Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1900-01-04
Engiand's Lost Military Prestige.

/ While England's place among the iirst
rate powers of Europe is dependent upon
the size and efficiency of her navy rather
than upon the strength of her land forces
ewing to her isolated position. her mill
tary prestige has unquestonably helped
to give that country marked Influence in
European politics One of the most dis
astrous results growing out of the sue
cessve repulses suffered by the British
forces at the hands of the Beers, there
fore. is the consequent damage TO Eng
lands military prestige, and the discred
iting of hcr ma rtial powers.
/ 1t has long been the policy OF Great
Britain to maintain a small standing ar
/ my as compared with her neighbors of the
continent Her military leaders have fig
dred that it would be impossible for Rus
STA. Germany or France to do her any
material damage without first crossing
the water. and they have reasoned that
their mighty fleets would more than cotIn-
terbalance the preponderance of the
standing armies of the continental pow
ers over their own,
+ It will be noted, however, that this pol
icy presupposes the conducting of d pure
ly defensive campaign so far as England 5
military arm is concerned. Great Britain
could make an effective naval demonstrd-
ton against any foe that might rise
against her but if it became necessary to
supplement her navy with an army on the
continent. she would be seriously hand-
capped The military leaders of Great
ri1,a lS LaN
to make note of this one-sided character
of her military development and they
! have of course taken the small size of her
army into consider ton in the plans Of
a possible campaign which each has mark
Cd out in anticipation of sudden ener-
gencies.
In view of these considerations Eng
lands military prestige, not little Of
which has come down from the day Of
Wellington. was peculiarly necessary 10
her. Az the case now stands she has suf-
fered loss where she could least afford
it, namely, in the exposure of the incom-
petence of her generals and the discredit-
ing of her military system. 1t was known
that her army was small, but the success
= ing recent decades had led the outside
world to suppose that the mantle of Wei
ington had fallen upon the shoulders Of
her present chieftains and that military
genius was a predominating characteristic
of her generals. The war in South Africa
has resulted in a sorry exhibition for
Englands generals showing that they are
far less fit to command than the British
soldiers are 10 give battle. The troops Of
Great Britain have shown wonderful
bravery and efficiency, but the British
/ generals have thus far been thoroughly
outclassed both as TO strategy and tactics,
by the Boer commanders
To all appearances England has relied
upon her navy as her chief weapon OF de-
Tense so long that she has allowed her
military genius to depart and the South
African war may he of nestimable value
! from military point of view la arousing
her TO the true coalition of her military
arm. The chances are, of course, that
Roberts and Kitchener will be able to re-
trieve England's military fortunes In
South Africa, But ultimate victory will
hardly restore her lost prestige. The fact
viii remain that she WAS obliged to send
into the field her foremost military coun-
sellers and leaders la order to overcome
the forces of a nation OF 10000 souls; and
that she entered upon a struggle poorly
prepared as to force and equipments as
well as knowledge Of the enemy's terri
tory, strength and resources