Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1899-12-21
BULLER ALSO IN A TRAP
Ills Defeat at Tugela River Caused a
MOmGntary Panic In London.
EMPIRE POSSIBLY Is IN DANGER
The British Are Thinking of a
Hostile Europe.
ACTIONS OF FRANCE ARE SUSPICIOUS


London, Eng, Dec 16.-The news OF
tho defeat OF Gen. Butler at Tugela
River caused inomentary panic today
on tho Stock Exchange. where thore
was intense excitement in all depart
ments Immediately after the opening,
jobbers started realizing, and all prices
opened from one to six points below
the closing prices of yesterday, consols
being down u. Rand Mines were
heavily affected, starting at 33, as
against yesterdays closing Price of
3aai. De Beers opened at 23la, rs
against 2I,; Chartereds at 3, as against
BIS, and Gold Fields at 57s, as against
o-16. Americans were very fial, and
we're freely offerod by local and con.
tinental holders ut prices at which
they found difficulty in obtaining.
Foreigners moved in sympathy with the
other securities. Partisan stocks, how.
ever. held their own comparatively
we'll. After the 6rst rush, the market
steadied somewhat: still, spectators
were reluctant to engage fresh com
mitnents, combining themselves to the
closing of open accounts,
As might have heen expected, the
desperate state Of the British arms in
hobhhh EtlIitth, d5 fbNbUlttl Df lut GfIthG
of Gen. Buller at Tugela River, where,
at one stroke, he lost treble the number
of guns Wellington left in the hands of
Napoleon during the six years. fighting
in the Peninsula. and the deter nina
tion of the authorities to send every
available man to the 'front.' also caused
something In tho nature of mo-
mentary panic among the public.
| 1t is long since the tone of the news
papers and the comment in the clubs
and other resorts have become so chas.
tened and pessimistic. Some CT the
comments go SO far as to say the crisis
is so far reaching that Great Britain
| stands where she stood over century
b ack, when the American coonists. men
of British and Dutch blood, were in
arms. -
THE EMPIRE IN DANGER.
The Evening Standard declares the
situation calls for all the equanimity,
deter mination and perseverance of the
Empire, and demands the immediate
calling out Of all the volunteers, en-
bodying all the Outlanders expelled
from the TransvaaI to guard the lines
OF communication, thus freeing all the
regulars for service in the fighting line
The Star urges the commander
ing" of all the English Atlantic liners
for the transportation of reinforce-
ments. and says the country must "set
herself the task of plucking victory out
of defeat, " adding 1.-THE guilt of the
government is superseded by the dan
ger of the Empire. We are thinking
of hostile Europe; we are thinking
of India; and, whatever happens, we
implore the gocernmert not to move
,z4t 4t,.x.. IL.
We remember the mutiny.'
The st. James Gazette is also appre-
hensive of foreign complications, and
thinks France Is preparing for some
venture which wild be in the nature of
defiance Of Great Britain and urges
the Admiralty to form a new squadron
of the ships in the reserve.
The Globe, after urging the imme-
diate dispatch CT reinforcements and
the use of the militia, says ; "And we
can turn with equal confidence TO the
strong arms and legal hearts of our
fellow subjects in Canada and Aus
tralia. Those offers which were SO
liberally made and which were not too
generously received at the beginning of
the war will, we are confident, he re-
newed as the urgency of the contest
reveals itself. They can see as keenly
as ourselves that net only our supremacy
in Africa but the maintenance of the
Empire Is at stake. !"
In addition TO ths denial from
Waterford, cabled yesterday to The
Associated Press, the commanding off
Ger of the first battalion of the Royal
Irish Regiment, at Aldershot, has tele-
graphed to The Associated Press, say
ing there is absolutely no truth in the
ctn ntnb mi t,laI ts,t J.,s+ -
that the reserves Of the battalion
cheered for President Kruger and
threw their rifles and accoutrements
into the river when leaving Waterford
on the way to South Africa. He adds
1.-The Royal Irish Reseryists arrived
here complete, as dispatched from
Clonmel. There we're no detici encies
in either men, arms or accoutrements. "
MANY FELL AT MAGERsFoNTEIN.
Tho revised list Of the British cas-
ualties ut the battle al Magersfontein
shows the total 10 be 1868, of which
number 10 were officers.
Rear Admiral Lord Charles Beres.
ford, this morning, confirmed The As
sociated Press announcement CT his APP
pointment to the second in command of
the British Mediterranean tieet. fio
has informed his constituents that this
necesstates his resignation of his seat
in the House of Commons. lilo has
represented York City in tho Conserva-
tive interest.
LONDON MORE CHEERFUL.
London, Eng, Dec 49," Bobs," as |
Lord Roberts of Kandahar is familiarly |
known. is name to coniure with in |
Great Britain, and that Lord Roberts |
and Lord Kitchener are considered the |
right men to retrieve the disastrous
situation in South Africa was evil
dencod this morning by the more
CHEEKY tone Of the war discussion. In |
spite of the attempts CT the authorities
to gloss over the supersession of Gen.
Buller. the fact romans that the new
appointments cannot be regarded other
wise than as u penalty for his failure.
A semi-oiiicial communication says:
1.-THE disposition 10 regard the change
as reflection on Gen. Butler is en-
tirely erroneous. As the forces engaged
in South Africa increase, officers of
higher rank are naturally appointed to
the supreme command y The com.
munication then instances the sue
cessive steps from Gen. Symons to
Gems. White and Butler and now to
Gen. Roberts. In spite of the plausi-
bility Of the argument, everyone Iecog-
nizal that a. ia mt the WhOie truth