The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-17

what dauntless courage with what in
tense and stubborn devotion to n single
end French fought this battle with the
Beers Is written on every stage OF the
following campaign.
The weeks OF watching and outwit-
ting, OF prudent aggression and reckless
valor held back the forces Of Grotelar
and Schoeman. relieved the pressure on
Methuen and Gatacre at the most crit
ical moment of their fortunes, and at
last enabled Lord Roberts to enter I'M
delayed upon his northern campaign.
When at last French was ready to
make his dash to Kimberley the first
|, phase of the struggle was already over.
For the Beers in South Africa. no less
than to the Germans to-day. time was
Everything, and with the failure of the
first the ultimate ruin Of their aims was
assured To the patience and skill in
adversely and difficulty and the brilhance
and Judgment in victory OF Gen. French
Britain must largely owe her final tri-
umph.
! The story Of the dash to kimberley
has been told too often to be repeated
here Yet that dash through waterlcss
country, ending in the outflanking OF
| Cronje's r1omen and the race OF eN-
| hausted troops TO paardcberg and the
Drift by the Modder which resulted in
the trapping Of Cronie's forces by Lord
Kitchener and Lord Roberts, was in it.
self historical achievement There
Cronje and his 5000 men Were held mp
by French and the contemplate little
army" Of ESQ men for day and a night
until at last the doom Of the miEhtier
force was scaled indeed.
Even amid the huge conflicts Of to-
day we may take comfort and inspira-
ton from the heroism of that tiny force
and the daring OF their General who.
making a show Of strength that was not
there. flung himself forward In an at
tack that broke the nerve of his OPP
ponents and drove them into the depres-
sion that was their ruin. From that
time on even the mobile forces OF the
Beers knew that they had found their
master.
II would be easy to go ON for. lookiug
back upon the South African wal. one
finds that the incidents which most oc-
cur to the mind the exploits upon which
one loves to dwell, are largely those
connected with the name Of Gen.
French. one sees him again on the
white horse Of which he was so fond;
one recalls the Impotence with which,
though he might walk his horse upon
the level. directly he reached rising
ground he always went az % trot to
get to the top as quickly a. possible
He il essentially man Of action, a man
who loves TO attack rather than defend
a man of big imagination who loves
the apparently audarlous move which
ia yet calculated i'm the coolest ana most
detailed manner. Yet while lie Is n
logged man who can with infinite
patience and confidence pursue his plan
sure that when the moment comes and
not before he will be able to strike witt
decisive effect he has the knaCk OF s1Ir.
rounding himself with "A staff of frs
rate ability. and his unswerving loyalty
ard generosity Ia e'l whn serve him. no
less than his unfailing geniality anC
high spirits. endear him TO all VINO know
him.
have just returned from France
; where | have visited the Compiegnc
2 SCISSORS battlehelds; and wherever
went | heard expressed on all sides the
, highest admiration for Sir John French