"The attempt to relieve Ladysmith, described in these despatches, was well devised, and I agree with Sir Redvers Buller in thinking that it ought to have succeeded. That it failed may, in some measure, be due to the difficulties of the ground and the commanding positions held by the enemy--probably also to errors of judgment and want of administrative capacity on the part of Sir Charles Warren. But whatever faults Sir Charles Warren may have committed, the failure must also be ascribed to the disinclination of the officer in supreme command to assert his authority and see that what he thought best was done, and also to the unwarrantable and needless assumption of responsibility by a subordinate officer. "The gratifying feature in these despatches is the admirable behaviour of the troops throughout the operations." LIST OF STAFF The following Divisions reached South Africa at the end of 1899 and the beginning of 1900. FIFTH DIVISION Lieutenant-General--Lieut.-General Sir C. Warren, G.C.M.G., K.C.B., R.E. Aides-de-Camp--Major R. M. B. F. Kelly, R.A.; Lieut. I. V. Paton, Royal Scots Fusiliers. Assistant Adjutant-General--Colonel A. W. Morris, _p.s.c._ Deputy-Assistant Adjutant-Generals--Bt.-Major T. Capper, East Lancashire Regt., _p.s.c._; Bt.-Major H. N. Sargent, Army Service Corps. Assistant Provost-Marshal--Bt.-Major E. C. J. Williams, East Kent Regt. Principal Medical Officer--Lieut.-Colonel W. B. Allin, M.B., R.A.M.C. Divisional Signalling Officer--Captain A. A. McHardy, R.A. 10TH BRIGADE Major-General--Colonel (local Maj.-General) J. T. Coke. Aide-de-Camp--Lieut. W. E. Kemble, R.A. Brigade-Major--Captain H. G. C. Phillips, Welsh Regt., _p.s.c._ 11TH BRIGADE Major-General--Colonel (local Maj.-General) E. R. P. Woodgate, K.C.M.G., C.B., _p.s.c._ Aide-de-Camp--Captain F. M. Carleton, D.S.O., Royal Lancashire Regt. Brigade-Major--Captain N. H. Vertue, East Kent Regt. SIXTH DIVISION Lieutenant-General--Major-General (local Lieut.-General) T. Kelly-Kenny, C.B., _p.s.c._ Aides-de-Camp--Major H. I. W. Hamilton, D.S.O., Royal West Surrey Regt., _p.s.c._; Captain W. H. Booth, East Kent Regt. Assistant Adjutant-General--Colonel A. E. W. Goldsmid, _p.s.c._ Deputy-Assistant Adjutant-Generals--Major C. C. Monro, Royal West Surrey Regt., _p.s.c._; Major J. E. Caunter, Lancashire Fusiliers, _p.s.c._ Assistant Provost-Marshal--Major M. G. Wilkinson, King's Own Scottish Borderers. Principal Medical Officer--Lieut.-Colonel W. L. Gubbins, M.B., R.A.M.C. Divisional Signalling Officer--Lieut. J. T. Burnett-Stuart, Rifle Brigade. 12TH BRIGADE Major-General--Colonel (local Maj.-General) R. A. P. Clements, D.S.O., A.D.C.