NOTES ON THE WAR.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11642, 27 January 1900, Page 7

NOTES ON THE WAR.

By Major Ken-xedy

The reports to hand state that General Warren surprised and captured Spiou Kop on Tuesday night, but that on Wednesday the nre from the enemy's guns was very severe, inflicting heavy losses on the British forces. I cannot quite understand how it came about that the artillery fire of the enemy was severe if General* Warren occupied Spion Kop, as that hill commands their lines for at least 6000 yards, and it is natural to suppose that General Warren's artillery after he occupied such a commanding position would drive the enemy back on their second line of defence at Acton Homes. I shall await further news from Natal before attempting to read between the .lines to try and find the true position on the Tiicela, for I conless 1 do not quite understand the cables lho cables, dated London, January 25 confirm the former report of the capture of .Spion Kop by General Warren's division on luesday night. It appears that the enemy occupied the position as an outpost as only a small garrison occupied the hill and tliese fled on,the approach of our men It seems that the enemy had withdrawn ius guns from the position, and only held tile kop ior the purpose of watching the movements of General Warren's troops for had they-.held the position with their artillery they' would have been compelled to abandon their guns, or else stop and attempt to hold the hill hny enough to give their artillery time to retreat to a safer position, and then gradually retire under cover of the fire of their guns in the rear. As no mention is made regarding the capture of any of the enemy's "suns we are justified in holding .that the enemy had already removed their artillery to i< second line of defence, and only held the position at Spion Kop as an advanced outpost. The fighting that took place the next day (Wednesday), during which our troops suffered considerably, fully confirms my view of this state of affairs. I am of opinion that the main line of the enemy's defences is as yet intact, and that at Acton Homes the enemy will be found in a very strong position.

I look for nn .attempt being made by General Clery's division to cut the enemy in two by forcing .a. passage through his hues directly to the north of Potdeter's Drift in the direction of Dewdrop,° while General Lyttelton holds the enemy on the east, to the right-of Clery's division, m check. Tiie position of the" forces- remains the same as previously stated, with the exception that the enemy have abandoned Spion Kop, thus shortening their line*, while the British have advanced and taken 'up the position evacuated by the enemy, thus drawing their lines closet and materially shortening their lines of attack. This shortening of the lines would add greatly to our offensive powers, as every mile of front, that we are forced to present to the enemy makes our efforts less effective, and we cannot extend our lines unduly without weakening our powers of offence or defence-; consequently every mile that General Buller can reduce his "frontage will enable him to' mass his forces on any point required with greater despatch, and, as a result, the advantages of the enemy by reason of being mounted will be reduced. lam confident, however, that our troops will succeed in relieving General White, but I am not quite satisfied that the enemy will be very . materially weakened by having ,to evacuate the 'position before Ladysmith.-" ',-•. ''"

The relief of-.General White will give the loyalist people of- South- Africa hope for the future, and will discourage the disloyal Dutch—and, unhappily, I mus t say, British—who have not yet thrown in their lot with the enemy, from doing bo. 1 do not expect. General Bitller to ...succeed in carrying any position of importance held by the enemy until their guns are beyond their reach, as the able strategists who are handling the enemy's forces are evidently masters of their profession. The arrival of 2000 additional troops from. England at Durban will in great measure strengthen General Buller's power of offence, as it will keep his army about up to its original strength. I note with a great deal of pleasure that a great number of the wounded are very soon able to return to duty. This is particularly noticeable' in Natal, where it is stated that many of those wounded at Colensn on December 15 were again able to resume duty arid take part in the engagements that' were then (January 23) in Uro^'cM. I cannot help but iWhioe this re-

markable feature of the war, and compare conditions as they now exist with the state of affairs that prevailed in former wars, when rifles of large calibre were in use and the medical and surgical appliances were not of the best.

I note the instructions of General Biiller to his troops regarding the terms on which they' are in future to respect the white nag. Possibly, I may say even probably, these rules will have a tendency towards bringing about a condition of things that win result in teaching the treacherous scoundrels. who have murdered our officers and men under a ruse by means of the use of the emblem of peace a salutary lesson. }

The report.? of sickness in the enemy's ranks at Magersfontein do not surprise me, but I cannot expect that our own troops on the Modeler are wholly free.from fevers and dysentery, caused by bad water and inferior rations. I note with pleasure that in Natal and Cape Colony our troops are in excellent spirits, and full of confidence, while the enemy's troops are said to be very despondent. The value of confidence in the ranks cannot be over estimated, as without confidence little can be expected from an army. l The opinions of such leaders of public thought as Captain Mahan, the famous naval authority in the United States, are of particular interest just now, as it shows that the great leaders of American thought clearly see that in any great wars of the future America and Britain will be compelled by common interest, if not by any iiigher motive, 'to stand together to win or lose as circumstances may determine. Unfortunately for both, I am sorry to say that America is unprepared to enter into any struggle with any of the Great European Powers and that her military affairs are in oven a worse state than those of Great Britain. The Spanish-American war clearly proved that the great Republic would, have cut a sorry figure if she had engaged a first-rato Power in combat, as her arnw and volunteers were about ns effective as the New Zealand defence forces or the Chinese army during the war with Japan. I have some reason to believe, however, that the necessity for modern weapons and organisation has in some degree been brought directly home to the American nation, and that more preparation will ba made in times of peace to bring the national army and navy of our ■great ally to a state of efliciencv," so that they will be real fiwhting machines whenever called on to battle for their country, either at home or abroad. But notwithstanding the defects of the present military organisation in America, it is reassuring to have the support of such a gallant Irish-American leader as Captain Mnhan, for the support of such a leader/would be sure to weigh very much in any assemblage of his compatriots when the question of a defensive and offensive alliance between the Anglo-Saxon nations is discussed. I am sure that the support of Captnin Mahan for such an alliance will largely influence the Irish Americans in supporting such a scheme. The^ shooting of the Englishmen in the Free btate who were foolish enough to accept passes issued by the Republican Government, giving them the right ib peacefully remain in the country' as neutrals, clearly shows how far the average Dutch Afrikander is to be trusted. These men were given passes and guaranteed protection, provided they remained passive, and now the State authorities have actually shot them for refusing to take up arm's against, their countrymen. It is to be hoped that at the close of the war Great Britain will fully investigate this matter, and hang the officials responsible for the outrage.

The heat on the Tugela ab this season of the yeav is always very trying, even to those- inured to the Natal climate, but when we take into consideration the fact that the thermometer will often register 122 degrees in the shade, and. that the climate is often damp, it may be easily imagined how difficult it is for'the British infantry soldier to march and carry the load he does. Daylight occurs about 3 a.m. during this season, and it is to avoid the excessive heat that the troops march so much at night, and that is why nearly all the fighting takes place in the early morning or late at night. The heat from 8 a.m. until 4.30, p.m. is often intense, and the thunder showers that fall so regularly are great blessings on the one hand and a great source of fever on the other, for, as the downpour cools the earth and gives new life to animal and vegetation alike, it also sows the seed of fever in the system, and is the direct cause of more deaths than the bullets of the enemy. Happily the climate in Oape Colony, where our New Zealanders are fighting, 'is much better than in Natal.