JJANUARY with 1 - Chronicling...

NEW-YORK DAILY TEIBUXE. SUNDAY. JANUARY 7, 1900.NetD Jfcrsen Hbrjertieementa

NEW JERSEYS dREATEST STORB.

Xcnj JtrßCt) QbottfiacmtntM.FEEDING A BIG ARMY.

A COMPLICATED AND VITALLY IMPOR-

TANT TASK.

JJANUARY SALE with1 CLOSE-OUT BARGAINS.

\u2666

lADVANCE SALE (1900) SPRING GOODS.

AN' ENGLISH OFFICER'S ACCOUNT OF THEFIGHTING AND AFTERWARD.

From The London Times.

*ilh£ f,°ilowlnX very interesting letter, written tohis mother by an officer of the Ist Manchcsters,Has b"en forwarded to us for publication:

Wesleyan Chapel, Temporary HospitaltJd t

Ladypmlth. Tuesday. October 24.• t , am wltnln four whitewashed walls, andi v i.?,wlth sheets on it. Inever dreamed that1 should be wallowingin the lap of luxury to suchan extent until we had marched triumphantly toJohannesburg or Pretoria. Well, you will haveheard before now whyIam leading this indolentlife, and Ihope that you got the wire that Isentyou on Sunday, telling you that my wound, thoughsevere, was not serious.It was rough luck getting knocked over in thetlrst rngagement, and Iwas most awfully sick

OX THE FIELD OF ELANDSLAAGTE.

herds of cattle driven along in the rear of thearmy. The inconveniences are somewhat modifiedby the use of canned meats. With large armies thefresh meat must necessarily be brought from agreat distance in the rear. Ifbrought In trains thecattle will suffer greatly from hunger and thirst,fnr there Is no law relating to haltp for the purposeof watering and feeding that would be observed,and the cattle are crowded in the cars, are badlyfrightened and a constant prey to disease nniinumerous accidents are liable to happen. Immedi-ately on disembarkation the cattle are hurriedlydriven forward to the troops. Not only do thohard roads break up their hoofs, but the sustainedpace, is not natural for them, and they are de-prived of what they are accustomed to—frequentand prolonged halts in order to graze and ruminateConsequently, they aro kept in a constant conditionof reverishnesp. The mortality In herds of cattlefollowing an army is frightful, and those that sur-vive become so emaciated that they are little elsethan skin and bone*, and the meat la tough andnearly always diseased and feverishTh«- French War Department a few years agoconducted a series ->f experiments on the preserva-tion of meat by cold. The results showed thatmeat could be readily kept in excellent conditionfor several months without any deteriorationwhatever, retaining the appearance and quality offresh meat It was also proved that when themeat was frozen it could be transported in anordinary car or wagon for several days, even in ahigh temperature, without endangering Its con-dition.

\u25a0tretcher and carried about three miles to the rail-way, where our regiment wa*. drawn up to coverthe entralnment o£ the wounded. They were allgloriously happy, having captured three big guns,two ot the enemy's flags and as many rifles, pistol*,bandoliers, stores, blankets, provisions, etc., a 6they could carry. They gave me a hearty greetingas 1 was carried past them, for Ihad been reporteddead.

When we arrived at Ladysmlth T was carried totho head hospital, and was dressed by Major DavidBruce. He was awfuly nice and kind, thoughfrightfully busy, and up to his eyes In blood. Thebullet was still In my leg, and he decided to haveme put under the X rays next day and see tf hecould find it. Ifeit quite certain "that the bulletwas In my right hip, though it had gone In Justbelow the groin of the right leg. Just missing thefemoral artery by a hair's breadth. Jolly lucky,wasn't It, that It wasn't a quarter of an Inchhigher? Yesterday Ihad a bit of a doing, beinglifted from my bed on to a stretcher and carried totho Town Hall, lifted from the stretcher andplaced under the X rays, where Iwas for aboutan hour. While there Idiscovered the bulletIn my hip, and as it was not very deep in Iwasput on the Btretcher and carried off to the operat-ing theatre. Ihad had breakfast, so could not havechloroform, and Major Bruco cut It out. It didhurt a bit,Imust confess, but Iwas jollyglad tohave it out. It Is a nice solid Mauser rifle bullet,and does not seem to be any the worse of hittingme. Ishall have a hole put In It when Igo downto Pletermarltzburg, and have the date engravedon It and the name of the action—Elandslaagte—and shall keep It as a record. Idid not Bleep verywell last night, as Iwas a bit feverish, and thelifting on and off the stretcher had rather tickledup the torn muscles in my leg, and then the In-cision that was necessary for taking out the bulletsmarted a bit. But Iam feeling a good deal betternow, and really the treatment here Is quit© wonder-ful. The nurses In this ward are perfect dears, andnothing Is too much trouble for them-, though theyare most frightfullyhard worked. There are twen-ty-twobeds in this ward, aud on Sunday and Mon-day they were all occupied by men who could do

next to nothing for thmselves. There are only twonurses and two orderlies for the ward, and so youmay guess the work Is pretty hard.

