New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-12-01
DE WET LASHES BOTH SIDES.
FIERY PASSAGES IN THE BOOK OF THE
FAMOUS BOER GENERAL

FAMOUS BOER GENERAL
London, Nov 3O.-'Had not many OF our
burghers proved false to their own coiors Eng
land the great Bismarck foretod, Vould
have found her grave in South Africa That
is the keynote of the Boer General De vets
book. entitled Three Years War published by
Archibald Constable & Co. in London. and
dedicated by the Boer general TO my fellow
subjects OF the British Empire
It is perhaps the most remarkable book by
the most remarkable leader that any recent
war has produced. The concise, simply told
tale of the extraordinary campaign is marked
throughout with the stamp of truth The bald
of the narrative only serves TO bring into
striking relief the fiery passages where strong
literally bIurts out his soul in pathetlc
regret bitter denunciation. In thus taking
the public into his confidence De Wet loses moth
ing of the glamour with which his exploits In the
field surrounded him. In criticising he spares
no one: Boer and. Britain come equally under
the lash De Wet declares that whatever the
English people may have to say in discredit
of General Butler, he had to operate against
stronger positions than any other British gen.
eraI Throughout the work the Boer general
has but slight praise for Lord Roberts, and
little more for Lord Kitchener. General Knox
is almost the only British general who seems
TO have struck De Wet as a commander with
real military genius
OF Tommy Atkins he has many kindly
words to say and declares THE British were far
from being bad shots" The comparative i'm
munity OF the Beers from harm. De Wet con-
stantly and most fervently attributes 70 the In
terposition of God. IF any reader he says, is
eager to know how It I kept out OF the
eueny's hands I only answer. although
may not be understood that ! ascrbed 1t to
nothing else than this-It was not Gods will
that I should fall into their hands Let those
who rejoice at my miraculous escapes give all
the praise to God"
Nevertheless. the book teens with accounts
of military aud other strategies by which De
Wet outwitted his pursuers. Frequently he re-
counts cases OF desertion and panic among his
own men when his entreaties and sjamboking
were all of no avail. De Wet pays a tribute
to General Cronj& for his bravery, but declares
he lost at Paardeberg Only on account OF his
fatal obstinacy in failing 20 leave the lager
as he was advised TO do by General Botha and
by the writer himself
Regarding his own forces, De Wet writes:
It was far easier to fight against the great
English army than against treachery among my
own people, and an iron Will was required 70
fight against both. once. II only our orders
had been carried out little more strictly, and
if ouly the most elementary rules or strategy
had been observed in efforts to break the
British lines of communication. Lord Roberts
and mis- thousands of troops would have found
themselves shut UP in Pretoria, where they
would have persisted Of hunger. II was not the
skill OF their commander in chief that saved
them.
OF the bIockhouses De Wet Is frankly con-
temptuous 1.-THE blockhouse policy" ne says
might equally well nave been called the policy
Of the blockhead" The writer emphatically de-
fenCs the right TO blow up railroad lines ana
trains as the usage Of war, and he declares ne
never missed An opportunity TO do SO Inc
so-called war against women and the misuse or
the white flag by the British are sternI :,t de-
nounced by the Boer general, who says: mat
such direct and indirect murder should nave
been committed against defenceless women ana
children is a thing ! should have staked my
head could never have happened IN war Wdseo
by the civilized English nation, and YET IL nap
pened.'' -, s,,.u,
His last word is Injunction to his fellow
countrymer. to be loyal TO the new government;
Loyalty" he says pays best in the END. ana
LOYALTY alone is worthy of a nation wnlcn mas
shed its blood for freedom e
The book contains a magnificent portrait 81
the author by the American painter John =
ga