Mr. Winston Churchill's specific criticism of the present state of
things in the field is almost exactly that which we gave a fortnight ago. "Sixty-nine mobile columns are in tho field. On what plan are they working ? Does any one know? What method has controlled, what principle has guided their fortuitous and capricious wanderings during the last year, except it be the hope of chance collision with the enemy, and his consequent attrition? Don't you think we might look for something better than that ? " As we said, there is no evidence of a clear and comprehensive grasp of the strategic situation. Mr. Churchill's criticism of the lack of mobility also coincides with ours. He is clearly as little satisfied with cordons of intrepid tortoises as we are, and he makes some most pertinent remarks thereon. In truth, mobility may be had if it is ordered—as we saw in the case of the column Which relieved Mafeking, which was as mobile or more mobile than the Boers who tried to stop it—but it is the most trouble- some and difficult quality to get out of organised and drill. disciplinedtroops, and apparently there is a general shrinking from the disagreeable task of giving and enforcing the necessary orders. We have no desire to punish mere failure in the field, but culpable want of mobility is, and should, be treated as, a military offence. On the whole, we strongly advise our readers to study Mr. Churchill's speech for themselves. His fears as to the financial aspects of the war are, we hold, very greatly exaggerated, and we do not in any way share his pessimism, which almost amounts to panic, but his insistence that there is no escape from military responsibility in the case of the Government is quite admirable.
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