"We had ten officers here on Sunday and Monday,as the officers' ward was full to overflowing. How-ever six went away to Pletermarltzburg, to thebase hospital, as they were considered fit to travelin the hospital train. You see, they keep clear-ing us off from the hospitals at the front, so a3

to make room for others who are sure to come In.Iam -afraid there willbe earn* more to-night, asthere is an artiliery action going on about fivemiles from here. It Is sickening -ylng here and Spring styles are coming in ; therefore winter numbers

—those

new since autumn—

must be either moved into the middle chamberdisplay or sacrificed. We prefer to sacrifice. We've had a bigwinter trade and can afford to be very generous: hence theseprices: —

FURNITURE MOVE=OUT.

This FIVE PIECE PARLOR SUIT, fine silk damask, tufted backs, in- zTQ AA$laid mahogany finish frame, French legs; a 90.00 value for . . . Uy»vv*

A FIVE PIECE PARLOR SUIT, silk A FIVE PIECE PARLOR SUIT, silk*damask, mahogany finish, inlaid frame, damask, inlaidmahogany finish frame;*French legs: 69.00 value for AQ 50 a 79.00 value for .... 5Q#

00*

This COUCH, good quality velour, \u2666

various colors, carved oak frame, large \u2666and comfortable, spring edge all around;

*a 15.00 value for \u2666

10.50. :

AN ARMORED ENGINE.Used In sorties on the railroad against the Boerp, SPECIAL GROCERY PRICES.

Canned Goods, 1899 Packing.VEGETABLES.

Cbrn—

Ruby brand. 7c can. 800a dozen.

Corn—Belfry brand, extra. FancyMaine Sugar Corn. 9c can, 1.00a dozen.

Succotash— Belfry brand. FancyMaine Succotash, 10c can, 1.15 adozen.

Lima—

Crown brand, nat-ural flavor. 7c can, BOc a dozen.

LJma Bean*—

Brakeley's Mon-mcuth Co., very small and tender,130 can, 1.50 dozen.

Peas— Boyle's Victory brand, extra'lifted. 12c can. 1.40 dozen.

Strinsr Beans—

brand, 6e1 can. 70e dozen. .

String Beans—

Winetrenner's Best,,Fmall. round, tender and absolutely

strlngiess. lOc can. 1.15 a dozen.

CANNED FRUITS.Bartlett Pears

—In heavy ons.

ISc can. 2.0-i iozen.Golden Apricot*—lnita.Tr cmy,

IBe can, 1.70 dozer..Green Gage Plam-i—ln Iwtj

syrup, l."><? can. 1.70 a dosao.Kgg Pluada

—Inheavy cynic 150

can, 1.70 a dozen. \White Cherries

—In hesvy sjtos.

19c can. 2.20 a do*en.New York Stats Bartlett Pear»—

lie can. 1.25 a dozea.California Sliced Pencil— Oo

can. 1.00 a dozen.Bluebeniea. Victory fcrsad. makes

delldoua plea, 110 caa. 1.80 adozen. »• \u25a0*•

Blacxt*rrfes. Laeretta tnad. •«can. 1.00 a dozen.

Strawberries. Farr«n'» PreservedStrawberries. 14« can. I.SO adosen. -\u25a0>«••:«

CANNED FRUITS.Lemon Cling Peaches

—In heavy

lyrup, 18c can. 2.0Ma dozen.

VEGETABLES.Ajparagus

—Grade brand.

California. xrhlt» stalks. 21c can.5.50 a dozen.

Asparagus Tips—

Fort brand,larse round can*, all tips, 21c can.-.SO a dozen.

Tomatoes—

Maryland Red Rlp«Tomatoes, 6c can. 7Oc dozen.

Tomatoes—

brand, solWhanl packed Jersey*, tall No. 3can*. 110 can, 1.-3 dozen.

Spinach—

Luxury brand. fancyK&rden Spinach, cleaner and su-perior In flavor to the fresh. 15ccan. 1.70 dOZ.

HAMS AND BACON.Armour's "Helmet" Brand.

NOTE.—

We carry no"

Butcher,""

California," or other Inferior Hams.Fancy Mild Sugar Cured, selected from young. |Al/r It*

corn-fed pigs IU?Ce ID#Mail Orders Promptly Filled.

HAHNE &CO., Newark.

Free Deliveries at New Jersey R. R. Stations and in Greater New York.

!HAHNE & CO., Newark.

A Pietermaritz'uurg correspondent writes to us:"There is a remarkable case here in the hospitalof a plucky little 'Gordon'— a private. A bulletwent through his leg above the knee, a secondpenetrated the same leg just above the first, a thirdwent through his right side. With these wounds hekept on charging well in front, shouting to hiscomrades. 'Come on, boys. 1 He then got a fourthbullet in the h.e.-id. nnd this dropped him. It, how-,.,v r escaped the brain, but robbed him of con-sciousness. He is now continually shouting, 'Come

A PLUCKY LITTLE GORDON PRIVATE.From The London Globe.

listening to the boom of the guns when Imighthave been out on escort duty with them.

