Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1901-04-27
BRITISH WAR POLICY.
Chessboard Idea Applied to Con-
quest Of the Beers.
SCHEME DESIGNED BY KITCHENER.


Squares Over which Columns Are
Continually Passing "A Third of
the TransvaaI Not Yet Penetrated
by British Troops.
The South African situation has
altered most materially in the past
month, says the New York Suns Pre-
toria correspondent, writing under the
date of March 10. 1t is change
brought about less by feats of arms on
either side than by an increasing re-
pulsion against keeping on eternally
doing the same destructive thing.
Glory is the last word to apply to the
campaign which Lord Roberts left
Lord Kitchener to complete in the fall
of last year. but the methods of the
military organizer of modern Egypt,
like the mills Of old, If they grind
slow, grind exceeding small.
A characteristic story Is told Of
Kitchener. 1t illustrates the distinct.
I've processes of his mind and it's hard
contrast with the sanguine tempera-
ment of his chief, Lord Roberts, though
the latter is 20 years the older Of the
two. Kitchener's school Of officers
one or two of the younger generals
and many engineers and army service
corps men-never troubled themselves
much to conceal their misgivings about
, the strategy Of Lord Roberts rapid adj
vance from Bloemfontein to Pretoria,
which included passes at Kroonstad
and Johannesburg and was yet pressed
into less than six weeks. They said
it covered country, but did not con-
quer men.
The field marshal always took the
hopeful view. He expected large sub
missions as lie increased his occupation
Of the country. Outside of Pretoria
ten months ago he fully expected Com
mandant General Botha's surrender.
Three months later he pressed east
ward to win it for a certainty In the
eastern Transvaal 1t was on the re-
turn from that expedition, when stores
and transport animals were won and
lost but great battles were not fought.
that the Kitchener anecdote was told.
An officer on Kitchener's staff was
asked "What did we come here for?"
"God knows" was the laconic reply.
"Why are we going back"
"God knows"
The uuestioner. now somewhat be-
wildered pressed him. "Why doesn't
the field marshal 60 home and leave
your boss to finish the job?" The an
swer came very deliberately, "My boss
doesn't want to clean up this mess"
l'It was uttered at time Of patience
trying hardships. undergone with no
very visible result, but it was not an in
dorsement of the strategy then being
applied. However, Lord Kitchener has
had the task. and in the slow course Of
many weeks his plan is now at work
like Il machine,
The country is ruled out into chess
board squares. To and fro over each
mounted force equipped with light
transport is projected and withdrawn
like gardeners rake. 1t is not proc
ess conducive to the clash OF arms, but
as the movement is repeated again and
again it draws into the central posts
vast accumulation of living beings
white families and black families,
horses and cattle, food. forage and
weapons of war. 1t leaves the squares
as bare as unsown fields.
That movement, repeated again and
again over the Orange territory and the
southern Transvaal. has transformed
the face of the country up which Lord
Roberts army FASTENED to the Boer
capital year ago. Its operation is re-
sponsible for the recent pourparlers and
feelers toward peace between leading
men. 1t marks the approaching ex-
haustion Of the high veldt as possible
theater of war, of the concentration of
life and the means of life in fortified
posts. leaving the land barren wilder.
ness.
The correspondent has had several
conversations with a British resident
who has lived ten years in the country
and has an intimate acquaintance with
its people, both Boer and uitlander.
w Ilulu luIce LuOutuS lC cSIlAuSCS Suut
the high vcldt should be cleared Of bel
ligerent commandOs.
Would that mean at last the finish"
he was asked.
mot necessarily. There is nearly
one-third of the Transvaal into which
the British columns have never yet
pierced. The winter Is coming on
there, and this area would be habitable
for six months to come. Very probable
the Beers will 60 there. 1t Is the low
veldt in the north, the Waterberg, Zout-
pansberg and the northern part Of Ly-
denburg. About 100000 Kaftirs live
there, and grain and mealies are abun-
dant. The Beers could not live there
when the hot weather comes around.
1t is very feverish and unhealthful In
the summer"
"Have their commands any means
Of cooperating for such move"
"Certainly They have most COM
plete Intelligence department. Their
hoofed lager, which is mostly at Mid
delburg, can cooperate within three
days with all the various travelling