New-York tribune., 1900-08-19
NEWS OF TWO CAPITALS.
LONDON.
TRIBUTE TO DE VETS SPLENDID GEN
ERALSHIP
MORE GREAT REGULATIONS MAY SUFFER
CRITICISM AT ALDERsHOT
Copyright: 1900. BY The New-Yo-ss T-fauas1
[BT CABLE TO THE TRIBUNE-I


ny CABLE TO THE TRrBUSE-I
London. Aug 1S.-ThOugh no Official an
nouncement has been made on the subject. II
IS now generally accepted that a general eIsc-
ton viii take place IN October Both OF the
great party organizations are busy preparing
for the contest. Overhauling their local ma
chinery and providing themselves with candi-
dates It is understood that unless some very
untoward and unexpected event should occur IN
foreign affairs rendering it absolutely undesira-
bic 10 disturb the country with a general cleo
ton, the Government will go to the polls n
rather less thar two months from the present
time II is recognized that the military opera
tions in South Africa may not be at an end By
that date. but it is impossible TO predict
when the resistance OF the Boer guerilla columns
viii be finally overcome the Ministry does not
think IT worth while TO wait for that event.
maintaining that at least the issue Is prac-
tically decided in favor OF Great Britain and
that what IS TO come Is only part OF ths
slow process OF settling and pacifytng the coun-
try
From a party point OF view the Conservative
managers think that IL would be bad policy 20
defer the appeal 70 the constituencies TIL the
last Boer commando is extinguished. by which
time the imperialist wave may have eboed and
the Opposition have gained strength As Il Is.
the viii still form the test question at least
can push It to the front. but it VIII not now be
a thoroughgoing khaki election as might have
been the case II the Government had dissolved
Parliament Immediately after the capture OF
Cron1e's force or the occupation OF BIoem-
fontein-
Other matters are beginning TO occupy the
public mind. and the South African war has
lost most or its interest and much OF its popu-
larity- Even supporters OF the Ministry are
heartily tired OF il. and are beginning ruefuIly
TO contemplate the increased taxation which
viii have 70 be provided for in next years
Budget On the other hand a considera bic sec
ton OF Liberals. including some OF the most IN
/ huentiaI leaders are giving general support to
the Cabinets South African policy. 50 that #
viii be impossible 10 represent the whole party
as prO-Boers. Several OF the most prominent
| OF the Liberals VINO are hostile 70 the war viii
| have 70 fight hard for their seats Mr.. James
Bryce is by no means secure. for the khaki feel
/ ing runs strongly in Scotland where much
/ pride is felt in the achievements OF the Gordon
| HighIanders and some other Scottish regiments.
/ Mr. John Morley. who also sits for a Scottish
| constituency. is another Liberal leader in some
| danger, and Mr.. Leonard Courtney is generally
expected to be defeated # he again contests the
! Division OF CarnwaE. which he has represented
for the last fifteen years
I
| at issue between ire PARTIES Speaking az a
| Primrose League meeting this week. Mr. St John
/ Brodrick Under Secretary OF State for For
! eign Affairs declared that. while the Govern
ment had been hampered by Liberal criticism
/ in dealing with South Africa il had nothing 70
/ complain Of in connection with China In fact.
/ the Asiatic question has arisen suddenly that
II is generally admitted ths- the British Govern
/ meut in conjurcti-r with those OF the other
I
/ IL did with regard tC the Peking advance; but
/ the bungling vaciIIacfon over the landing OF
/ Indian troops at Shanghai has aroused good
| deal OF resentment and II mischief comes OF II
/ may react unfavorably upon the Ministerial
/ cause in October. II IS felt that the Gov
| ernment had no right 70 plunge into such
| a matter without considering what II In
| volved; II it was uoJ absolutely necessary 70
disembark a force for the protection OF the
European community at Shanghai the whole
/ enterprise should have been left alone and an
/ awkward international complication avoided
/ The escape OF De wet after the elaborate dis
positions made TO surround him Is very hUniliar
ing 70 the English generals, and has done some
damage 70 another great reputation. that OF
/ Lord Kitchenev Lord Roberts senc Kitchener
| TO take complete control of the operations which
/ were to end in cornsrilg De Wet; Methuen. Ian
Hamilton and suith-Do--ian were cooperating
/ with him as well as Broadwood's cavalry brig
ade so that there must have been some thirty
/ thousand troops endeavoring 70 intercept seven
/ thousand mounted men. who form De Vets fol-
/ lowing. After being buoyed up for weeks with
hopes that this superbly led flying column would
be cornered. the British public are not at all
/ pleased TO hear that De Wet has got clear away
/ again has outmarched both 1IetEuen and
| Kitchener. and is heading north 70 tctr Delarey.
/ who has taken possession OF Rusteuherg. and
/ seems 10 be practically master OF the country
| almost up 10 Mafektng
! AS 10 the future It seems that the operations
/ may now be chiefly confined TO two distinct
/ quarters De Wet and DeIarey have wide spaces
i OF the Western TransvaaI and the Bechuana-
/ land frontier 10 roam over. and as the British
hold on these districts which were supposed 70
be subjugated. is extremely precarious they are
proba bly, gaining recruits as they 90 along On the
\ other side. President Krugec with General Botha
\ and the main Trsnsvaal field force. now said 70
/ be about ten thousand strong, with ninety guns.
/ viii establish himself in B2rbert0n. the noun
/ famous area between Swaziland and the POrru-
/ guese frontier at Koorrat PoOrt- Butler with the
/ Natal army is moving against them from the
/ south and French and others are coming from
/ the Pretoria-Johanne.buvg line on the west; but
/ Barberton is in a very broken. rugged country.
with more formidable heights and 1asses even
than the region around L-adysutth and Dundee.
II is suitable for cattle and iii the rainy
/ comes on II is healthier than the lower veldt
The correspondent OF news agency who was
taken prisoner and kept fcr some time az Nooit-
l gedacht says that the fighting burghers are
/ confident OF their ability 20 hold out IN the Bar
! berton range for months. even II their supplies
| from Delagoa Bay are cut on The correspond
ent himself. who is partisan OF the Beers
thinks that they may continue 70 make good
/