You can't Imagine what brutes the Boers are.They are absolute savages. Some of them wereusing elephant rifles with explosive bullets, somewere urfing expanding bullets like our dumdum,which we gave up, an we considered them (theBoers) a civilized nation. When they saw the co.dsteel at their chests they throw down their rifles,a^d as soon as our fellows passed they picked uptheir rifles and fired at them from behind. Idon'tfancy our fellows will give much quarter next timethey get the Boers within reach of a bayonet. It issaid they have also captured a captain of ours anda captain of the Gordons, with their respective par-ties of about twenty men. who went out to burythe dead. Are they" not absolute devils? And myown wish Is to he well again soon and to be able toget at them. We took numbers of prisoners onSaturday, and a more brutal lot of faces Ineversaw in my life. Please tell. that the Gordonswere just on my right, and as 1 fell Isaw Charlieat the head of his men, without a helmet, his eyesblazing and his mouth open, evidently cheering.leading them on magnificently. He got hit in threeplaces afterward, but he is as cherry at a cricket,I hear, nnd laughing- away as if nothing was thematter.Imust not •write any n:ore just now, as my leg

is beginning to ache with sitting up so long.Itis all tommy-rot about fellows all being fright-

ened the first time under fire. Ienjoyed the battletremendously from th<» sU'.rt to the time Igotknocked out, and Iam sure ray men were not n bitfunky either, but treated the whole thing as .ahuge Joke. We had an unpieasant quarter of anhour lying in the open with no cover at all, andthe Boers using us as targets from about two thou-sand yards off. They made pretty fair practice,for, though they only got two men in the front '.me,the bullets were kicking up the dlrt«all around us.Igot a bullet through my helmet, one of my Tom-mies had the heel of his boot shot off and anothergot a shot through his water bottle, so. you see,it was quite close enough, especially as we werenot allowed to reply to it. . .. (Joodby for thepresent. Ishall try and give you a more compter"description nf the battle -when next T write. Everyour devoted and cheery son.

about it. However, Idon't fancy that we shallhave a finer fight all throu<:i tho campaign thanElandslangte. for it was a splendid bit of manoeu-vring and most gallantly carried out by the mtn.They behaved magnificently, and the staff are fullof the very highest praises of our regiment: nothingcould be more satisfactory than tnat, and 1 amproud of bHongring- to such a corps. My chief re-gret is that Igot knocked over just before gettinginto tho position. Ihad just rot my sword nndrevolver out nnd had started on the charge witha crowd of my boys behind me when Iwas sud-denly knocked clean off my legs by what appearedto me at the moment to be a violent kick frombehind. Ijumped up again, but only to go downhead over heels, for my right leg was powerless.Ihad no idea that Ihad been shot tillIsaw theblood all over my trousers. Iwas right mad, forafter coming with the men so faNover such awfulground an.l under such a heavy fire it seemed sohard to be able to do nothing but sit on the groundand shout and cheer and wave my helmet. Theyswept past me with a cheer thnt only Britishsoldiers can give, a cheer that willever ring In mymemory. We drove them from the position at thepoint of the bayonet: then Iheard the firing startagain, nnd Ithought it must be the pursuit, butsuddenly the charge sounded again, and Iknewfrom the ringing cheers in the distance that wehad carried another position with the bayonet.Night was fast closing in, and a steady drizzlehad begun, and as usual in this place thr» coldbecame "intense. Firing was still going on in thedistance, nnd from time to time five or six shotswere fired at us on the battlefield from some bruteswho had hidden among the rocks. A Tommy ofmine an.l a si rgeant of the Gordons dressed raywound roughly to stop the bleeding, and myTommy and Ilay down to wait for the ambu-lance.

The firing had practically stopped by now. savetor a shot or two that were still being- fired at thewounded from amonj the rocks, i.nd ail the Geldarc und seemed covered with men, groaning inagony, or calling out for the ambulance in vain. Iprefer to say no more of that night on the fie!1, forIt is btst forgotten, an.l you may he sure that Inever welcomed the daylinit as Idid on Sundaymorning. Iknew that help would come with thelleht, and soon the stretcher bearers were at work.Many, of course, had been removed through thenight, but the darkness and the roughness of theground made it almost impossible for the bearerparlies to work.

1 ata glad my Tommy—

a private in my ov.-ncompany, called Rogers— stayed with me. for hewrapped me In his own greatcoat, and lay withhis arms round me all the night to try and keep mewarm. If he hadn't Iam afraid ishould havepegged out, for it was bitterly cold and Icouldn'tmove at all. Search parties were out all night, ofcourse, looking for us. and four m«jn tried to carryrnf in their nrms. but it wns too frightful, as theykept Calling among the ror-ks and dropping me tillIhad to cry off. About (i:3O a. in.Iwas put on a

The enemy should be made to realize thatthere -r>- other Inducements to make them dc-ii.-c peace besides the loss of battles and thehurded r-f iheir own military establishments.T'ne rtcht of an army In an enemy's countryto fe.z3 BuppHes, to forage and to occupy suchbuildings, private af well as public, as may berequired for quarters, hospitals, storehouses and<.t!i#r mKi'.-try purposes, without compensation can-rot be questioned, and it is expected that you willnot (orego the exercise of this right to any extentconykMible with the interest of the service uponwhich you are engaged.

