What the public will fasten on most eagerly in Mr.
Amery's book is his version of General Buller's heliogram. The exact terms of the message are said to be unknown, but the following, which differs from previous versions, is given as its real purport:—" As it appears certain that I cannot relieve Ladysmith for another month, and even then only
by means of protracted siege operations you will burn your ciphers, destroy your guns, fire away your ammunition, and make the best terms possible with the general of the besieging forces, after giving me time to fortify myself on the Tugela." No wonder this terrible message was at first regarded by Sir G. White as a Boer forgery. Messages of a character consistent with the hello- gram were, it appears, sent home to the Government. Fortunately, when these telegrams arrived in London there was a man on the spot capable of dealing with them in the proper spirit and of meeting the situation adequately. That man was Mr. Balfour. He was in London when the news of Coleuses arrived, and as one of the chiefs of the Cabinet he saw to it that General Buller was ordered by cable either to per- severe in the relief of Ladysmith or else to hand over his command to one of his subordinates and return home. Mr. Balfour's action on that occasion should never be forgotten by the nation.
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