Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1896-04-22
DANGER IS GRAVE.
False Move on the Part Of the Sol
dierS Would Lead to
Disaster.

Copyrighted, 1896, by the Associated Press.
Cape Town, April 1S.-No official state
ment from any source is worth consider
ing for a moment il it takes the ground
that Buluwayo is not in danger. Bulu-
wayo is In the greatest danger; IN fact
ere this the town may be in the hands
of the Matabeles and one of the most ter
rible maSSacreS on record may have oc-
Cured.
The latest advices received here from
BuluwayO have greatly increased the
anxiety felt for the saftey of that place.
Military men, scouts, Dutchmen and
Enghshmen, civilians of all classes, vet
eran troopers and government officials,
concurred IN the statement that the gov
ernor of Cape Colony. Sir Hercules Rob
inson, has not told the truth if he has
notified the home government that Bulu-
wayo IS in no danger.
1t is evident to everybody here that
the British at Buluwayo are in most
critical position. The chief point Of
their weakness is in numbers and the
immensity of the hordes of Matabeles
gathering for the attack. Then again
large numbers of Matabeles, presumed
to be friendlies, have by some excuse or
other succeeded in entering the town.
and it is we'll known that they have
planned to rise and strike at the British
SO soon as the warriors of the Matabeles
are heard outside the line of defenses
Most of the Matabeles in Buluwayo
got there by pretending to be seeking
the protection of the whites. and the
latter were foolish enough to fall into
the trap. These Matabeles are armed
and an outbreak must soon occur 1t
has been stated that Buluwayo is held
by 1000 men. This is not correct AS
stated in these dispatches, the number
of fighting men at Buluwayo is under
900 and of this small number, compared
with the $4,000 Matabeles in the vicinity
OF the town, 300 are reported to have
been dispatched to hold Mangwe pass,
which is steep defile with angular
turnings and can be rendered impreg-
nable.
Other dispatches, however, announce
that strong force of the remaining 600
whites intended to leave Buluwayo yes
terday In order to attack q Matabele
impi composed of Lobengula's crack
1mbezzu regiment from which the native
police, who have been shown to have
started the rebellion, were recruited
This impi is looked upon as being the
most formidable in or about Matabele-
land in point of numbers and efficiency.
these warriors have been secretly
prohhng for some time past by the drill
and tactics of the police deserters, and
as the latter took with them their arms
and ammunition and all the other arms
and ammunition they COULD lay their
hands on, the Imbezzl regiment, alWa7ss
most formidable, is likely to prove more
than a match for the small British
forces. In fact nobody here can under
stand the rashness of such sortie being
permitted, and it is feared that the aW-
full mistake of Isandula may be repeat
ed. The British may be enticed into the
bush by feint and while they are there
engaged with overwhelming numbers.
the main body Of the Matabeles' army
may be hurled against Buluwayo and
sweep over it in spite of -defenses and the
rapid firing guns ready to receive the
enenly.
i Besides, is already stated, the attack
of the Matabeles from the outside is more
than likely to be assisted by the rising
of the Matabeles inside the fortifcations
This has been Anticipated and guarded
against as far as possible, but peonIe
here predict great disaster if the slim
British force opposing the $4,000 Malta
beles is allowed to divide itself and en-
gage il a sortie against the enemy. The
great trouble at Buluwayo seems TO be
that the majority Of the leaders are dash
ing, daredevil men who are prone 20 en-
gage the enemy first and estimate his
numbers later-generallv too late