\ On May M following General Scott replied:

If'\u25a0• 's expected at Washington, as is now appre-hended, that thls army Is to support itself by forcedcontributions levied upon the country, we niay ruinand exasperate the Inhabitants and starve our-Felves: for itis certain they would pooner removemr destroy the products of their farms than allowthem to fau into our hands without compensationNot a ration for man or horse would be brought inexcept by the bayonet, which would oblige thetroops to ypread themselves out many leagues toThe right ar.d left in search of subsistence, and tof;oj>all militaryoperations.

In General Sherman's famous march from At-laata to the sea his army cut a swath from fiftyto sixty miles broad through the unconquered sec-tion of the South, subsisting his army of sixty-fivethousand men off the country. He started fromAtlanta with about twenty days' supplies in hiswagons, which were refilled as fast as their con-tents were Issued. He utterly destroyed over twohundred miles of rails and consumed stores andprovisions that were needed by the Confederatearmies, besides appropriating thousands of mulesand horses. In his report upon the campaignGenera! Sherman made this reference:Iestimate the damage done to the State ofGeorgia at $100,000,000. at least J20.000.000 of whichteure<3 to our advantage, and the remainder issimply waste and destruction.Article 44 of General Orders No. 100 of the War

Department of 1563 provided thus:Allwanton violence committed against persons Inthe invaded country, all destruction of propertynot commanded by the authorize \u25a0! oflVers. all rob-bery, all pillage or sacking even after taking aplace by main force, all rape, wounding or maim-ingor killingeuch Inhabitants, are prohibited underpenalty cf death, or such other severe punishment

as may seem adequate for the gravity of the of-fence. A soldier, officer or private iri the act ofcommitting such violence and disobeying a su-perior ordering him to abstain from it.may be law-fullykilled on the spot by such superior. -»,

Paragraph 2 of Article 42 cf the Brussels Confer^enee of 1874 enjoined that: "For every requisitionan indemnity shall be granted or a receipt giventherefoTY** Requisitions are, howje\-er. an uncertainand unequal means of Bupply, and only enable anenemy to,llvfl from hand to mouth. Although prac-ticable in offensive wars, they are only Justifiablein rapid movements, where time does not admit ofmore certain means of supply. The system is lessodious than pillage, and it is to the interest of anInvading army r.ot *o Interfere in the ordinaryvocations of citizens, especially those engaged inproducing. Armies have increased so enormouslyin numbers within tEe last three generations thatIt has become difficult to subsist them from theresources of even the most productive country;hence in recruiting It is wisdom not to take toolarge a percentage of producers, especially fromthe agricultural class. Even water often becomesa scarcity, and during the Franco-German war of1870-*7 lthe scarcity of water which prevailed atMetz wan constantly felt. By a regular issue from,the ample etcres of wine found on the spot andlater by increasing the coffee ration and by send-ing brandy and mulled wine to the outposts all dis-advantageous consequences were avoided.

A COMPLICATED PROBLEM.Inpreperlng supplies for a campaign there must

be considered their composition, the probable dailyconsumption and the number of days' reserve tobe accounted, where and by what date they mustbe ready, whence are the supplies to be obtainedand how they are to be transported, and how theexpended supplies are to be replenished. Provisionsobtained either by consignments or purchase shouldV.c collected in large amount In the rear of thearmy, from v.-hich they could be drawn at timeswhen needed. If preference should be given to therequisition system, preparations must be made tolive otherwise ifnecessary. The conditions of dallyFupply lie between two extremes— that where thecountry is sufficient to meet all requisitions, andthat where it ii< completely exhausted.

Napoleon, in April. ISC9. in a ituer to his chief ofEtafi*. pointed out the folly of transporting suppliesfrom the base v. hen they could be puichased in theinvaded territory.

Transport is that branch of the military organiza-tion which provides for the mobility of an armyand enables it to move at any moment in any re-quired direction, complete in all that it needs bothfor its subsistence and its efficiency. In these daysof war efficiency no army, according to the opin-ions of militaryexperts, can have any hope of suc-cess in the leM sgalrr-t another provided with an<rjrar.lzed transport unless Itself pnaarasta suchan important equipment. It is looked upon as anImportant part of a modern army, as much so asits ntry, cavalry or artillery.And itshould com-j'y with three esseatiaj conditions; it must beFufficier.t fcr the wants cf the force employed, atall times in the best possible condition, and alwaysready for movement. Regimental transport is thatwhich is . rmanently attached in such proportion

as to carry the equipment, tools, mnm andother necessaries, and rations for two days. De-partmental transport i= that specially assigned tothe Ftaff and divisions constituting an army corpsto convey the baggage Of the organizations, the re-ferve ammunition, subsistence for four days— infact, everything needed to make the army corpsromplete for a certain number of days. The generalor auxiliary transport is .m;jlo>f-d chiefly on thellr.e of communications, and is either purchased,requisitioned or hired !n the localities where needed.

