The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-01-11
rxs OUTLOOK IN SOUTH ArarcA.

While We ere eth without news Of i'm.
portance from Gen Butler In Natal. small de-
tails OF movements elsewhere are coming In.
zen. 0atacre made a reconnaissance toward
Stormberg on n report that II had been
evacuated BY the Beers. but on approaching
their positions found them held in force.
upon which he returned to Sterk stroom.
Dordrecht Ia said now TO be held by a
foroe entirely composed OF insurgent Colonial
hfrikanders, the Free state commands
round which they had gathered having gone
70 Join either the forces at Stormberg or Coles.
berg. This Ia an important feature OF the stu
alton. and confirms tho reports that esca ped
III" censorship stating that the insurgent
Colonists were taking the field and displaying
considerable activity. Gen. French appears to
be making little progress at Colesberg and Is
reT ortsd to have had q skirmish with the Beers
In which an oficer and some troopers were
wounded. A Cape Town report Is to the
effect that Magersfontein has been evacu-
ated By the Boers who were said
to Be sending reeLforcements to Colesberg.
but there seems to bs no warrant for Il. Gen.
Methuen Is also stated to be constructing a
tramway from one end OF his d~eiences to the
other. II this 10 so It will be for the purpose OF
W e'iH u ktSObo ublui IIpih Wv
point to another. but except as against at
tacks from the Beers. which are not likely to
be made on the front In his case. the utility OF
this work Is not very evident. He is also en-.
gagged cutting away the brush and clearing
the farm buildings between his own and the
Boer positions.
The only intelligence from Ladysmith since
Saturday up to Tuesday IL that three officers
and pinAtAAn nan nd Ala 80 Av.r hnt AZ
far nothing 10 given out as to the casualties In
the last lighting. though Gen. Butler goes to
the trouble OF committing an alleged report
OF the Boer losses which are made ridiculously
small, But there Is another matter on which
absolute silence 10 maintained. and that is the
extent TO which the horse sickness il r~avaginG
among the animals with the British army
south OF the Tugela. 1t is some weeks
aimee Rlanders and the rinderpest were
said to be causing great losses OF horses. and
there IL certainly some such cause a. work TO
prevent more active operations on the part OF
Gen. Butler than he has appeared disposed to
undertake since his repulse at Colenso three
weeks ago. The calls that are being made
upon India to supply horses. prove that both
the cavalry and artillery. as well as the trans
port service. is in urgent need OF animals
Wnlcn WOuIu tNIldln INC lndueuudtc tlOEls
made to reach Ladysmith.
1t Ia this question OF transport that Ia going
TO be the Rravest which the British will have to
face, and that may be decisive Of the cam paign
particularly as this and next month are the
two worst in the season for the horse sickness.
While a good deal OF criticism Ia being wasted
on tn strategy and tactics OF the Generals. no
one seems 10 have pointed out the gross
neglect OF the transport service in the British
Army as one OF the main causes OF is present
troubles. the very worst service perhaps. ex-
cent the Turkish. In any army In the world.
Two army corps. on paper. were said
TO be always ready TO embark for foreign
service quicker than the shipping could be
provided for them. but in no case during the
rast nifty years has a British army gone into
The field with an adequate transport service.
II ALWAYS had to be improvised at the last mo-
ment at enormous cost, was invariably inefl
cient. and generally failed at a critical mo-
ment. The British Army has so long been or
ganized merely as a parade army. that it has
broken down ia the most fragrant manner
when subjected to the stern test OF real
war. The fault. however. is not in the men OF
to-day at its head. whatever their shortcomings
may DO. and they are not a few. but in the sys-
TEN sanctioned by Parliament under which one
Of the most incompetent chiefs it has almost
ever had was allowed to remain for a long
series OF years at the head OF the Army. because
he was a relative OF the Sovereign. 1t ia to the
complaisance OF the leaders Of both political
parties in the past that the suferings and rri-
vations OF the soldiers. and to no small extent
the failure OF the Generals, is due to-day and
no amount OF apology. such as Mr.. A. j. Bal
four Is reported to have INDUCED in yesterday
at Manchester. can alter that fact,