and so serious are the dangers and difficulties
that I have heard it said in the camp that on strict military grounds
Ladysmith should be left to its fate; that a division should remain to
hold this fine open country south of the Tugela and protect Natal; and
that the rest should be hurried off to the true line of advance into the
Free State from the south. Though I recognise all this, and do not deny
its force, I rejoice that what is perhaps a strategically unwise
decision has been taken. It is not possible to abandon a brave garrison
without striking a blow to rescue them. The attempt will cost several
thousand lives; and may even fail; but it must be made on the grounds of
honour, if not on those of policy.

We are going to try almost immediately, for there is no time to be lost.
'The sands,' to quote Mr. Chamberlain on another subject, 'are running
down in the glass.' Ladysmith has stood two months' siege and
bombardment. Food and ammunition stores are dwindling. Disease is daily
increasing. The strain on the garrison has been, in spite of their pluck
and stamina, a severe one. How long can they hold out? It is difficult
to say precisely, because after the ordinary rations are exhausted
determined men will eat horses and rats and beetles, and such like odds
and ends, and so continue the defence. But another month must be the
limit of their endurance, and then if no help comes Sir George White
will have to fire off all his ammunition, blow up his heavy guns, burn
waggons and equipment, and sally out with his whole force in a fierce
endeavour to escape southwards. Perhaps half the garrison might succeed
in reaching our lines, but the rest, less the killed and wounded, would
be sent to occupy the new camp at Waterfall, which has been already laid
out--such is the intelligent anticipation of the enemy--for their
accommodation. So we are going to try to force the Tugela within the
week, and I dare say my next letter will give you some account of our
fortunes.

Meanwhile all is very quiet in the camps. From Chieveley, where there
are two brigades of infantry, a thousand horse of sorts, including the
13th Hussars, and a dozen naval guns, it is quite possible to see the
Boer positions, and the outposts live within range of each other's
rifles. Yesterday I rode out to watch the evening bombardment which we
make on their entrenchments with the naval 4.7-inch guns. From the low
hill on which the battery is established the wh