Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-02-12

apparently intact and we'll supplied
with ammunition, and according TO
Winston Churchill, foreigners and war
material pour into the Transvaal
through Delagoa Bay
AN IMPERIAL CRISIS.
New York. Feb l2-The Tribunes
London correspondent writes. The as
sounding collapse OF the upper Tugela
campaien and the continuance OF the
lmDasse at Moddcr river and on the
southern frontier Of the Orange Free
State have brought the English people
to the verge Of an imperial Crisis uh-
paraleled since Yorktown. That Is an
ominous word, which the leading Eng
llsh Journal was the first TO use ana II
has been taken 10 with one accord DE
the press Sir George Whites garFi-
son. like Lord Cornwallls's army Is
hopelesslv beleaguered, and its fate
seems 10 be sealed unles II can break
seems % be sealed unless II can break
way TO the Turela at the point OF the
bavonets, and the Kimberley garrison
is IN an equally precarous condition.
The magnitude OF the British Mill
tary preparations has not intlmldated
the two little Dutch republics. II
I.adysmith be their yorktown, with the
full force OF the analogies, they are IN
the way Of winning II and bringing
their war Of independence to close
and there IS no hostile fleet to oe
fought at sea BY another Rodney, who
may break the force Of disaster on land
By restoring the prestige Of the British
navy,
The soldiers have done their work
with SPLENDID fortitude and gallantry'
and the administrative departments
have supported them with untiring en-
erry and amazing resources Of organi-
zation. The generals have failed. and
the military stan. which has been re-
sponslble for the conduct OF the war;
has broken down and brought reproaeh
upon the nation
TACTICAL BLUNDERs.
II their advice was not needed in
June and July, when the mobilization
of the army corps was urged by Lord
Wolse ey. they we've allowed q lie hand
from the opening Of the way In october
and have themselves to blame II they
have been outmaneuvered and out
generalled by Dutch commanders who
had never studied the art Of war, but
had gone from their cattle breedlns
farms to the battleiields among the
kopies. With their breasts covered
with decorations won in conflicts with
semi-civiized or barbarous races, ana
their self esteem inflated with the vain
glorious assumption that they were the
only European soldiers with continuous
experience IN the science OF modern
warfare. British generals have con-
Quoted the campaign IN South Africa as
though IL were O series OF sham fights
on Salisbury plain, regulated by Grill
book and the formulas Of peace train
ing,
At the opening Of the war there was
nothing Ike an intellig bic OF reasonable
plan OF military defense. There were be-
tween 1900 and 10000 regulars and To-
cal levles scattered along the western
and northern frontiers Of Cape Colony
and in Northern Natal. Military de-
Tense required concentration Of these
forces az one or two points until re-
Inducements could arrive. In Cape
Colony there was no attempt TO choose
defenible positions or to collect the
forces and in Natal an unsanitary sta.
ton. Ladysmith was held In force be-
cause Il WAS the Aldershot Of South |