TRANSPORT BY WATER.In large expeditions by sea each transport ordi-

narily carries provisions for the troops after land-ing, and itis advisable that gocd and ewlft steam-ers be set apart for the reserve supply of pro-visions; also that small steamers be detailed toenable supplies to be collected from neighboringports. During the CivilWar supplies for a divisionor ccrps being organized for a particular movementwere collected weeks and months before they werereally needed.

When M.-Ciellan's army crossed the Potomacabove Harper's Kerry, in ISC2, each man carried onhis person eight days' rations of 'uread, coffee,sugar, ealt and soap. Five of these rations werestowed away in bis knapeack- and three In hishaversack. The supplies for a. corps in the fieldare usually transported from one camp to anotherIn wagons. A eix-horse wagon will carry abouttwo thousand pounds, and the eupply for each mana day. medical stores, ammunition and iood In-cluded, may be placed at four pounds. Hencesuch a wagon willsupply five hundred men for oneday, hut if the army is a day's march from thebase of supplies it willeupply only 2DO men for itB>u t go back t0 refill at the depot.eZi,A mt lB a ratl that ha* commanded apeat d«-al rtt consideration, and the quantity ob-J*]ntd fronilocal sources is usually insufficientTttrtfoi* th« deficiency is made rood by havlnji

THE MODERN STSTEIT OF HEQCISITIOXS-BEEF ON

THE HOOF-TRANSPORTATION PROBLEMS.

Among the embarrassments that frequently at-

tend tho mobilization and the movement of troops

in war time*, from which the operations in the

Tranivaal have not been exempt. Is that of the sub-

sistence or provisioning of troops. In fact, the dis-

patches from the Transvaal have frequently men-

tioned the suffering of the troops through the delay

in the transportation of supplies.

The word subsistence may be divided Into twomori*, namely, that ppecles of provision which is

t<. J>e found in an adjacent country, such as forage.

etc.. and that which i* provided at a distance and

mill supplied by means of a well conductedcommissary, consisting chiefly of meat, bread, etc.

Foraging, or "requisitions," which was first em-ployed by General Washington, and so named byMm during th< Revolutionary War. is demand

far food. fir., rni.ie on he inhabitants of certain(Jistricis to y»ii--"fy the requirements of an army,

and. if necessary, is accompanied by force. Inorder to provide for the wants of the Continentaltroops', Who v.<i> in nt-e,i of food aui clothing and%\e-, Ehoes, Washington fre.jij.-n resorted to•vqrhiiiorjF;but he always exercised great modera-jiin snd endeavored to protect private property.Ur- always a«keil In detailed manner for such ar-

-tio?fs a* v.-err indispensable for | la army, employingthe form of a rssjiwsft, reservtos; rigorous methodsfrr the recalcitrant. In former times the invaderj»^=*esred Ih* right of booty and pillage, and suchpractices K*rc mast unfortunate for an army, asthey o-E'.'i:ten! the population and compromised theFaf>ty of tho troops l?i an enemy's country.

AX EARLY PRINCIPLE.

Cn Aprs! \u25a0". I^7. the Secretary of War addressedGeneral Scott In this manner on the subject offcr«r. •

TAPPING WIRES AND USING THEM FOR TELEPHONING.—{Illustrated London News.

RUGGED CHARACTER OF THE COUNTRY NOW THE

SCENE OF WAR.

A vividdescription, more literary than technical,of the region which extends from the ocean to theTransvaal tablelands, seven thousand feet abovethe sea level, is published In a recent number of theParis "Revue Bleue," by M. Ch. Laroche, an oldInhabitant of South Africa and special correspond-ent of European papers. He says:

One of the first things remarked by the travellerlanding at the Cape. East London or Durban. Is theproximity of the mountainous region to the sea-shore. He has hardly advanced inland before hesres rising in front of him no ordinary hills, butan apparently insuperable barrier of rocks. Thissystem presents both advantages and serious In-conveniences, especially for Durban and the Cape.Durban, In fact. is situated at the foot of theBerea, a hillwhich rises abruptly about three mil.from the shore. On its summit are built the villasand cottages of the wealthy merchants, and a tram-way starting from the bluff connects the Bereawith the city and the harbor. The top of the hilldominates the roadstead and the channel, and ifit were in possession of an enemy no attempt atlanding- would be possible. The situation of Durbanas a military port is still further complicated bythe difficulties experienced by vessels which haveto cross the bar and penetrate into the channel.The port of Durban is situated behind a lagoonformed by two long sandy beaches, and despiteall the works executed in the last fifteen yearslarge mail steamships are still obliged to anchor Inthe roadstead, as will be the case, for the Britishtransport ships. This explains delay in the open-ing of his campaign by General Buller, for if it Iseasy promptly to disembark soldiers, it takes alonger time to put horses, mules and artillery ma-terials, firßt on board of lighters and then to pro-ceed ashore to a second disembarkation from thelighters.

