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 Literature oj the South African J far 31 i Methuen"s hastily indited communications from the battle-field are characterized by the enthusiasm of an officer exercising independent command for the first time. His engagements were described as the bloodiest known to modern war, and his traps as the most gallant. Sir George White's run on different lines. In the field that field- marshal has ever been a hot, impetuous fighter. But his reports are cold in the lucidity of their style, rigidly accurate in their facts, and masterly in their exposition of motives. Sir Redvers Buller is not equally happy. He sets forth his story plainly and simply; there are passages in his despatches — such as the famous " It was the men who did it " at the end of the report on the relief of Ladysmith — which stir a soldier's blood. Yet the true pathos of General Buller's reports lies in their, revelation of himself, of that weakness of char- acter and infirmity of purpose which hampered him and his troops so fatally. In this respect the Spion Kop despatches covering War- ren's recrimination are indeed a tragedy. Lord Roberts's official letters are of a very different character. Drafted by the masterly pen of one of his staff, they set forth in perfect diction an admirable summary of the work done and the results achieved. In their criti- cism of subordinates these documents combine in an ideal manner a judicial spirit with definitiveness of decision. But from a histor- ical point of view their reticence and brevity are a cause for regret. They give what they were intended to give, merely the outline of the picture ; the details and the coloring must be filled in from other sources. Lord Kitchener's reports on the last eighteen months of the war are open to the same charge. 'ritten at periodical inter- vals, they are limited to a mere summary of such events as could from time to time without inconveniences to the service be com- municated to the public press in England. They were meant merely for popular consumption at the moment, and although in a sense forming a useful sort of diary of events, can hardly be regarded as serious official documents. Material of even greater interest and importance than that in official despatches may be found abundantly by the historian in the Minutes of Evidence taken by the Royal Commission on the South African War. Here are printed in extcnso the actual warnings — and they were many and frankly worded — given to the British government by the Intelligence Division of the War Office during the three years preceding the war. Here is set out to what extent and why these warnings were disregarded. The exact strength and disposition of the troops in South Africa at the outbreak of the war are given in these volumes. Each commander, Roberts.