It is with great regret that we read the statement
made in Thursday's papers that General Smith-Dorrien has been obliged owing to ill-health to resign ids command in East Africa. But though we regret that so able and so gallant a General should not-be able to lead the Empire's forces in the attack on Germany's last African colony, we are glad to.see that General Smuts, to whom the command-in-chief was originally offered, has, with a self-sacrifice and Imperial loyalty which lay us all under a deep debt of gratitude, consented to take the command. General Smuts is not merely a statesman of great distinction, but he has shown, first in the Boer War and then in the South-West African campaign, high abilities in command. It is an amazing but also a most gratifying fact that, with the full approval of the whole Empire, our old enemy will command British troops with the rank of Lieutenant-General. Let us hope that• the success oriiis expedition will be commensurate with the care and ability with which it is certain to be planned and conducted by the gallant Boer General.
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