New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-02-25
NEWS OF TWO CAPITALS.
LONDON.
LORD ROBERTS AND THE SUCCESSFUL
OPENING OF HIS CAMPAIGN.
A LOGICAL CANDIDATE FOR HIGH CoMSiIs-
sIoNER AFTER THE wAR-MUsIC,
ART AND THE DRAMA
rCopyrtght. 1000: by The NerT-Yorl Trf5une.I
[BY CABLE TO THE TRIBUNE.1

tcopyrshe; 1000: by The, New-York rribuneI
[BY CABLE TO THE rRIBUNE1
London, Feb. 24.-While the war news re-
mains indecisive. with the probability that i'm
portant successes will be recorded within forty
eight hours in the Free State and Natal Lord
Robertss mastery transformation Of the situa-
ton in South Africa is nothing less than a mar
vel of military genius Without interfering
with General Buffers campaign or the distribu-
tion of forces. he adapted himself to conditions
as he found them. and organized success out of
failure. BY his massing of reinforcements at
the point where CronJe's army could be crushed
the entire Dutch plan of campaign east and
west and south upset and the prestige of
British arms and generalship restored.
Lord Roberts has also displayed the highest
qualities of conservative craftsmanship; he has
rallied the colonial forces by removing causes
of jealousy and Braddocksm. has stimulated
loyalty by fair treatment Of the Cape Dutch,
has reassured the burghers of the Free State
by singularly tactful proclamation, has in
spired comprehensive spirit of imperialism by
his messages to Canada and Australia, and
has found time for the gracious compl-
ment 10 Germany on the excellence of the am
bulance work at Jacobsdal.
While the great Field Marshal has renewed
the British campaign with terrible energy as
the fifty guns raking the river bottom at Koo-
dOosberg bear witness. he has shown himself to
be champion of pacifcaton and reconstruction
in South Africa and has made himself almost
necessary candidate for the office of High Com
missioner at the close of the Lord Rob-
ertss political services to the Unionist Govern
ment certainly entitle him 10 any reward that
may be in sight. He has delivered the Minis
ters from terrible strain of responsibility for
an unsuccessful war. the difficulties and bur
dens of which neither they nor their critics in
Parliament the press were able to forecast
All disputatious talk has ceased about the
neglect of colonial assistance incapacity In
arming the troops with guns of defective range
and stupidity in fighting a mobile enemy with
slow moving infantry. There is no idle chatter
about the reconstruction OF the Ministry and
the recall of Lord Rosebery to public life as
Prime Minister under a new coalition. The de-
bates in Parliament no longer bristle with de-
structive criticism but are stale and urproflta-
BILE. Even the dispirited black press is chang
ing color and is showing signs of cheerful
tentment The confidence of the country in the
Government is restored.
The appointment Of Lord Roberts COM
mander in South Africa. which was ordered by
Lord Salisbury at the close of the disastrous
week in December when Buffers campaign
broke down from paralysis at three points. con-
tained promise of all these amazing changes in
public opinion. The Premier can we'll afford to
pay little heed TO Lord Rosebery's warnings and
Lord Kimberley's croaking. for he can point to
the selection of Roberts and Kitchener at a
critical moment in the fortunes OF the empire
as convincing proof that the present Government
did not lack foresight and statesmaElke wis
dom.
Lord Robertss military genius. even with the
results at Koodoosburg and Ladysmith inde-
cisve. has cleared the air from the mist of Con-
tinental intrigue The trend of German opinion
has been changed, and the Emperor now re-
ceives credit for his astuteness in displaying
friendship for England at early period OF the
war European Intervention in South Africa is
no longer within the range OF political proba-
bities Uneasiness respecting Russian designs
on Persia still exists. but the emphatic utter
ances attributed TO the Czar by the ST. Peters
burg correspondence of The Daily Telegraph
help to dispel even this apprehension The mill
Continued third page.
A PALATIAL TRAIN TO FLORIDA
via Pennsylvania and Southern Rvs