On Tuesday was issued as a Blue-book another batch of
Ladysmith telegrams, which are stated to be published at the desire of Sir Redvers Buller, to explain the telegrams which passed between -him and Lord Roberts,—Sir Redvers Buller telegraphing (on February 6th) that he had pierced the enemy's
position, but that it would probably cost him between two and three thousand men to relieve Ladysmith, and asking whether he should run the risk ; and Lord Roberts replying that Ladysmith must be relieved "even at the loss you expect." What advantage the explanatory telegrams can be to Sir Redvers Buller's case we do not see. They show that Sir George White told Sir Redvers on December 4th that he had provisions for seventy days. They also show that Lord Roberts, though he persisted that Ladysmith must be re- lieved, most wisely thought (on January 28th) that "it would be infinitely better for many reasons for you [i.e., Sir Redvers] to remain on the defensive behind the Tugela until the opera- tions I am about to undertake have produced the effect which I hope for." In other words, Lord Roberts was most anxious that there should be no unsuccessful action on the Tugela, which might necessitate Sir Redvers's retirement south, and must have had a most disastrous effect on Lord Roberts's plans. We presume that Sir Redvers Buller has somehow come to think that Lord Roberts's telegrams suggest that he should not attempt to relieve Ladysmith ; but this they most certainly do not if read with ordinary attention.
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