Cape Town extends Itself at the western ex-tremity of a triangular peninsular of from thirtyto forty miles in length, formed by a long rockypoint advancing into the sea. On the northernside overhangs like a giant, In height 3.552 feetTable Mountain, flanked on the left by Devil's Peakand on the right by Lion's Head. The city Iscaught, therefore, between mountainous rocks.From there up to the Transvaal, the general con-figuration of Austral-Africa offers the aspect of avast amphitheatre, the "gradlns" or steps of whichare formed by successive tablelands of mountains,which immediately northward of Cape Colony arecalU-d the Grand Karroo, and the Drakenbergwhen they reach the western frontier of Natal.The ascending of these tablelands of that Immenseamphitheatre Is not an easy task for each oneoverhangs the one below, almost in a perpen-dicular line. and. moreover, they are put off Inravines and hllla which add to the difficulties ofthe ascent. From, the Cape to Orange River thedistance, llvu hundred milcH, is divided in threetablelands, tiie first rising about forty miles fromthe sea end the third at an elevation of seventhouHitnd feet. It is easy to understand the ditli-culties which had to be overcome In the construc-tion of the railroads which were built betweenCape Town. Port Elizabeth. East London andDurban to the interior of the country. There areno less than eight thousand bridges, tunnels, etc..along the network of tha railroads of Cape Colony,among tho most remarkable of which aro theBridge of Good Hope, on Orange River, which Is1,230 feet wide and has nine arches of 130 feet,and the bridges of Bethulle and Allwal North.InNatal, dliHculties in railroad building were alsoconsiderable. Between Plctermaritzburg and New-castle, a dlßtance of 19S mllee, there are no lessthan eleven bridges thrown across the Moot* Tugelaand other rlvera of this region.

FROM THE COAST TO PRETORIA.

Scene: A city restaurant. (Four chairs at a table.Upon one Bits an old, pray man eating hisluncheon. The other three are turned down. Tothem arrive Brown. Jones and Robinson. Theycast glances of unconcealed dislike at the old.gray man.)

Jones (to 'Walter)—"Where's Mr. Smith to-day?Hla chair there

Walter—Mr. Smith won't be here to-day, gentle-men. He Is out of town.

Jones— in that case, of course (Sits downwith Christian resignation beside the old, grayman.)

Brown— Well, and what's the best news?Robinson— Iknow what's the worst. Anythlnk

more shameful than this muddle Inever heard of.The War Office willhave to give an account to thenation when the war's over.

Jones— and to think that a little forethoughtand a pinch of common sense might have made allthe difference!

Brown—Mind you, Iwouldn't have minded Ifthey'd sent out the right men. Take Buller—what'she really done? Then Clery— ever heard of himbefore a week ago? Inever did.

Robinson— And their tactics! Itmakes my bloodboll. Look at Modder River. Well, the Easter be-fore last at Brighton—those manoeuvres, you know,that have become historic, owing to the way the3d Bermondsey Foot— the Lord Mayor's Own— wereall cut from the main body while drinking at theHed Lion. Well, Iwas there, and we had to dojust what Methuen had to do at Modder River; andwe did it under a much worse fire than he hadagainst him. We simply went at It,etc.. etc.

Jones— take Estcourt. Even Ican see sit-ting at home in my omce what a ghastly mistakewas made!

Robinson— They tell me, too, that the commis-sariat is something frightful, and that the WarOffice simply doesn't know where to turn for tinnedmeat.

Brown— There'll be a heavy day of reckoning, andChamberlain's always opening his mouth too wide.Why doesn't Salisbury pullhim up? That's whatbeats me.

Jones— him up! Pull up an express train! Itcan't be done. Even the Emperor of Germanycouldn't do It.

Robinson (to waiter)— these potatoes'away,

they're cold; and Iordered turnip tops, not carrots.Are you going off your chump?

Brown—lthink Kelly-Kenny Is a pretty goodchoice for the Sixth Division.

Robinson—ldon't. He's got no record that I'veever heard of, and, as you know, I've put up mymark, good or bad, against most of these chaps.I've been a volunteer for five years now. There'sno genius in them. That's what Isay.

Jones (to Brown)— you ask me, any fool couldhave taken Grcbler's Kloof without losing a life.Itell you, as strategists, they're not worth a d—n!And we've got to look on and see English bloodwasted because the men we pay to do our workdon't knorv their business. (Tirf waiter— A follow ofmutton, and look slippy!)

Brown—They made the big mistake at the veryfirst. Klmberley was all right, and so was Lady-smith; and Powell, they make such a fuss about,had Mafeklr.g Eafe. He couldn't help it. But ifthey'd taken the whole. Army Corps to the northand carried them by rail to Rhodesia, and thendropped them on to Pretoria we should have theplace to-day. Isaid that a month ago.

Robinson— XoDody thought of that.Brown—Easy as falling off a log, too. They'd

simply got to go and do it.Jones— the sorties! What rot It is! They

don't seem to know how to make a sortie.Robinson— My dear chap, White doesn't know the

difference between a sortie and a reconnolssance Inforce. When we were at Brighton three years ago,etc., etc.

