The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-30
WAR OFFICE IS CONDEMNED.
LEFT ARMY tNPREPiRED FOR
STRUGGLE WITH THE BOERS.
Commission 81 inquiry Describes the sltla"
tlon as Appalling. Nothing Has Been
Done Since o Improve Matters,-'Trust-
inE to Another Miracle to Save U.s."
Special Cabie Despatch 10 THE Sun.

Special Cable Despatch 10 THE sun
LONDON. Aug a. Four bulky blue
books, which were issued this week. con-
tanning the report of the Commission OF
Inquiry into the South African War and
the evidence given before il, have dis
closed state of affairs hardly less serious,
as the Times says, than that disclosed by
the report of the historic COMMISSION OF
Inquiry after the Crimean war. The
state of unpreparedness for the South
African war, or any war. was such that can
only he described as appalling. says the
report
1t is impossible in the compass of "A cable
letter to give the details which ill these four
enormous volumes. The London papers
have devoted pages to il as well as columns
of leading articles, 1t must suffice to say
that all the attacks upon tho War ONCE
which were made during the war, when IN
those months of constant defeat charges
of every kind of criminal neglect were
made against it, have been fully justified
by this report, which shows that worse
charges and more numerous ones might
justly have been brought
By far the least serious matter is UNI
preparedness in material such as the lack
Of any clothing reserved except scarlet.
though it was known for years that Khaki
would be wanted in the next campaign;
that the lee Enfield rifles We're wrongly
sighted and would mot hit a haystack,
in the words of distinguished witness,
and that 88,OOO.OOO rounds of service
bullets we're useless. The navy. having
| a supply of ammunit ion and boots, saRed
the situation and prevented drawing on
India. There was no reserve of Saddlery
few horseshoes and no mules, while the
cavalry sword, in the words Of Gen. French,
was the very worst that could possibly
be used and there We're only eighty in re-
| serve The two army corps for foreign
service had neither transport nor animals.
Furthermore. there was not a penny of
| expenditure for the most essential prepara-
tions until three weeks before the war
| There was no scheme for organizing the
services Of the home and Colonial volun-
| teers, no maps, no plans of campaign or
! scheme Of defence. Nothing had been
thought out" is the constantly recurring
| criticism Of the commissioners. Every
| thing in connection with the actual opera
| tions was shown over and over again by
| witnesses who were eminent men in their
professions TO have been in the same con-
dition as the few foregoing points which
have been taken haphazard.
| But what is more serious than this, what
| is bringing a storm Of obloquy from all
| quarters, irrespective of politics, upon
| the War Office, is the revelation of its utter
| disregard of its duties. its refusal to listen
| to advice, it's neglect OF repeated warnings
| and its action throughout in maintaining
| an attitude which was well indicated by
| Gen. Buffers evidence that even after he
had been nominated for the command
| in South Africa, he merely received from
the Marquis of Lansdowne a casual invi-
tation to drop in and see me if you come
to London"
| Moreover, there are no signs that the
| War Office has done anything to improve
matters As the Spectator says I'VE
were saved by a miracle, yet we are trusting
to another miracle to save US from a similar
emergency
Gen. Butler blurted out, in giving his
testimony, that if the Beers in Natal had
! reached the sea they we're TO have received
the assistance OF a European Power. This
emphasizes the remark of Sir George
Goldie, one Of the commissioners, that
only an extraordinary combination Of
fortunate circumstances, external and in
ternal, saved the empire in the early months
, Of 1900. There is no reason TO expect "a
repetition of such fortune, IT, as appears
probable, the next national emergency
finds us still discussing our preparations,