The evidence given before the War Commission during the past
week has begun to be interesting, even in the meagre official summary provided to the public. Sir George White, who was examined on Monday, stated that previous to embarking for South Africa on September 16th, 1899, he had received no instructions except to assume the command in Natal, and bad not been informed of any plan of campaign or asked to operate on any given line. Sir George said that the ruling principle of his strategy was to take care of Ladysmith, and use it to cover the capital and South of Natal; and he submitted that his resolve to hold Ladysmith, and its success- ful accomplishment, resulted in the complete overthrow of the Boer plan of campaign, and saved Natal. He further explained that he had always endeavoured to co-operate with the forces outside during the attempt to relieve Ladysmith, and made the interesting announcement that he had reason to believe that Sir Redvers Buller's advance on Colenso, which was actually made on December 15th, would take place two days later, and had issued orders for a co-operating movement on the later date. He added that it had always been his inten- tion, in the last resort, to try to cut his way out of Ladysmith.
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