is to
provide the money for these? I doubt very much if many Englishmen or
Australians or New Zealanders _who have seen South Africa_ will
exchange their present homes for the dreary and unproductive routine of
an African farm.
During the latter part of our run the kindly enthusiasm of the colonists
was as much in evidence as ever. Offerings of flowers and delicacies
were again showered upon the wounded. It was amusing to notice how
truculent some of the ladies were. One of them, as she put her welcome
basket through the window, remarked _a propos_ of Kruger, Steyn, etc.,
"Yes, bury them all, bury them all!"
After our sick men had been duly conveyed to the hospital we stayed in
Capetown till the close of the year. A plentiful supply of English
newspapers were lying about in the smoking-room of the hotel and it was
exceedingly painful to read of the violent criticisms passed upon our
Generals. If journalists in England wish to criticise the behaviour of
our Generals, let them do so over their own signature when the war is
over and these servants of the Government can defend themselves fairly.
During the progress of a campaign a General has practically no
opportunity of defending himself against newspaper attacks. Military
success amid the surroundings of a South African campaign is often so
difficult: criticism in Fleet Street is so easy! Very frequently the
same man who cheers wildly at Waterloo and labels the outgoing General's
luggage "To Pretoria" is the first to vituperate the same officer if
amid the vicissitudes of warfare some measure of defeat falls to his
lot. Military success does not depend entirely on the devotion or
capacity of a commander. How cruel were those of the paragraphs which we
read directed against our own General, Lord Methuen--the only British
commander who had, if we except Elandslaagte, won any successes up to
the present. Let the public wait before they so freely condemn a General
who drove back the enemy in three successive engagements. That
Magersfontein was a bad reverse is patent to everybody, but the causes
of that defeat are not nearly so apparent.[C] It is disgraceful that
English newspapers should, during the progress of a campaign, print
letters from soldiers at the front which asperse the character and
conduct of their commanding officers. Publicity of this sort strikes at
the root of military discipline and common fairness too, for the public
can scarcely expect a British Gene
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