THE FEELING ENGLAND

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11642, 27 January 1900, Page 4

THE FEELING ENGLAND

(Fboji Oue Ottx Conr.EsroNDENT.)

LONDON, December 16.

So fiu, the British nation has borne its reverses with -admirable dignity and modersttion, but there are signs day by day and •daily increasing that our patiencs is steadily "becoming exhausted. Already thousands of English homes have been rendered desolate, and the Christmas of 1899 will indeed be a, time of deepest melancholy. Louder and louder the cry daily goes up: "Who is responsible for all this terrible and fatal blundering?"

Apart from the other bungling, the limited acceptance of the generous colonial offers of men is being severely; animadverted upon. It is pointed out that the colonial troops form just the class of men needed for operating against the Boers, whose methods are more or less cf the guerilla order, such as would bo better counteracted by warriors accustomed to colonial experiences than by soldiera of the line, bred and nurtured on fed tape. For instance, an atmy chaplain writes to one of the London dailies: —

The action of the Imperial authorities in declining; the full number of troops offered by Australia" and New Zealand must now be, iv . thj face of recent events, the cause of general regret. Bravo and Well disciplined as the regular itoopa arc, they lack the knowledge o£ veldt or bush craft, and the resourceful habit of acting when necessary on tlieir own initiative possessed by the colonials. They ate also far less mobile. Had General Gatacre bcefi supplied with a sufficient number of colonial mounted troops, iv all probability the serious reverse, which we all lament, would have been avoided. Similar reverses may be expected unless more cavalry and mounted colonials are quickly forthcoming. In addition, guerilla warfare will be resorted to by the Boers, if defeated in any large battle, and mounted troops alone can cope successively with this kind "of warfare. In view of these present and future events, why not increase our colonial forces in South Africa by accepting the offer of the trained bush men of Australasia Who have offered their services V Professional jealousy or prejudice ought not to be allowed to interfere ir. a matter affecting the pi'e'stige of the Empire.

Tli is feeling has been assentitated by the excellent reports of the cool and courageous behaviour of the New Zealand contingent at the front, and by the martial readiness they display on all occasions. Beginning on the 7th inst., they first assisted in, covering tlie dctrainment of three train loads of mountotl troops. Next, on the following dny, they were under fire in the centre of the first line and made a successful charge, driving tho Boers from a neighbouring kopje, killing three of them and captminq: twenty horses. On the following day the New Kealandfli-s and Australians got close up to the enemy's position and drew a heavy rire. They returned the fire and emptied five saddles: later on they " stalked " some Boars and shot I wo. Since then they have been doing excellent scouting work. The Boers appear to be puzzled at their tactics, and often mistake them for their own men. Since their arrival they have had plenty to do; but they like it. They are a very serviceable body of men, and have already given a good account of themselves. Yes! erday they bro.nght into camp a troop of horses, which appear to have strayed from Ihc Boer eiunp, and were promptly snapped up by the colonials. What has been wanted ir, more of {his colonial readiness in* rough country. In every case one leading cause of our disasters has been utter ignorance as to the position or strength of the enemy, and apparent .incompetence to delect and utilise natural covor.

But another contributory cause which seems still more inexcusable is the lack of ■ill neem-ate knowledge as to the ■nature and 'difficulties of the country. -Yet, •it is out own territory on which we are fightins! .fiven had it beeti. the Transvaal it would have beeh inexcusable that our generals should have been ignorant of its geography and topography. How much more discreditable it is to mtr military capacity that wa should be wholly linfnformed about the characteristics of our own ground, all of Which the enemy knows "like a book!"

Here wo have an cnoinjr in possession of British territory securely posted on 5t for more than two months, and well posted up in nil its features and potentialities for military purposesr Oh the other hand, our generals have suffered four bad defeats, and have, Hot succeeded in even shaking; the adverse possession of British soil! It la a grievous huiyiilmlidiu

No praise can be too high for the splendid. braver1}- of our troops. But it dbfes seem that no censure can bo too bitter for the all* round incompetence which bar, sacrificed them wholesale. It is all very well to lie considerate and sympathetic fof generals who ha-ye .suffered the" shame of defeat. We all feel deeply sori-y For them, and fully recognise how agonising must be tlieir feelings. But we cannot afford to sacrifice our Empira and our men to mere, sentiment. Wo must somehow find leaders who will redeem our army from the imputation that it consists of " lions led by nsses." ',

Our scouting arrangements appear to have been as defective as our artillery is relatively inferior, our cavalry weak, and our transports slow, That we have been completely butgeuerallcd and our-niftnmiivrod by the Boors is unhappily unquestionable.

A rumour is afluat to the effect that, some of our unreadiness, ami particularly the defective transport service, has been due to parsimony on the part of the Treasury. If ,90, there will be a heavy reckoning for someone to pay. As to the inadequacy of our arrangements in almost every respect, there can unhappily be no two opinions. The causation may yet, assuredly will, lie a matter of embittered controversy. Today's news is the worst of all.- Wo were hoping llial the successive disasters encountered by White and jVtethuen and Gatacre might bo retrieved by Sir Redvers Blil!cr with n. brilliant victory, So soon as he should be ready to advance in fores. Alas! jlie lias advanced, but only to be forced to retreat with fearful loss, leaving eleven guns in the enemy's hands. This is indeed a bitter blow—a most unacceptable Christmas gift. .. . . .

At' the oirtsei 1 wafhetl NW Kcalantl readers that thiß ptruqc;lp was no mere "Httlo war" against "a handful of Dutch farmers," as some music hall jingoes fancied, but a great life and death fight for our very existence as an Empire and a first-class Po-.vei'. We have now put our hand to the plough, ami we cannot go back. Wo shall have to " see it out," to do Rattle until the victory shall be won or utter ruin encountered. Tho Litter Sllcriiaiivh seems unimaginable, but to avoid it, we shall need to strain-evesy nerve and utilise every resource. And I fear we have some troublous times ahead even yet.