Brown—As to the transports, that business hasopened the nation's eyes if you like. Wolseley willhear more of that, if I'm not mistaken. We haveto take 50.000 men 7,000 miles in a month, and wecan't do it—England can't do It!

Jones—

And the want of cavalry, it's a blot onthe reign, that's what 1 call it. And the Volun-teers who offered and were refused! The truth isthere are a jolly sight too many younger Bons ofthe nobility in the War Office—fellows wno are al-ways out loating- and wasting their time when theyought to be at work. The work Isn't done that' 3what Isay.

Robinson— And we pay them, mind you— that'sthe maddening- thing.

Brown (to waiter)—Tell Henry to put on a kidneyand get me another three of bitter

Jones- Iwish the Old Woman hadn't sent choco-late You know what Tommy Atkins is. He'dmuch sooner have had a packet of shag

Brown—All wrong headedness all through. Whereanybody could make a mistake they've made it.The nation will lift up its voice yet when it come 3to paying the piper.

Robinson— We'll hear of another Nlcholscr.'s Nekif we dnn't watch it. Idon't trust French or Gat-acre a yard, and that's a fact. They ought to havesent "Bobs." and they'llbe asked why they didn'tpresently.,'T,°^?T There 'sts t0° mv caution. Where's theold British dash?Robinson— Blessed if Iknow. Why, even atBrighton, under a raking fire, etc., etc."Jones— They seem to me always to choose thespots where the Boers are thickest. Ishould havethought In a place the size of Natal our generals

mtpht have chosen a line of march of their ownBrown (pityingly)— got to think of therailways, old man. Inmodern warfare railways arenearly everything— especially with these huge "gunsRobinson— Joubert has better ones. Now. he does

know what he's doing, as far as T can make outA poor, ignorant brute, who can't even write hisname. Ibelieve; but yet he's grot the military In-stinct. It's a arlft, that. Take Tom Braddle. colo-nel of the Lord Mayor's Own. Well, that man is astock jobber, really: but a great soldier Is lost Inhim.

Jones— instinct. A soldier's born, not madeRoblnsi n wish a few more would be born forwe want them worse now than ever we have. 'Xotone of 'em knows as much about guerilla warfareas that toothpick.(A stranger passes and salutes the silent old

igray aaan.)" *

Stranger—Hullo! Forbes Middleton! What onearth are- vr>n doing in the city?Forbes Mlddleton <rho world' famous militaryex-pert of "The -

Thunderer")—Learning our weak-nesses.Jones (asltlo to Brown and Robinson)— That'sForbes Middleton! By Jove, what a chance to hearscmethinß!Robinson— Bel he's been Interested to hear whatwe think. I'll tackle the Johnny. (To Forbes Mld-

dleton) And what do you say, sir. If we may' askfor your opinion? It would be well worth havingI'm (tuite sure of that.

Forbes Middleton—lwith Icould enlighten yougentlemen. But, you see. it is all happening so faroff, and we've heard nothing for twelve hours I'velust com,-, from an interesting conversation withLord Wolseley and the Minister of War and we'veall quite agreed that our scanty knowledge offa^ts makes It impossible for us to criticise any-thingor anybody. We don't know enough.

(Brown Jones nrd noblnson obliterate them-selves Forbfr Middleton proceeds toward the offlceof "The Thunderer" and ponders the exact signifi-cance of th*t fine, old crusted phrase "Tbo manin the street.")

'p p

From Black and White.

THE WORLD WE LITE IK.

on, hoys!' The medico In charge of him gives hopesof his recovery."

Estcourt correspondence of The Pall MallGazette.

The enemy were reported in some strength thisside of Colenso. The train had orders to bringback as much Information as possible, and report

if the line had been further damaged. The trainproceeded very slowly, but near Cnleveley acatastrophe was awaiting them. A Boer com-mando from Sprlngneld. with three heavy guns,was awaiting them. The enemy had chosen theirplace well, as about this spot the track curvedalmost in semi-circles. At the bottom of a stifTgradient turning a corner the Boers had laid their

trap, widening the rails some nine inches at the

very place where th- train should have swunground the corner. They were rewarded l>y adreadful smash. One of the trucks manned byDubllns and volunteers turned over on its side,

hurling the men to the ground. The Boers irarae-diatelv opened a heavy and continuous shell nrefrom their heavy quick firing guns, dropping theirshells continually right in the middle of the party.

The half company of the D. L. I. at-tempted to right the capsized truck, while tn»Dublins, under command of Captain Haldane(Gordon Highlanders, who was wounded at tJands-laagtet. occupied a position some distance away

from the wrecked train.In the mean time a portion of the enemy had

worked round behind us. and had succeeded In re-moving a rail. A party of volunteers, consistingentirely of platelayers, etc., led by WinstonChurchill, who behaved throughout with most

heroic courage, succeeded in replacing the rails,

the engine under the charge of Mr. hurchlll. whohad previously assisted in carrying in no less thantwenty men under a terrible nre. Some idea ofthe accuracy of the enemy's nre and of Mr.

