Jasper County Democrat, Volume 2, Number 38, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 December 1899 — FACES GRAVE CRISIS. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

FACES GRAVE CRISIS.

ENGLAND NOW TO TAKE HEROIC WAR MEASURES. Whole Available Strength of British Em pire to Be Flung Into Booth Africa -Mobilisation Will Take Five Weeks —Flrat Plan of Campaign Abandoned. England is aroused indeed. All her reserves, a strong force of yeomanry, other mounted volunteers, all her available colonial troops, and a strong division of militia are ordered to the seat of war. Field Marshal Lord Roberts will go as commander-in-chief, and Gen. Lord Kitchener, of Khartoum fame, will accompany him as second in command. *-hese startling orders have been issued by the war office. They mean that almost the whole strength of the British, empire will be flung into South Africa. The mobilisation of the troops will be pushed with the greatest possible speed, and the fastest ships from the British merchant marine will be used to hurry the fprces to the Cape. It is calculated that these re-enforcements will begin to reach South Africa in about five weeks. Meantime the original campaign will be abandoned, and a general policy of mark tfane will be adopted by the commanders of the forces now in the field. The news of Great Britain’s tremendous preparations may spur the Boers into serious aggression before the fresh British troops arrive, but thus far they have shown no desire to attack intrenched forces, while the British disasters have been caused by just that thing. Besieged Towns Must Wait. All the indications now point to the beginning of a great campaign late in January. Meantime Ladysmith, Kimbeney and Mafeking must wait. Their situation is perilous, but according to all accounts there is no serious danger that famine will be added to their other sufferings. The chief interest in the new campaign centers in the Government’s decision to use as volunteer forces the yeomanry and militia. For active service the yeomanry should supply a useful contingent. They, as the London Telegraph editorially says, “like the rest of the volunteers, are drawn from the great middle and lower middle classes in England, Scotland and Wales. They may not possess the mechanical perfection of drill of the regulars, but there are no fetter cross-country riders in the world than the British yeoman.” Section D of the reserve, which has been called out, consists of men who have

completed the term of their original enlistment and who engage to serve an additional four years. The militia are the same class of men as the regulars, and are in camp a month annually. These, together with the reserves, number 113,000 men. Their chief lack is officers. The yeomanry, the backbone of which is young farmers, are well officered, often by men retired from the regular cavalry, who, marrying young, settle on their country estates. They number 10,207. All are well mounted on their own horses.

In the militia are 14,734 artillerymen and 1,804 engineers. Of the militia only 14,000 are over 35 years of age. Similar numbers are aged 30 and 35, and the remainder are under 30. Over 32,000 are agricultural laborers, 13,000 miners, and 10,000 artisans. The volunteer infantry contains some regiments that- are considered the equal of any of the regular regiments. It also includes the best shots, but their average shooting is lower than that of the regulars. The Government indicates the number of volunteers that will be permitted to serve, but*Lord Roberts’ grand, army will probably reach a total of rather over 180,000 of all arms.

GENERAL KITCHENER.