New-York tribune., 1901-07-14
KITCHENER DENOUNCED.
RUMOR THAT HE WILL BE SUPERSEDED
IN SOUTH AFRICA.
Ry The Associated Press.l

(By Associated Press)
London, July 13.-The Vlakfontein incident
has come near to spelling Waterloo for the gov
ernment An apparently unmportant incident
the censorship of newspaper dispatch, has
had the effect of crystalzing all the widely
differing sorts of public dissatisfaction concern
ing the conduct Of the In South Africa The
dissatisfaction has long been pent UP and now
finds free vent, not strangely enough. through
the columns of the opposition newspapers. but
in the government journals.
For months past the public belief In and admira-
tiol CT Lord Kitchener has been waning; now
he is openly and severely criticised. rumor,
which cannot be substantated. is current that
he will shortly be succeeded in the command of
the British forces in South Africa by General
Sir Bindon Blood, who has been operating In
the Eastern Transvaal Should this change oc-
cur. 1t would probably be chiefly due to the
differences of opinion existing between Lord
Miner Of Cape Town and Lord Kitchener. and
il would be announced in the form Of promo
ton, accompanied by the statement that the
operations in South Africa no longer justify the
presence there OF officer of the seniority OF
Lord Kitchener
There is little doubt that Lords Miner and
Kitchener have had several disagreements. and
the High Commissioner does not want to return
to South Africa so long as General Kitchener
rem aims in control.
Amid the storm of disapproval resulting from
the Vlakfontein affair which the governments
supporters pouring out upon the War Office
on account of the suppression Of news and the
fragrant vagaries of the censorship the Liberal
party. through its hopeless differences of opin-
ion is obliged TO sit supinely and see the best
opportunity probably ever offered pass out Of
their hands
The extraordinary spectacle has been presented
Of an advanced Radical newspaper THE Daily
News" patting the War Office and Lord Kitch-
ener on the bach for suppressing the alleged
Boer outrages to British wounded. while THE
feeling aroused in the general public who have
UP to this time bndly and enthusiastically sup
ported the governments policy can scarcely
be estimated
Officials of the War Office are more worried
now than at any previous time during the war,
and they working strenuousy to atone for
and to explain the mistake. The incident has
awakened in the public mind eagerness, most
unfortunate for the government, to know the
details of operations. and an ever increasing
dissatisfaction with the progress Of the war in
South Africa.
Prominent members of the Conservative party
believe that If their party had to go to the
country now IL would be defeated provided a
semblance of opposition could be mustered
In this connection there is some talk OF the
possibility OF a new Liberal organization con-
slstlng OF a combination of the old Liberal
onionists and the eLiberal-Imperasts. many OF
whom would like to see a Cabinet including
dent OF the councD. Joseph Chamberlain fCo-
lonial Secretary and II. II. Asquith deader of
the Liberal l-Imperaists). Some believe this
pian may eventually be feasible.