The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-04-18
The Boer War.

The Boer War.
The London letter published in The
Times of yesterday morning is worthy
of careful attention. Its text is caicu-
lated to show us that the intelligence
and business sense of the United King
dom are not by any means satisfied
with the South African situation, and
that public opinion is forming which,
in the course of a little time, may be-
come powerful enough to bring the Sal
ishury Government TO a change of pol
icy or overthrow it
Treating of the military conditions,
our correspondent states that there are
rumors of a very disquieting nature
about the state of the army in South
Africa, making it look he says, ''as if
we should practically have to replace
the whole lot of troops, and that soon,
on account Of the condition of fatigue
they have ali been reduced to by their
prolonged operations" When II is re-
membered that the limit of British re-
sources has been reached in placing two
hundred and fifty thousand soldiers in
the South African field, the gravity of
the suspicion that they, or most of
them, must be soon replaced is at once
apparent. Assuming the fact to be
true, there is not little reason for ap-
pretending that the replacement could
not be effected through voluntary en-
listment, and that the Government
might be compelled to resort to a high
bounty system. or to CONSUMPTION.
What effect the latter recourse would
exert among the British masses is not
hard TO guess. Consumption, in the eyes
of the English. Scotch, Welsh, or Irish
middle and lower classes is the iron coll
lar of Continental slavery, and some
thing never to be submitted to by those
whose proud boast is that 'Britons
never will be slavesi' But needs
must when the devil drives" and if the
quarter of million men in khaki who
are making a heroic struggle to over
come the fifteen thousand Beers op-
posed to them should not bring the war
to a close without further delay, there
is trouble in store for the Salisbury
if not for the Empire. Our
reviews the situation
terseiy and interestingly in the follow
ing paragraph. in which he says:
The fact really is that war, under the eondi-
tons under which fighting in South
Africa. is about the sliest anachronism in the
world All the conquerors OF past days who have
been great conguerors have owed their success to
the determination OF their enemies. We are car
Tling on the war of limited moral
liability, that have actually got into this
ridiculous postion-that there are now in South
md in in ii.
held against, say seventeen thousand in various |
prisons OF special settlements like Ceylon and /
St Helena, while with army OF two hun !
ired and nifty thousand men occupying their !
country Tor such parts of it as We can cover |
ami are at cur own expense maintaining the |
whole of their women and children. Would not |
Alexander the Great. Attila, Ma
poieon have smiled at these childish tactics? To
profess barbaric policy and to carry il out as
I you were civilized is too ridiculously in
consistent for anything"
II we may credit many accounts of |
barbarities practiced on the veldt, 1t is |
perhaps questionable that the British |
have carried on their share of the war,
as "a war of limited moral liability" In |
many instances we are afraid that the |
limit has been sadly exceeded, If not !
removed. But probably on |
that score there is something to be said |
on both sides. Our correspondent calls |
attention to the paradox of a Govern !
Inent unwilling to make the concessions
to brave but hopeless foe that a brave
and stern old soldier like Lord Roberts
would advise, and the reputed mcrciless
Lord Kitchener would endorse. He |
says:
In the meantime, have a Government at /
home heroicaiiy dehant-yet, having proclaimed /
IN August last that the war was over-fnding !
itself six months behind in finding the /
Necessary ships and munitions of war for carry /
Ine it TO successful termination; an adminis- |
tnstive general in South Africa the agent Of the
said Government. much more anxious 10 make /
peace and willing 10 offer better terms than /
the Government itself. and finally the stern and !
soldier silent and uncomplaininR- /
the commander-in-chief. Lord Roberts. still more |
snAious 10 make peace and Offering better terms 1
still The British public, with characteristic 1
log -bound minds. having been filed with the be-
lief that the in August Is quite |
incapable Of realizing that it is still going on, |
aDd. consequently, it shows neither enthusiasm /
tor the new preparations impotence at |
their insdequscy, but watches with delighted /
wonder the derterity OF Mfr. Chamberlain in scor-
ing Of bis opponents instead Of taekling the mat
Ter in hand.
The death Of the Queen ard the new Access
sion have beea such splendid theatrical sue
ress that all weghtier matters are delayed
Russia Is not slow 10 improve the shining hour,
and Germany having entered into a bond OF |
perennial friendship and brotherhood with US, is
protesting youbly 10 the world that the bond /
: not worth the paper which it is written.
Ne have not even got Aguinaido to put in a
cage and carry around"
The quotation speaks for itself. and
does not demand comment, except that
e feel at liberty to remark that If
treat Britain is without IAN Aguinaldo
put in cage and carry around" it is
because it also is without
funstons to capture the game.
Social Gambling.
--r-f,a ..d,,,fseiop Of Ilr MacA rtb,,r 80