THE TRANSVAAL

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXXV, Issue 172, 31 July 1901, Page 4

THE TRANSVAAL

TEE VICTORIAN DISASTER. " Anglo-Saxon " writes :— "I notice in your issue of the 16th that the mishap to the Victorians was avertable under certaii conditions. Many misnaps would nol have occurred if the good advice offeree by genuine Britishers had been taken intc consideration ; in fact had the Home authorities not been too haughty thej would have acted on the information given by a banker re the sums of monej sent to Krupp's nrm and on the information given by a press correspondent who had seen the Boer preparations whilst in South Africa. They were also advised to have trained dogs to guard against surprises. During the siege of Mafeking, our troops one night made a sortie intending to surprise a Boer fort, bat in getting near a Boer dog gave the alarm, and our men had to retire. Long before this the dogs had been recommended to the Home Office. On whose head is this waste of blood to fall ? Who is responsible for this protracted war ? Are the smart society people making money out of it or are the Boer leaders too smart for us ? I believe there are many in the ranks who would not have had the reverses their commandoes have had if they had been promoted for instances of bravery and intelligence as Kleber, Key, and others were by Napoleon, It seems as if this scourging of us is allowed to continue as a punishment for paying too much court to the more fortunate classes. Perhaps the present state of affairs will not change until a European war breaks out, and some genius appears on the scene in whom is combined the qualities of Cromwell and Wellington, | who will consolidate a peaceful dominion from the tape to Cairo."