no confidence in the judgment of any one concerned.  That his intentions were of the best, and that he had the good of the Empire at heart, may be freely granted; but that these motives should lead him to cabal against, and even to threaten, the military governor, or that he should attempt to force Lord Roberts’s hand in a military operation, was most deplorable.  Every credit may be given to him for all his aid to the military—­he gave with a good grace what the garrison would otherwise have had to commandeer—­but it is a fact that the town would have been more united, and therefore stronger, without his presence.  Colonel Kekewich and his chief staff officer, Major O’Meara, were as much plagued by intrigue within as by the Boers without.

On November 7th the bombardment of the town commenced from nine 9-pounder guns to which the artillery of the garrison could give no adequate reply.  The result, however, of a fortnight’s fire, during which seven hundred shells were discharged, was the loss of two non-combatants.  The question of food was recognised as being of more importance than the enemy’s fire.  An early relief appeared probable, however, as the advance of Methuen’s force was already known.  One pound of bread, two ounces of sugar, and half a pound of meat were allowed per head.  It was only on the small children that the scarcity of milk told with tragic effect.  At Ladysmith, at Mafeking, and at Kimberley hundreds of these innocents were sacrificed.

November 25th was a red-letter day with the garrison, who made a sortie under the impression that Methuen was not far off, and that they were assisting his operations.  The attack was made upon one of the Boer positions by a force consisting of a detachment of the Light Horse and of the Cape Police, and their work was brilliantly successful.  The actual storming of the redoubt was carried out by some forty men, of whom but four were killed.  They brought back thirty-three prisoners as a proof of their victory, but the Boer gun, as usual, escaped us.  In this brilliant affair Scott-Turner was wounded, which did not prevent him, only three days later, from leading another sortie, which was as disastrous as the first had been successful.  Save under very exceptional circumstances it is in modern warfare long odds always upon the defence, and the garrison would probably have been better advised had they refrained from attacking the fortifications of their enemy—­a truth which Baden-Powell learned also at Game Tree Hill.  As it was, after a temporary success the British were blown back by the fierce Mauser fire, and lost the indomitable Scott-Turner, with twenty-one of his brave companions killed and twenty-eight wounded, all belonging to the colonial corps.  The Empire may reflect with pride that the people in whose cause mainly they fought showed themselves by their gallantry and their devotion worthy of any sacrifice which has been made.