The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-06-03
THESE PHOTOGRAPHS HuMDUGs.
Impossible to Use the Camera Ell
fectivcIy on the Firing Line.

"Magersfontein was quite the biyges,
bit OF fighting l have seen in this war"
said Mr.. Villiers, who has just returned
from this. his fifteenth campaign. and who
lectures tonight at St James hall.
Lord Methuen. as you know was com
nanding the English forces The Boer no
sition was an ideal one for defense. II
was kopje running several miles stand
Ing out from the plain, commanding on
one hank the wagon road TO Kimberley
and on the other the railway. There was
a considerable spring from which tho
Beers could get fresh water and of
course the Beers are IN their element
when they are behind kopIes, They haa
also abandoned their ordinary method of
remaining behind stones, and had dug
for themselves wonderful series ~
trenches leading down to the river on the
other side OF the wagon road, where they
could water their horses under perfect
cover 1t was here that Lord Methuen
met his Sedan. owing 80 the fact that he
had not sufficient troops to no round the
position TO Kimberley. Therefore. he had
either 10 treat II as fortress. and san
up TO II. which Is a long business or play
a game Of blur. which he did The enc
ms, however, was strong enough TO ga
one better Undoubtedly. In my mind.
the Highlanders' would have taken Inc
position that morning. but FOR tho order
10 retreat, the word retire. retire. being
shouted from the eneny's lines. which
put the foremost hattalions into confu-
sion. while they were being drcinaated by
a terrible from; and nsnk FIRE"
Has your own method ~ work as a
war artist been very different In this
campaign. Mr.. Viiliers from that which
you have adopted in yo,F varied wars
since you FIRST began In the ssrvo-Turk-
ish war, IN lsT2'
Things are altogether different" ne 70.
Piled This was the first time 7 have
Ia IN ~ Ia frHr. .Htn.
powder on both sides. Tho sensation ,,sa
most uncanny one never knew whether
one VAS under Gre or not TN the arfgsf
whistlinE ~ bullets IN ones Immediate
vicinity notined the fact. In the old dav.
one could get quite near 20 the euer,,. t,s.
waiting TN the two forces wore botfv en-.
gagged. and advance on either flank hay.
ting located the enemy By the uuns o.,
smoke from their riaes Now a.. al
changed and IL very demoraiixlng e,.e,,
70 ~" hardened war correspondent
Therefore J have been sometime acton
ished a. the apparently ckless braver,
~ the snap-~hotter taking his snar-sho,
under FIRE. while British orHcarz and ,rs.,
are lying close 20 earth under roVs- IN
rocks. this plucky gentleman rnuat be
standing up HKinB HlE picture and his
hnders and then pressing the button. Ttut
was disiiiuslonIzed ana regret 10 ba
compelled 20 disillusiouize the public by
"a statement taat an officer made 10 me
regarding these photoK ra piers posing men
IN the act ~ deadly conflict many miles {
from The scene OF action. Unfortunately /
one Il apt 70 put faith in photographs /
because the camera Is supposed never TO |
lie. think II depends upon whether Z
there IS lar at the back Of the camera /
'But You know. as well as 7 do. that (
many So-cA.ifd war pictuyes are actually /
taken thousands Of miles from the scene /
OF war. II Is very easy 10 pose men and /
trains. s9GloysA sis,. aad Rass