SIR REDYERS BULLER’S SPEECH

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 12 October 1901, Page 3

SIR REDYERS BULLER’S SPEECH

Adverse Criticism.

[pee press ASSOCIATION —COPYRIGHT.]

London, October 11

Sir Eedvers Buller, after luncheon with the Queen’s Westminster Volunteers, complained of the unfairness of the newspapers to the Army. It was singular that several simultaneous attacks were made on his nomination to command the First Army Corps. He challenged the critics to mention any of his juniors more fitted to command. Answering an accusation recently published in the paper Outlook, that he advised the surrender of Ladysmith, he said that after the Colen°o fight he informed Sir George White- that the attack failed and that another was impossible before a month. Beheving that Ladysmith had only a fortnight's supplies, he suggested that it might be necessary to surrender, and advised what should be done in such an event. This suggestion was intended to cover White’s responsibility. That advice was sent in a coded telegram marked private, which afterwards was stolen. The speech created a tremendous sensation in the clubs. The Standard characterises it as an amazing speech. Sir. Bedvers Buller pleads guilty to sending a message contemplating a humiliation compared with the other reverses of the war would have been trivial. If the advice was chivalrous it was not war. On sober reflection Sir Eedvers Buller ought to resign. The Times declares that the attacks were aimed at the war Office’s system of rewarding past services by putting men in positions regardless of present or future fitness. ,

Received this day, at 9 40 a.m. London, October 11. Newspapers generally approve of the spirit of Brodrick’s manifesto, but still urge that renewed efforts be made to meet all conceivable contingencies.

Beach, in speaking at Oldham, said that extension of martial law was a check to treasonable help sent to the enemy t trough Cape Colony. The equinoctial gale of newspaper criticism throughout the realm was the cause of the prolongation of the war as was the pro-Boer speeches in the House of Commons. There is. a unanimous opinion that Bullor’s speech is amazing and unseemly and that he is the ...victim of hallucination. Botha with two thousand, fought all Sunday at East Yryheid and finally retreated. ... The Boevs in Holland describe the martial law as terrorism and certain to' increase the rebellion.