The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-01-12
SOLDIERS ARE FRETTING.
A Change In South African Commanders
Has Become imperative.
THE truth is FINALLY GETTING OUT
Letters from tho 0fRccrs aud Ncn
mt the Front Have Not Becn
. Censored.

New York, January ii,A dispatch to
the Tribune from London SAYS. The fourth
month OF the war opens with Lord Roh-
crts In command Of the scattered British
forces in South Africa. The government
has made so many mistakes thai they
might have credit for sagacty in sending
to capetown great soldier capable OF
commanding. the confidence Of armies in
the held and silenclng criticism At home
While the situation has not been material.
~ altered aimee he received tho uucens
orders. evidence has been supplied from
the field oncrations that the soldiers are
fretting srd discontented and that changes
Of commanders arc imperatiYt The cen-
sorship has mutilated tho press dispatches
aud exercised restrain, over war corre-
spondonts by mail. but Il has not tam
pcred With private letters from officers
and men which are now fnding their way
into print. The truth about Gataere's re-
pulse and the retreat and the slaughter
of the Highland Brigade at Magersfoniein
and the action of Harts' aud Barton's
hrigades at the battle on the Tugela has
come out with cumulative effect N short
letters OF soldiers published In London
and the provincial press. These revels
tons have produced a painful Impression
that The armies have not been led prudent
~ and that the time has passed wnen gen
erals who have Numbered should be al
lowed TO relieve regulations when the sol.
diers have lost faith in them. Butler
stands in better light than any other
70 anal hAnn In off pa1 .ltte txF.t
proof OF his caution and consideration for
the lives OF soldiers IN ordering retire.
ment from Colenso when they were eager
TO continue fighting under hopeless cnndi
lions. General White alone has redeemed
his reputation and rendered the relief OF
Ladysmith duty Of paramount impor-
lance.
The story OF the Suffok's reverse, which
is told in detail by several agencies and
CORES pondents this morning Is a sorry
repetition of Gatacre's ambuscade on a
smaller scale. The Dutch were evidently
informed by spies thai night march
would be made and awaited in silence the
attack, allowing the suifolks to come al
most within bayonet reach Colonel wat
son was making speech to his officers
when an appalling fire was opened upon
the SuiIolks and he barely closed II with
the word charge before falling fatally
wounded There was stampede down ,he
hill when the cry company r,tire" Was
heard and the officers we're left win Gully
one-quarter of their force 10 fight hope
lessly and surrender Only one officer
escaped and the losses In Killed, wounded
and missing now exceeds 40 This rs
final proof that night attacks when the
British forces are beset with spies arc
highly hazardous, and that precautions
should be taken TO guard against treacher
Gus orders from tho dnemys side. Gen
eral French has remained inactive since
this disaster
The clubs were filed with vague rumors
last night that General Buffers sccoud
battle had been fought during the day. bur
there was no direct confirmation OF this
ri late hour The silence which has
been maintained in Upper Natal since
Sunday was unbroken save by mortality
lists from fever at Ladysmith. The mii-
tary writer's are urging in this mornings
( press the doubling of contemplated rch-
fercements. and foreeasting Lord Rob
( erts' campaign but a jaded public IL weaiy
+ of expert criticism and impatient for news
4 OF the right sort The man In the STR ct
I wants to have all tho critics sent to the
front
The world OF fashion rallied at the Hay
market taeater yesterday at the concert
organized by Princess Christiu- FOR thr
benefit OF the Riflemens Aid society. j.
was a brilliant affair, in which AlbAni and
~
the entertainment. A spirited play was
enacted by Frederick Harrison, Cyril
Maude and Winifred Emery and julia
Nelson appeared as Britannia and sang
the national anthem with stirring effect
Lord Salisbury's reply 10 the American
request for information respecting the
seizure OF breadstuns at Delagoa hay rs
entirely satisfactory to neutral traders.
The export OF -four or other food from
American ports TO neutral territory VIII
not be interfered with unless the ultimate
destination Is 10 The enemy be apparent
from the manifest american exporters
under this official ruling can send food
stuffs without risk OF seizure ns contra
band IL they consIgn them to Portuguese
merchants at Lourenzo Marquee, although
! they ought naturally TO take the precau-
ton OF shipping them under neutral rather
! than the British flag. and Of avoiding all
I traces Of their ultimate destination in the
clearance papers. Compensation VIII he
I made without doubt for the seizure OF
] provisions which have not passed out Of
the hands Of American owners nor been
! tainted with evidence In the ships papers
/ III ultimate destination for the enemy.
Close students OF International aw are
confident that the American merchants
4 viii not be hindercd In supplying the
Dutch republics with foodstuffs II these
precautions are observed. They arc also
convinced that the precedent Is a dan-
gerous one for England. Lord Salisbury s
ruling IL England and France arc A. war,
viii exclude all foodsuffs destined for
the enemy. unless they are consigned 10
i a neutral port with papers uutainicdi
Americans H. event Of such a war tan
ship -four and bacon 10 France via Bel
GUM but not 10 the United Kingdom. n
The experts understand Lord Salisbury s
ruling, he Is securing continental nations
with neutral borders against starvation
in war time but not Great Britain, and
meanwhile he Is not preventing neutral
trading with the open market for Delsgoa
Bay where Beer agents will be free pur-
chasers OF whatever they want.