entrusted to men who have not even a nodding acquaintance with the
business which their departments have to transact, the business called
War. Success in that as in other business depends on putting knowledge
in power.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote C: We now know that the time was thirteen weeks.]




TWO VIEWS OR TRUE VIEWS?

_November 15th,_ 1899

October 11th saw the opening of hostilities, and of the first chapter of
the war, the conflict between Sir George White with sixteen thousand men
and General Joubert with something like double that number. The first
chapter had three sections: First, the unfortunate division of Sir
George White's force and the isolation of and unsuccessful attack upon
his right wing; secondly, the reunion of his wings at Ladysmith;
thirdly, the concentration of the Boers against the force at Ladysmith
and the surrounding or investment of Sir George White. This third
section is not yet ended, but the gathering of the forces at Cape Town
and at Port Natal points to its conclusion and to the opening of the
second chapter. The arrival of the first portion of the transport
flotilla is the only important change since last week.

I thought from the beginning that the division of Sir George White's