New-York tribune., 1900-01-14

exhausted to be physically capable of doing
Lord Methuen is reported to have said:
We'll, you had better go to hell!'
The officer to whom this remark was made has
come com home demanding trial by court martial.
But it is probable that he will not get it, as he
has been slated for another command.
Generals White. Gatacre, Clery and French
all come in for their share of abuse. and there
is evidence presented that the senior generals
are divided against themselves,
BODIES ILL FOR THE GOVERNMENT.
How all this will end if the campaign drags
on much longer without serious change for the
better no one can tell. The resignation of Lord
Wolseley would not surprise those who cog
infant of the inner workings of the War Office
A great victory would probably quiet the feel
ing Of discomfort till the day of reckoning in
Parliament arrived. But lacking that, there
seems pending an upheaval which BODIES i'll for
the Government, the War Office and some Of
the generals in the field, for these rankings are
current not so much among the lower, sensation
loving classes, but among the highest born and
most even minded of Great Britain's best citi-
zens. Nor is the discomfort confined to the in
action of the generals. Several of the most
powerful civilian factors in English life some
of them almost as much financially interested in
the future of South Africa as the Government
itself, have repeatedly urged certain reforms in
the methods of carrying on the war, not med
ding with the purely military phases, but offer
ing, for instance to purchase horses for the
Cape, pointing out a better method of transport
urging more vigorous campaign, giving infor-
nation as to the best routes toward the OBJ
jectives, and supporting everything by expert
witnesses brought, often at a great expense,
from the Cape
representative of The Associated Press
learns that a distinguished body, including a
former Governor and about dozen men who
have held civil, military or irregular positions
of control during the recent troubles in South
Africa, waited on Major General Ardagh, direc-
tor of the Military Intelligence Department of
the War Office, the very week previous to that
which marked the three disasters to the British
arms. These men begged General Ardagh to
accept certain offers and intmated that he
had underestimated the opposing forces. The
General listened and replied
Thank you gentlemen. But you are wrong
We outnumber them at every point, and we
have got 'em like that" Thereupon General
Ardagh banged his open palms together.
In spite of this discouragtng reception. the
men referred to repeated their offers, and the
War Office now seems to have awakened to the
seriousness of the position, and the officials are
likely to accept one of the most daring projects
ever undertaken which, if perfected will work
independently of the War Office to achieve one
of the most important British objectives.
The Imperial Yeomanry, after the first flush
Of public applause. is being gauged gingerly. 1t
is dawning on the minds OF all that what Great
Britain wants are crack shots and rough riders
after the type of the American cavalrymen.
and frequent comments appear pointing out that
the average Yeoman, who is farmer, does not
come up to this standard, while the average
lordling who adds brilliancy to the force Is not
generally much nearer the mark in this respect
than his yeOman tenant; that both have far less
military training than the members of the vol
unteer force, and it is a fact that a large per-
centage of the enrolled Imperial Yeomen have
never served even in the Yeomanry. What is
being forced upon the War Office is that one
hundred Colonials, accustomed to bushwhack
ing, COW punching and scouting worth one
thousand English clerks and farmers. To find
instances of the appalling impracticability dis
tinguishing the formation of Great Britain's ir
regular corps it is only necessary to read the
list of the kit being taken out by the City of
London Volunteers. The officers Of this body
carry to the plains OF South Africa an air pill
low cork mattress canvas basin, canvas bucket
a tin box of candles. lantern a filter and
host of other impediments that an American
officer would burn before starting on a ten-mile
march while the men are laden down with four
pairs of trousers four pairs of shoes, three caps,
paiamas two large Turkish towels. a filter,
clothes brush writing portfolio and other
domestic articles. No wonder the British forces
are not mobile.