Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-02-13

Could Not Make 1T Secure-Frank
Harris, Former Editor of the Sat-
urday Review, Gives the Army
and Smart Society a Sever
Drubbing.
LONDON, February 12.-Not a line
of war news having been received
since yesterday, Great Britain remains
waiting anxiously to learn which side
will succeed in striking first. The
feeling, however, is much more conf
dent than at the opening of last week,
in consequence of the widespread be-
lief that the hands of Field Marshal
Lord Roberts and Gen. Kitchener are
now firmly gripped at the helm. and
that, whatever happens, the campaign
will now be waged under careful,
comprehensive plans, in which all the
forces will cooperate. Both sides
seem to be collecting themselves for
attack. The left horn of the Boer
army is creeping through Zuzuland
and threatening the British right, and
at Chieveley Gen. Joubert, with 5000
men, is reported to be ~endeavoring to
attack Gen. Butler. Boer aggressive
ness has already developed and has
met with a repulse at Renesberg,
while from what now becomes the
most important point of the campaign,
the Modder river, comes the news of
c~easeless activity and redoubled vigi-
lance.
These reports create hopefulness in
Great Britain rather than anxiety for
the impression exists that the Boer
aggressiveness will give the British
troops their long-yearned-for opportu-
nifty and tend greatly to assist the
broad plan of campaign, which Lord
Roberts may shortly be expected to
set in motion at the Modder river.
Meanwhile, Ladysmith must await the
exigencies attendant upon the more
important military movements now
on foot. 1t is said that Gen. Mac
Donald's withdrawal from Koodoos-
berg was ordered by Gen. Methuen,
under Lord Roberts instructions.
4:12 D. m.-The wal Office has re-
ceived the following dispatch from
Field Marshal Lord Roberts. dated
from the Modder river, Sunday, Feb
ruary IL:
ri have received a telegram from
Butler as follows, dated Friday, Feb
ruary 8:
1T was necessary after selling
Vaal Krantz to entrench it, as the
pivot of further operations. But I
found after trying two days, that ow-
ing to the nature of the ground, that
this was impracticable. 1t was also
exposed to the fire of heavy guns in
positions from which our artillery was
dominated. 1t is essential to troops
advancing on Ladysmith by Harding
or Monger's drift to hold Vaal Krantz
securely, and accordingly We are not
pressing the advance by those roads,
as / find we cannot make it secure "
Frank Harris, former editor of the
Saturday Review, in a pamphlet pub
lished to-day, reiterates the view which
the ST. James Gazette has been insist
ing on, that quality and not quanti-
ty" is what England needs TO beat the
Boers," and that England always
fails to learn by experience" He
adds: The battle of Saratoga should
have taught every Englishman the
true theory of war. There the Amer
lean militia not only defeated the En-
glish troops, but forced them to an
ignominious surrender, and, mark 1t,
those same English troops were the
best soldiers of their time. Or take a
still clearer case. Wellington's vet
Grams were beaten at New Orleans by
half their number of raw militia But
even New Orleans taught the English
nothing"
Inc bIlllSu LII tuClE tulu, pay
a to the Beers and advance
across the open to be swept away by
rifle fire. They don't seem to see that
their bravery is just as useless and
just as stupid as the bravery of the
Hadendowa Arabs. Get up your corps
of marksmen now. Give them tele-
scopic sights and the best rifles. Train
them as sharp shooters, not as pugi-
lists, and you will beat the Beers yet,
and not otherwise"
Another for Great Britain's
failure is given by Arnold White, the
author who attributes everything to
the baneful influence of London's
smart society. He has written a letter
on this subject to the Daily Chronicle
which has given 1t much prominence.
In it he says:
'Disreputable women who affect the
conduct of a lady without her graces
are amongst the leading spirits of
smart society. Every now and then
an explosion takes place and the public
learns with bewilderment that cheat
ing at cards is a normal feature of
smart society, or that women who are
conrtesans in all but name are no more
tabooed in smart society than they