WAR INQUIRY COMMISSION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 45, 20 February 1903, Page 3

WAR INQUIRY COMMISSION.

GENERAL BULL ICR'S DEFENCE. ( PRR PRESS ASSOCIATION Received 19 1122 p.m. London, February 19. General Buller, in his testimony b> , fore the *Var Commission, siid he withdrew the guns from Colooso early, as ihe guns were too close to the enemy, which was contrary to his intention. The openness of the grouad, and men exhausted, prevented his covering the guns. Their rescue would have re- ' quired many men to (have been under ] fire until night, and possibly they would i not have succeeded without a great < loss. The action at Spionkop enabled the 1 men to gain a knowledge of war, and < confidence in themselves and their officers, besides inflicting on the enemy great loss in men and morale. , The existing training system he considered was inimical t> independent judgment in action. Men knew how 1 to do things, but not what to do. His telegram on December 15th merely implied the abandonment of an immediate attempt to relieve Ladysmith. Oiriag to the Government not consulting him, he was deprived of a Gfth division, and he did not consider himself strong enough to relieve that place. The Government's sending a division to Modder River was interpreted that they preferred the relief of Kimberley. The heliogram was intended to be followed only in the event of General White's inability to hold out for a month, as be hoped, thinking it practicable that it would induce General White te break out and join hands with bim.