Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1901-02-18
GIVES OUT FACTS
BRITISH WAR OFFICE POSTS ROB-
ERTs' DISPATCHES.
GIVING BUT LITTLE LIGHT
Vet Show That English General Never
Had Enough Horses, Men and Sup
plies for His Large Field of Opera
tions-BulIer Is Mildly Criticized
by Him.


by Him.
London, Feb. 9.-Public attention
will again be turned to south Africa
by the dispatch of reinforcements and
the publication Of Roberts mail dis
patches. Rumors have been in circu-
lation that Chamberlain had reconsid-
cred his south African policy and was
contemplating a round table confer
ence with John Morley and Sir Will
liam Vernon HarcouIt, and the recall
of Sir Alfred Miner. The Daily Mail
says it is. able to assert on Chamber
lain's authority that the whole story is
a fabrication and that the government
retains the most absolute confidence
in Sir Alfred Miner. Roberts dis
patches are not regarded as giving any
further elucidation Of the conduct Of
the war, but are interesting as prov
ing, that throughout the campaign he
never had sufficient men, horses and
supplies to cover. such a vast field
of operations. Looking at all
the circumstances Roberts says the
campaign is unique in the annals Of
war;" and he pays the highest tribute
to the gallantry and worth Of the
troops, declaring mo finer force ever
took the field under the British flag. Y
There is. a general idea that the dis
patches have suffered considerable
excelsior at the hands Of the war
office. They do not throw any further
light on the summary retirement Of
Gen. Colville or many other matters.
regarding which the public is anxious
to hear.
The appearance of bubonic plague
at Capetown seems likely to add to
the difficulties of the situation.
Authorities there have decided upon
the wholesale determination of rats.
Should the disease spread, it will
necessitate changes in military ar
engagements. Sir Alfred Miner makes
another earnest appeal to employers
to allow as many men as possible to
enroll in the colonial mounted defense
force
Roberts criticizes Butler.
London, Feb. 9.-Roberts' detailed
mail dispatches ranging from FeDru-
ary 6 to November Is, 1900, were ga
zetted last evening. They fill 157
quarto pages and make up the official
history Of the war, although without
throwing new light upon several in
terestfng disputed subjects, such as
the Sanna's post affair. .
Hundreds Of officers and non-coD22
missioned officers and men are favor
ably mentioned. including Kitchener,
who is referred to in warm terms. Sir
Redyers Butler comes in for criticism
The first dispatch undertakes to give
a concise account of the state Of af
fairs in this country (south Africa on
my arrival, January TO-" It describes
the forces as much scattered He de.
cided to leave Butler with free hand
in Natal, but otherwise to. remain on
the defensive until reinforced and uE-
til the transport had been organized.
He found no transport corps existing.
Colonial forces have not been suf-
fciently used. Cape Colony is rest
! Y ". s13a
less
Writing from Jacobsdal February Is,
Roberts says: Butler, February 6.
wired he had pierced the enemy's
lines but that. to give his artillery
access to Ladysmith would cost 5000
men. I replied he must relieve Lady
smith even at that cost. Butler tele-
graphed Feb. 9, he was not strong
enough to relieve Ladysmith without
reinforcements and regarded the oper-
alton in which he was engaged as i'm
practicable. replied that my instruc-
lions must hold
The. marches to johannesburg and
Pretoria were uneventful as de-
'scribed by Roberts, his chief concern
being to provision the army. I'VE
were practically living from hand to
mouth he wrote, land at times had
not even a days rations to the good =
Writing from Johannesburg Nov. 5, he
said: with the occupation of Koo-
matipoort and the dispersal Of Louis
Botha's army, the organized resist
ance of the two republics may be said
~ nave C6dSGu, z fUuC tHoI0 SClll ~
mains much for the army in south
Africa to do" to meet the conditions
of guerrilla warfare with forces
/ broken UP into small columns and OPP
Grating over an area larger than
France, Germany and Austria COM
bined.' sass 3a il
e-F 80. III $50
REPLY TO CANAL PROJECT.