THE LATE GENERAL BULLER.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 141, 5 June 1908, Page 3

THE LATE GENERAL BULLER.

EARL DUDLEY'S TRIBUTE London, June 3. Speaking at a ceremony at Bristol, Earl Dudley paid a warm tribute to the late General Buller's "lifelong devotion to bfcj country." NATAL CONDOLENCES. Received «b, IOJ> p.in. London, June 4. The Natal Government condoled with Lady Buller over the loss of her husband.

HIS FAILURES IN NATAL. When the Boer War broke out in 1899 the late General was selected with universal approval to take command of the South African Field Force (see Transvaal War), and landed at Cape | town on Slat October. Owing lo the Boer investment of Ladysmith and the apparent helplessness o"t the generals sent to relieve the situation in Natal, he unexpectedly hurried off to Natal in order to supervise personally the rescue of Sir Georgo White, hut on loth December his attempt to cross the Tugela at Colenso was repulsed with 1100 casualties and the loss of ten guns. The Government, alarmed at the situation and the tow of Sir Redvrrs Boiler's messages. »*ut out 1>.r.l HoUrts w Hiper-rilc him in tin- chief command. Sir Redvers being left in subordinate command of the Xatal Force only. His second attempt to relieve Ladysmith (10th to "27th January) groved another failure, the result of the operations at fSpkm Kop (24th January) causing consternation in England. A third attempt (.ith to 7th February) was again unsuccessful, and it .was not till 28th February that the important position of Hhtngwane Hill having been occupied on 19th February, nnd PieterV Hfll having been carried by General Hlldyard on 27th February, the relict of Ladysmith was accomplished. HIS TACTICS CRITIcrSED-THE HELIOGRAM. ' Sir Redvers Buller remained in command of the Natal Army till 24th October, 1900, when he returned to England, having in the meanwhile slnwly done a great deal of hard work in driving the Boers from the Biggarslierg «loth May), forcing Lang's Nek (12th June), and occupying Lydenburg ICtli September); bat, though he still retained his reputation for dogged determination, and was devotedly followed by his own rank and file, the verdict of military critics on his capacity for an important command in delicate and difficult operations had now become decidedly adverse. The continuance in 1901 of his appointment to the Alderehot command, which was the most important in the new army scheme, met with a storm of public criticism, in which the detailed objections taken to his conduct of the operations before Ladysmith (and particularly his heliogram hinting at the contingency of surrender) were given new prominence. On 10th October, 1901, at a luncheon in London, Sir Redvers Buller made a speech in answer to these criticisms in terms which were held to be a breach of discipline anil contrary to the King'* regulations, and on 23rd Octolier it was announced by the War Office that hj" had been relieved of his command and retired on lialf-|>ay.