Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-08-31
WAR OFFICE SCANDAL
Britain Aghast at Amazing
Revelations.
COUNTRY UNPREPARED
BoER CONFLICT BEGUN WITHOUT
KNOWLEDGE OF RESOURCES.
Lord Lansdowne Blamed in the Report
of the Royal Commission Just
Submitted.

The New York Herald's European edition
yesterday published the following from its
correspondent in London:
Revelations contained in the report of
the commission on the conduct of the war
in South Africa have filled all England with
CONSERVATION and indignation. From three
volumes just issued much has been sup
pressed Gin the public interest,"" but enough
remains apparently to justify the opinion
freely expressed that the war Office at the
outbreak Of the trouble was in a state Of in
competency which is nothing short Of amaz-
ing.
The testimony of General Nicholson shows
that the intelligence section Of the war
Office relating to South Africa before the
war was run with q force of only two off,
GERS and one clerk.
The treasury against the united recon-
| mendation of the war Office, had refused
any increase and hence 1t was not surpris-
ing when England went to war that there
was no effective map of the Orange Free
State. the Transvaal or Natal.
To quote General Kitchener's own testi-
mony, according to official memoranda, the
field intelligence department had to be
created from the very beginning.
Delays at Wars Outbreak.
General Nicholson Is responsible for the
information that there was practically no
valid connection between the intelligence
department and the defense committee Of
the cabinet.
The British local defense scheme was
based on Inadequate forces. It was merely
that the generals reported how they could
make the best Of what troops they had.
The experts prepared plan Of mobilization
in the early summer. but the government
would not vote the extra money until forced
to do SO. This was the testimony Of Gen.
Sir F. Stopford.
From official memoranda and Colonel AL
thaws testimony, it is apparent that Lord
Lansdowne. then war secretary, knew there
were $1,000 mounted Beers who could op-
pose the British, yet almost without eXcep-
ton infantry was sent
When finally the mobilization Of the First
Army Corps was ordered it was SO late that
it was not possible for Sir Redvers Butler
to be in a position to take the field until
December. The Beers had invaded Natal
the second week in October. Hasty mobili-
zation on the part Of the British then
caused disorganization.
Did Not Meet Sufficient Compliance.
Nearly all the military witnesses, notably
General Kelly-kenny, put stress on the fact
that the representa- tons Of the commander
in-chief did not meet sufficient compliance.
Lord Wolseley emphasizes this and also the
way Lord Lansdowne treated him and his
advice in 1899, which was absolutely dis
regarded, refusing to sanction even the
most urgently needed expenditure
The war secretary's refusal delayed the
army corps. Nor did he send out the REIN
forcements urged. Lord Roberts also con-
dennis the initial preparations in South
Africa.
The volumes TEEN with the war officers
shortcomings. The British had no quick
firing guns In South Africa When the war
started, warnings from the Cape were neg
lected; mobilization was muddled; the war
officers did not even know that pompon
guns could be used for field purposes. 1t
was not known here until the middle Of Oc-
tober that the Beers were using any heavy
guns in the field
There were so few pontoons in this coun-
try that old ones had to be sent out. Col
Lucas declared that the sights of some of
the rifles were so bad the soldiers could not
hit hayStack with them.
Waste Of Public Money.
Sir Fleetwood Wilson, financial adviser to
Lord Kitchener. found serious avoidable
vase Of public money in the ordnance ex-
penditures at Cape Town. due to insufficient
preparations before hostilties and lack of
forethought in demanding stores
There was no evidence to show that any
steps were taken at the Cape before the war
to obtain information as to the prevailing
prices and local sources of supply. 1t was
not until four days before hOstilities begun
that any serious attempt was made to fore
cast probable requirements.
To what use provisions were sometimes
put is thus related by Lieutenant Colonel
Morgan:
I'VE had large stocks at our base ports of
timed meat and biscuits. They became
such nuisance in this way that we had no
storage for them. The food had to stand
out in the open, and, of course, some of 1t
went to the bad Instead of insisting on
pound tins Of meat as was recon-
mended by committee sixteen years ago,
the war office bought six-pound tins. These
being heavy, the men often threw them
away
Boots Of Brown Paper.
According to Colonel Carr the soldiers
boots were distinctly bad in 1900 They
were of brown paper, at least not much
better
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