Why Cables are Censored.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume II, Issue 105, 6 February 1900, Page 1

Why Cables are Censored.

It is quite natural for the British public to grumble at the censorship established at the seat of war, but it must be admitted, that, in tha light of past events, General Bullec has a good deal of justification for what seems fco be a hi<jh -handed action. There are many cases recorded in recent history where vvelllaid plans have beon frj.4rat.ul by miorniation being sent out bafore the pA'opo>: ti.ue. When \\ai" correspondents were aaot as numerous as they are now, they were, as a rule, on very friendly Lurms with, generals commanding divisions, who sometimes made casual remarks in regard to an attack on the enemy nexs morning, and so on. Some of the correspondents telegraphed away the mfounation at once with the result that it vas sent back to tae enemy, in somo cases, before the intended attaci: had taken pla- p* In the Afghan campaign of 1879, Lord Bobarts bad concentrated his forces in the Sherous cantonnaents on December 14, with the intention of attacking the Ameer's forces, bomehow, the plan of attack leaked out, and the story that Goneral Gough and Lord Koberts had s, a trap tor the enemy was wirta to England. The information was Hashed back to the Ameer, whose army met Goneral Go ugh at Jugdullak, and its numbers were so strong that it put the British to rout. The defeat was only temporary, for Lord Roberts went to Lord Goughs assistance, and the combined forces completely defeated the Ameer, but if the information had not been wired away, is is more than likely that the ene jay vc aIJ hay© been defeated much sooner. \Vhen an engagement has taken place, the general commanding always telegraphs nrsc to the Queen, and tne Queen's message takes precedence i over Press messages, but at the fall of Kyber Pass, a London morning i paper printed the account of tho affair before it had been received - y the Quttm. A great deal of auuo; - ance was caused, and the inciaeui/ had not been iorgotten. it nuiot bo admitted that sometimes tbo wot correspondents puce ih^c enfcLns - asm for their work before thu.--patnotism. The anxiety to be Lr^t with the news is strong with tha.i. and they sink all otnrr consuitra i turns so long as th^y obuun ■!' ! escing news for their papeis. x;,., I undoubtedly, is partly uiie rta^oa S why a cendorsnip has been estabi Hahed in South Africa. The " first consideration is evidently to pass ! no item of news that 13 likely to interest the enemy, and the second is to prevent the news reaching the newspapers before it reaches official circles. The fact that sons and relatives of generals and other officers are now in the ranks of the war correspondents, and are in good positions to obtain reliable information, probably, tends to make tha censorship more rigorous.

"When it comes to keeping -a secret perhaps the lesa said about: u the better. "Why is flirtiog- : like plate powder?— ■B«ca?vSe~ttrbrrghten3 ta« »pooo« 4 * ■