The Evening Star SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1870.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2113, 12 February 1870, Page 2

The Evening Star SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1870.

The latest Northern news is not quite so comforting as might have been hoped, but it shows the folly of the system of offensive warfare, as well as the unreliability of the representations made by Northern commanders. One day we hear of Te Kooti being hemmed round so that ho cannot possibly escape ; losing his horses, which are pressed into service against him ; and apparently in the last extremity. Expectation is raised. Day after day telegrams are expected, stating that he is captured or shot, when, instead of that, we are treated

with a new aspect of the affair. One portion of McDonnell’s force goes to extinguish Te Kooti at once, and 1e Kooti, wide awake, gives them the slip, catches M'Donnell and his troops asleep, has a hit of a brush with them, and after dropping a man or two on each side, passes the supposed impassable line, and slips away into the bash—most likely to be the subject of another hunt. Possibly some may feel satis (ted that all was done that could be done, and that no blame attaches to the Colonial commander. Those who judge thus must be very very lenient, or have very limited notions of the requirements of war. This is the second time on record that forces under the command of M‘Donnell have slept, when at least they ought to have been on the qui rive. The posts at Patea were surprised. One would have thought one lesson would have been sufficient warning. Surprise is one of the leading tactics of savage warfare, and he who has to fight with savages, must be on his guard against it. M ‘Donnell has proved himself a brave man, but we cannot give him the credit of being a prudent one. None will doubt that the plans for catching Te Kooti were skilfully laid. We have not the slightest doubt on our minds that the Chief expected to be captured or shot. Ic was a bold manoeuvre on his part to turn the tables as he did upon his enemy, and everyone must admire it as a clever piece of strategy. But why did it succeed 1 The successful stand made, against the Hau-hau attack by the small section of the force with M'Donnell proves how certainly Te Kooti would have been annihilated had proper care been taken. As a tactician, Te Kooti has shown himself the better man of the two. His move could not have been made without accurate information. His scouts must have been on the look-out. They must have become aware of the movement of the larger portion of M‘Donnell’s force upon Te Kooti’s position. They must have made themselves acquainted with the route they took, and have passed them silently and swiftly in the opposite direction. The time, the distance, everything was done accurately by the enemy. His eyes were not only open to his ■danger, but to the only means of escape. He made a dash towards the weakened point of the circle, and though he was met bravely, he succeeded with trifling loss in gettin cr away. Now precisely similar means of ° information, excepting perhaps the assistance of spies, was open to M'Donnell as to Te Kooti. If it was possible for Te Kooti to become awaie of M‘Donnell’s movements, it was possible for M'Donnell to know of Te Kooti’s. AVe apprehend that the portion of the force that remained in camp were there for the very purpose of keeping him in cheek, should the deatchraent drive him from his position ; and on account c>f their reduced numbers, those left in camp ought to have been fully prepared instead of over-sleeping themselves. Whenever a commander’s movements are commented on, due allowance must be made for the difficulties of his position ; but it seems very reasonable to imagine that, with proper arrangements, the attacking force might have been made aware of the abandonment of his position by the enemy in time to have reached their camp nearly as soon, if not earlier, than he ; so that his own movement might have been foiled by their return. The plan for Te Kooti’s capture may have been skilfully laid, but it has been carelessly and clumsily carried out; and although by itself we should have thought little of it, it has occurred at a very inopportune time, for trouble seems to be brewing in the mining districts. It is but another illustration of seeking the Maori to fight with him, instead of choosing our ground, and letting the Maori seek us. The Northern papers have at length become alive to this, and are urging the policy of a thoroughly defensive system being adopted. They advocate the sensible plan that the Fox Government marked out for themselves, of holding commanding positions that the enemy cannot pass. Very inexpensive forts would defy every effort of the Maoris to capture them, even if defended by women j and as the Natives have adopted the system of drawing lines beyond which Europeans are not allowed to pass, it would be as well to meet them with their own weapons, when the want of sugar and blankets would soon bring them to a sense of of their dependence upon the colonists, and reduce them to terms.