The sun., 1900-02-13
bR|T|SHNENACEDBY JOUDERT
A Big Boer Force is Rapidly
Preparing to Attack Gen.
eral Butler.
ROBERTS AT MODDER RIVER
England Now Expects That the Next
Great Move Will be in That
Quarter---The Views Of
War Experts---Lon-
don Hopeful.
ROBERTS AT MODDER RIVER

| London, Feb. 12.-AppreheRsion has
been caused here by the report that 5000
Boers,, under the leadership of General
Jeubert, are rapidly marching in an at.
tempt to flank Buffers forces on the east
i The dispatch, which comes from Dur
ban, does not state whether Jouberts
fierce is part of, that at Colenso or is max
ing new movement toward Greytown
and southeast toward Weenen and Pie
termaritzburg.
A Pietermaritzburg dispatch says. a
strong Boer force has been massed with
in one hours ride of Chieveley, the east
ern end of General Buffers line of COM
munication with Springfield and the up
per Tugela. The Beers have planted
batteries in the neighborhood and have
also placed guns commanding Forts Wy
lie and Molyneux and both bridges across
the Tugela.
In the house of lords, replying to a
question as to whether Major General
Sir Frederick Darlington was destined
for command in South Africa and
whether General Methuen was still in
command at the Modder river, Lord
Lansdowne, the secretary of state for
war, answered that portion of the query
referring to General Darlington in the
affirmative and added:
| General Roberts is now at the Mod
der river and in command of the whole
| forces there
Great Britain is waiting anxiously to
learn something definite from the front.
The feeling, however, is much more hope
full than it was at the opening of last
week, in consequence of the widespread
belief that Field Marshal Lord Roberts
and General Kitchener have now a firm
| grip of the helm and that, whatever hap
pens, the campaign will be waged under
| careful, comprehensive plans, in which all
| the forces will cooperate.
| Both sides seem to be collecting them
| selves for attack. The left hern of the
Boer army is creeping through Zululand
and threatening the British right and at
Chieyeley. General Joubert, with 6,OOO
| men, 1s, it is reported endeavoring to
attack General Butler. Boer aggressive
ness has developed and has been repulsed
| at Rensburg, while from what becomes
the most important point of the cam
paign, the Modder river, news has been
received of ceaseless activity and re-
doubled vigilance.
Those reports create hopefulness in
Great Britain rather than anxiety, for
the impression exists that the Boer ag-
gressiveness will give the British troops
their long yearned for opportunity and
tend greatly to assist the broad plan of
campaign which Lord Roberts NAV be
expected to set in motion soon at the
Modder river.
Ladysmith Must Wait.
In the meanwhile Ladysmith must
await the eXigencies attendant on the
more important military movements on
foot. 1t is said that General Macdon-
aids withdrawal from Koodoosberg was
ordered by General Methuen, under Lord
Roberts instructions.
Mr.. Frank Harris, former editor of
The Saturday Review, in an interesting
pamphlet, reiterates the view which
The ST. James Gazette has been in
slsting on, that quality and not duan-
which The st. James Gazette has been
insisting on that quality and not quan-
tity 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 American militia NOT |
only defeated the English troops, but
forced them to an ignominious surrender.
and, mark it, those same English troops
were the best soldiers of their time. Or |
take still clearer case. Wellington's
veterans We're beaten at New Orleans by
half their number of raw militia. Rut
even New Orleans taught the English
nothing. The British in their turn
play savages 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 lust ms
stupid as the bravery of the Hadendowa
Arabs. If You will read the history of
the American navy, you will find that in
the war of 1872 her ships beat yours
wherever they met them simply because
the Americans had sights on their can
non and your sailors had none. In 1914
some of the cannon of the American ships
were already rided, and their balls went
through the English ships as knife goes
through cheese. Get up your corps of
marksmen now. Give them telescopic {
sights and the best rifles. Train tbem as [
sharpshooters, not as pugilists, and Won ,
Will beat the Beers yet, and not other
wise.' {
Arnold Whites Views. t
Another reason for Great Britain's
allure is given by Mr.. Arnold White g
he author, who attributes everything t
o the baneful influence of London's /
smart society. He has written a letter B
m this subject to The Daily Chronicle. t
Which has given it much prominence In r