Churchill's courage may be obtained by narrating

the fact that a Boer shell burst in front of MrChurchill's face, killingtwo men on each side ofhim. Our wounded were now dotting the veldt oneach side, the continued rule lire and the weirdsound of the quick flrers adding to the horrors ofthe situation.

At last the line was clear, and the engine, withone carriage of th..- armored train, was enai ltoreturn to Frere. leaving Captain Haldane partyflercely engaged. The Boers gave ita p*«stnK salvoof shells, hitting the tender and nearly derailingthe train a second time. It escaped, however, andproceeded back to Frere station with its melancholy

load. At P*>r« Mr.Churchill, despite the entreatiesof the people with him. Insisted on returning toCaptain Haldane, who was an old comrade of his

in the Tlrah expedition, and. seising a rine fromone of the wounded men. was last seen maklnsr hi.sway across the veldt. The officer In command ofthe rear truck reports that Winston Churchill was

hit twice, In the hand and in the shoulder. Wehave, however, no confirmation of this.

The train arrived safely at Estcourt. It was li

horrible sight, the wounds lnnlcted by the Boershells being awful. The inMdo of the truck wasliterally a pool of blood. The unfortunate men<vere at once taken to the hospital, where theywere Immediately attended to. AU of the woundedwho were fit to give any account of the engage-ment describe Churchill's conduct In most glowingterns. It must have been heroic beyond all ordi-nary heroism, lit- is described \a walking up anddown under the terrible tire, givingconfidence to thewavering volunteers, carrying the wounded, at an-

iother mom. collecting a party of good shots toassist Captain Haldane. Inshort, there can be uopossible doubt that he carried himself In a mannerworthy of the historic name ho bears.

WINSTON' CHURCHILL'S BRAVERY AT THE BOER

ATTACK NEAR CHIEYELET.

HORRORS OF AX ARMORED TRAIX. MARTIALLAJV IX SOUTH AFRICA.From The Pall Mall Gazette.

Some one has defined martial law as "no l*w,an<l that is accurate enough for ordinary purpose*.A!mo.«t anything and everything1can be done undertnirtial law. Itis properly the exercise of arbitrarypuwer by the supreme a-.thorlty In a country ordistrict where the ordinary adminisration hascea3ed to he operative. One curious instance ofthe absolutely free hand that a general In com-mand has in a district in which martial law hasbeen proclaimed Is contained In some private cor-respondence fron> L.-uiysmlth and published InTh«Birmingham Gazette." It is a woman, who Iswriting after Blandstaagte. She says; "Everypublic building is commandeered and many of th»private houses. ... Ahouse was being built. Itwaa finished and occupied by a newly marriedcouple. Itsuited General Whites purpose, so hecommandeered it; they had twenty minute* !awhich to leave it just as it was. The woman is onher way to England; her husband, of course, moatstay here. Iti.s now headquarters, and a most Im-jouant place. ... Ihear more houses have beentaken to-day. Itremble every time an officer looksat m<- for fear they want my house. We are undermartial law and cannot say one word."

N'» rules are laid down for the application ofmartial law, because It is not recognized InBritishJurisprudence. The general may treat the civilpopulation as though under military law: that Is.th- taw contained in the Army act of ISSI. which,though often confounded with it by the lay person.is quite distinct from martial law. He may In-deed treat the population in any way that com-m-n.H itself to him. thoush it is assumed that hewill do his best to maintain order. AU this soundsrather alarming, but it Is mitigated by the thoughtthat ifone Is a British subject the militaryman.where ha does anything ordinarily held to be B-i. _;r willhave to Justify his action before Parlia-ment and thus obtain an Indemnity, on the ground.of course, that such action was necessary.

DAXGER TO TROOPS TTEARIXG KILTB.

From Th* London Star."The Dally Ti lf^raph's" account of the Modd«r

"A great number of the ArgyllHighlanders hadblistered legs through lying out In the sun.

••The Illustrated London News" has puMlaamlphotographs of the f.orion Highlanders aleenlaSout q 1 me open veldt In the rain after Elanils-la^gte. trying to keap their knees warm with bitsof sacking or anything else that they could Cad towrap around them. »..«.. mCorrespondents have declared that the Highland-ers lost heavily through their kilts becoming en-tancLd while ellmbins barbed wire fences, thusmaking them Btattonary marks fcr the Boer rta«-ra

isn"t It almost time that th* terrible practicaldisadvantages of the kilt were allowed to outwej««the sentimental attachment to itas a campatsnla*

dress?«

-WHAT OFFEXDED BER.

From The CathoMc Standard aivi Times.Milk Dealer— "What did you say to Mrs. Sharp*

yesterday wh«n you called for her money? .Driver—Nothing particular. Why?Ml!k Dtaler— She'* sent word that she con t want

us to serve, her any more. You must have saidsomething to off»nd her ,-',.-«. . .J_

Driver—Xo,Ididn't. Isimply asked her for th»money for the week's milk. She says. "You'd bet-ter chalk itup." and I«aya. >rW« do that aii^ad/.*

7