That similar reasonings had led the Imperial authorities, antecedent to the hostilities, to choose Ladysmith as a depot and _place d'armes_, is shown by the reproaches addressed to the Government by the London _Times_, November 21, 1899: "There is no need to inquire just now into the balance of political and military considerations which determined the policy of making a stand at Ladysmith.

It is enough that that policy was definitely adopted in ample time to allow of providing Ladysmith with the long-range guns which its {p.182} position renders peculiarly necessary, dominated as it is by hills on three sides.

Why were such guns not provided?
Why was it left to fortunate accident to furnish the garrison at the very last moment with the means of defence"-- by the arrival of the naval guns?
In like manner the prime minister of Natal, some months later, challenged the following statement of the _Times_ in its issue of March 2, 1900: "From November 2, when, owing to the subordination of military to local political considerations, a British force of 10,000 fine soldiers was shut in Ladysmith, a great fear has hung over us." Upon this the premier comments: "It is true that the Governor, when asked by Sir George White to give his opinion, pointed out the serious political consequences which might follow the evacuation of Dundee.
But as far as Ladysmith was concerned the abandonment or evacuation of that town was never, to my knowledge, even hinted at.

For two years or more previous to the outbreak of the war, Ladysmith had been made the principal military station in Natal; large quantities {p.183} of commissariat stores and ammunition had been accumulated there; and the troops stationed at Ladysmith, comprising the larger portion of the Natal garrison, had been permanently hutted instead of being retained under canvas.

Of one fact I am certain, and that is that no suggestion of any kind was ever made to the Government of Natal that, for military or any other reasons, it was undesirable that Ladysmith should be defended." Intrinsically, therefore, Ladysmith presented strong claims, inherent and acquired, against abandonment.