not be forced to fight on ground unprepared for defence.

ROBERTS, Field-Marshal,
Commanding-in-Chief, South Africa.

Chief of Staff (Circular Memorandum).

Cape Town, 5th February, 1900.

The following notes by Field-Marshal Commander-in-Chief are
communicated for the guidance of all concerned.

By Order,

KITCHENER OF KHARTOUM,
Chief of Staff.

NOTES FOR GUIDANCE IN SOUTH AFRICAN WARFARE.

CAVALRY.

1. On reconnaissances or patrols not likely to be prolonged beyond one
day, the cavalry soldier's equipment should be lightened as much as
possible, nothing being taken that can possibly be dispensed with.

2. It has been brought to my notice that our cavalry move too slowly
when on reconnaissance duty, and that unnecessarily long halts are
made, the result being that the enemy, although starting after the
cavalry, are able to get ahead of it. I could understand this if the
country were close and difficult, but between the Modder and the
Orange rivers its general features are such as to admit of small
parties of cavalry accompanied by field guns being employed with
impunity.

ARTILLERY.

3. If the enemy's guns have, in some instances, the advantage of ours
in range, we have the advantage of theirs in mobility, and we should
make use of this by not remaining in positions, the precise distance
of which from the enemy's batteries has evidently been fixed
beforehand. Moreover, it has been proved that the Boers' fire is far
less accurate at unknown distances. In taking up positions compact
battery formations should be avoided. The guns should be opened out,
or it may be desirable to advance by sections or batteries. Similarly,
retirements should be carried out at considerably increased intervals,
by alternate batteries or sections if necessary, and care should be
taken to travel quickly through the danger zone of hostile artillery
fire.

The following plan, frequently adopted by the Boers, has succeeded in
deceiving our artillery on several occasions:--

Suppose A to be a gun emplacement, the gun firing smokeless powder;
simultaneously with the discharge of the gun at A a powder flask of
black powder will be exploded at B, a hill in the rear, leading us to
direct our projectile on B. Careful calculation with a watch, howev