective
plevnas, while Gen. Roberts carries
out the original plan of campaign,
that of advancing straight north on
Bloemfontein, the other generals de-
taching sufficient mobile troops to
reach their goals by circuitous routes.
The latest Independent news from
Ladysmith says:
1.-The field Notifications would now with
stand any organized attack the enemy is
likely to deliver. There are sufficient food
stuffs for two months The question of
forage might be troublesome, but since the
rains there has been some grazing within
the British lines. There is no horse sick
ness.
'The casualties caused by our shell fire
are increasing and the Beers are reported
to be becoming nervous. They fear night
sorties and constantly open a heavy
fusillade on an imaginary attack"
Dies on the Street.
Durham, Natal, Dec. 27.-Harry Es-
combe, former premier of Natal, died
suddenly on the street Wednesday aft
ernoon.
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