Among Other
Characteristics Rhodes Bore Any Form Of Restraint Very Badly, And
Chafed Mightily When Unable To Do A Thing In The Exact Way Which He
Considered Best.
He may have been a Napoleon of peace, but his
warmest friends could never describe him as a Napoleon of war, for
his military forecasts have been erroneous, and the management of
the Jameson fiasco certainly inspired 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.
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