The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-10-20

a property ana taxes lppoSCu on luClu WI
ready none too brisk. The risk Of vain
9 soils now issued. new burden is Der
amecrs death shows how mprlltic 1t is
. Africa. In China in Persia and in Euror
9 matter.
SOsseosessse0sso 0oaSoee OOSOSst
himself soon went thither to organize an
army to relieve Ladysmth, leaving Cape
Colony in difficulties.
The last months Of 1899 were full Of hui
initiation for the British in view Of the
fact that three British garrlsons were being
besieged, with no prospect OK carly relief.
Methucn gained an apparent success at
Belmont November %, at Graspan Noycm-
Der % and at Modder river November %,
where by frontal attacks he drove the
enemy out Of their positions, but with
frightful losses. aggregating 9l6 At
Magersfonteln December II, his advance
was arrested in an action ia which his loss
was 902, of whom los were prisoners. The
dlsmay and loss of prestige were distressing
when a few days later at Stormberg Cat
acre was beaten in a night attack with
loss Of 702 as many as go being taken
prisoners The depression was dcepened
on December 10 when Butler, who had
gathered large army for the relief Of
Ladysmith was beaten in frontal attack
at Colenso. losing many cand,-A and 1854
men, including 135 killed and 207 prisoners
1t began then to he understood that the
British strategy and
TACTICS WERE WHOLLY WRONG.
Frontal attacks were suicidal when direct
ed against good marksmen whose Mauserg
were effective at one and one .half miles and
whose modern cannon ranged over six
miles Flank attacks were difficult, be-
cause the Beers, being all mounted, passed
quickly from front to flank when the latter
was threatened A few mounted Beers,
especially when under cover, were thus
match for five times as many British In.
fantry Mere bravery and numbers did
not count. SIKH In nndlng cover, stcadiness
OF aim. quickness In movement, ability TO
live on a fraction Of what the British sol
der consumed-these were the conditions
Of success. It was said at one time that
the Mauscr was materially better than the
British ride and that the Boer cannon
ranged farther than the British but this
| is not the present opinion. II was the in
trinslc superiority OF the Beer us a marks
man and horscman. together with his won
derful aptitude for willy ambuscadcs, that
gave him his success not his arms. though
the latter were Of the best. II was not
the Beers policy to defend every position
to the death, as good positions were MI.
merouS. lie did not mind running away
provided he had first killed several English
men The English. In fact, were cncour.
1 aged to rush bull like against obstacles. so
/ that all the more OF them might he killed
Ruller's want OF ability 10 direct the war
being evident,
| GENERAL ROBERTS
! was sent out with General Kitchener MS
| chief OF stan and arrived AT the Cape ON
| January TO- to md that on January 6,
| 1900, a fierce attack on Ladysmth had been
| repulsed General Roberts at once pro-
| ceeded to gather together wagons, oxen
and horses with a view to being able to
! get away from the railroads to which the
| British had hitherto been tied, On Jan
nary General French captured Colesburg
! by good mauageiv at, but the chief events
were on the Tugela river, In Natal, in
| front OF Iadysmth, where General Butler
| made n flank movement TO reach the be
/ sieged city from tine west by way Of Acton
| Homes. IL might, perhaps have succeed
! ed, but General Warren, without orders
|
| ~ RelnQuishlng the llop precipltately as
untenable, he thus spoiled Buffers flank
! movement at a loss 10 the British Of 1861
men, including 300 prisoners. Vaal Kran7
was next occupied by Butler on Feb
ruary 9,
WITH HEAVY LOSS, WITHOUT sue,
CESS
Meanwhile Roberts had assembled 1000,
/ - 81.
u entered the Orange Free State to re
lieve Kimberley by a hank movement e
the right. French was sent with a larg,
cavalry force TO Kimberley, which the
Boer beslegers, under Crouje's command
! abandoned on seeing what Roberts was
about. Cronie was pursued by the IN
fantry and. being delayed by his wagons
was overtakeu at Paardeburg on February
%. While cornering him and while await
Ing Frenchs arrival frontal attack wa,
made upon Cronie, with a loss OF 1887 men
ON the 2Tth, the anniversary OF Majubg
Hill Cronje surrendered with 1900 men
and six guns
Butler, after much hard fighting, extend
ing from February 10 10 February 81, al
length won his way 10 Ladysmith, the
Boer forces, ably commanded by Botha
| pelhb uibSVuiakeu W event" ~ t""'"N
burg, and on the 2sth Lord Dundonald en-
tered the starved city. The Beers nov
withdrew from Cape Colony aud Natal
while Roberts pushed on across country
TO BloemfonteIn. reaching that place on
March 7 after a nght at Poplar Grove
Roberts FASTENED to open railway eonnec
lions with Capetown aud thus obtained
food aud medicines, which were much
needed before they arrived. A long halt
wss made at Bloemfontein to remount the
cavalry, which had been worn out by Tho
hurried rush from Kimberley.
General Joubert the Boer commander In
chief died March "a being much regretted
by friend and foe. on April 5,
FOR THE FIRST TIME,
| Boer commando was captured, belnS