The sun., 1901-03-04
THE NEWS OF ENGLAND
British Public Talking of End OF
South African War.
KITCHENER VERY RETICENT.
His Conference with Sir Alfred Mil
ner Expected to Result In Estab-
Iishment of civil government
/ In the Country--Other News.

London, March 3.-rhe war in South
Africa has again reached stage which
the British newspaper critics are pleas
ID to call the eve of its termination. Ru-
lpors of the surrender of General Botha
and the collapse of all Boer resistance
flourish, to the great benefit of South
African stocks. That those who are
most responsible for carrying ON the
war do not share this optimism is per-
fectly evident from Mr.. Brodrick's of
tcial utterances and the conversation
of his colleagues. including Lord Rob
erts. Their carefully prepared cam
paign of thorough organization which
has been quietly maturing during the
past six months is beginning to have
its first results, and they are perfectly
satisfied. The new concentration OF
troops referred 10 so cnigmatically by
the correspondents at the front is only
one of the many steps FOR which Gen
eral Kitchener has so long been prepar-
ing. That it will lead to the complete
disintegration of the more important
Boer units and. possibly, to the person
al surrender of Generals Rotha and De
Wet tine British war office earnestly
hopes, but it does not go so far as to
expect it. General Kitchener is almost
as reticent toward his chiefs in Pail
Mall as to the general public. When he
has taken General Botha into his camp.
the war Office expects To hear of it, hut
not before. As an official said grimly.
"!Armistices are not in Kitchencrs $
line"
ISitchcners Rule.
The meeting Of General Kitchener
and Sir Alfred Nlilner mt Pretoria is
generally taken rs likely to result III
the establishment Of Il more permanent
form of civil government, in which the
seventies Of martial law will be some.
what tempered in several sections OF
the country. But neither in London moi
in South Africa are the British officials
shutting their eyes To the fact that they
have Il long jpb ahead Of them, which
can only he lighlcnrd ana by no means
solved through the victories over tht
Boer units.
The glory which the British press
some time ago Slowcrcd on General l)t
Wet has departed from him. In dis
patches and editorials he is now belt
tied as disappointed raider. deserted
hy his own men and venting his fruit
less anger by Siamhocking his reluct
ant handful Of followers. Calmer oh
servers. especially officers who have re
turned from the front. are inclined t,
fear the elusive Boer leader is melel,
under a temporary cloud, from whicl
he may be expected al any moment t,
emerge accompanied by force which
though not formidable in numbers, vii
he particularly formidable in eXecu
tion.
The false announcement of Genera
Botha's surrender Thursday will he
! matter for discussion in the house o
commons, especially the fact which nc
! companied the aSseveration that ii wa
official. This latest fake has given ris
to many editorials commenting on th
deterioration and unreliability Of Scc
tions of the British press, comparin
4 the latest example with the notoriou
\ Peking massacre reports.
An "OhiciaI" BIunder.
n An almost uneXampled ease Of OIL
cial laundering is reported from Lvel
pool. 1t appears that the war otlic
was under the impression that the Lily
erpool volunteers We're still in Suut
Africa and kept il new special Scrvi,
corps on waiting orders until it c0ul
be aScrrtained whether the Livcrpo,
Liverpool volunteers returned to Live
pool -four months ago.
The appointment of Captain He,
worth l.amhton. the former comman,
er of the British first class cruiS,
Powerful. whose bluejackrts rcnderc
good service al the siege of LadysmitI
and who was defeated ut the polls
his contest for the representation
Newcastle in 1900. to command II
royal yacht is now definitely tloua
ilnofficially announced and restores
, favor a war hero who offended maI
high personages by his vigorous AM
government speeches at the time of Il
last election. II may be inferred tn:
, Captain l.ambton has now decided
leave politics alone.
. Lieutenant the Marquis of lIuadfo
! of the First Life guards, whose d
! / n i'm tn,
I of the Gaiety chorus MarchioncSs
HcadfOrt has created so much talk.
/. now under orders to sail for Sou
/ Africa and is confronted With the ii
I cessity either of resigning when TO
to 80 and fight or giving ZIP his liancc
He declares he will accept The stign
, of resignation rather than forcgo h
resolution to marry. The case has he,
! brought to the notice of no less Il 10
? sonage than King Edward. who Ii:
Y handed it over TO Prince Edward
: Sake Weimar, colonel of the First Iii
guards. The Prince of Sake Weim
wrote the young marquis lett
pointing out the ruin of his career
he persisted in marrying Miss Boot
. as she could not he received by Il
:, regiment. The marquis replied. /
GREETING he could not see ii that wa
but he sent his resignation papers
Lord Roberts. The commander in chi
: apparently was also involved in a |
! tie plot, for instead of accepting |
- resignation he ordered the marquis
hold himself in readiness TO so to t
:, Transvaal. The denouement is eXpe,
y ed to be quiet marriage and the
: tirement Of the young resr from
/ ma ieSty'S service