Omaha daily bee., 1899-11-01

f'dlly III ldNOT VI lue bOtTb WIN nave
,,,,v r. IN themselves stern fighters and
I'll NJ Ategists OF no mean order The
the British from 1900 to 1000
men I'D SIX seven-pound screw guns, and
as the Boer artillery is already stronger
than imagined, the capture OF these guns
will be a great help to the Beers.
Further news must be awaited before 1t
Is attempted to fix the blame where 1t be-
longs. General White manfully accepts all
the respor sibility for the disaster, which ap
parently was at least partially due to the
stampeding of the mules with the guns.
From the list it will be seen that forty
two officers were made prisoners besides
newspaper correspondent, ]. Hyde.
The interest In the news was universal
pervading all classes and conditions of Lon
don's populace. The newspaper extras were
eagerly read in business houses, on the
streets and by women in their carriages.
Then there was a rush to the War
Office which, by noon, was surrounded with
private carriages and hansoms, while many
of the humber class &C people came on
foot. all waiting and watching for the
names they held dear. Never was the old
saying bad news travels quickly bet
ter exemplified than today. BY noon gloom
and bitter sorrow prevailed throughout the
British metropolis.
Dismay Mt the Wnr Office.
At the government offices no effort was
made to conceal the feeling of dismay pre-
| vailing. One official said to representative
| of the Associated Press: "It Is inexplicable
and am sorry to say that it's moral effect
| is inestimable. We have lost heavily, and
have had regiments almost wiped out, but
| to have regiments captured and by the
| Boers-it is terrible
| An official of the war office said to a rep
| resentative of the Associated Press: "The
| disaster is more likely due to the craze Of
| our younger officers to distinguish them
| selves, obtain mention in the dispatches and
earn the Victoria Cross than to the fault
| of that splendid Indian veteran, General
White, in spite OF his avowal."
AS the day wore on the crowd around the
| war office swelled to enormous proper
tions, and at Gloucester, the home of many
of those engaged, the widest excitement pre-
vailed. The special editions of the local
| newspapers were speedily exhausted and the
same thing occurred at Bristol and other
towns in that county. Coming so soon after
the engagement at Rietfontein, where the
Gloucesters suffered heavily, 1t brought the
keenest sorrow to households all over the
county whose name the regiment bears.
Call for More Men.
the war office has ordered a second army
corps to be in readiness to be called out.
The military officials have not yet decided
whether the consummation of the plan will
be necessary, but they are determined ia
have everything in readiness either for a
demonstration in Europe Of Great Britain's
capabilities or for sending even a larger
force to the scene of action.
Until the receipt Of the news of the Lady
gv9tth tisUator t..o latter course !, as cvliSll
cred out of the question. But now there is
no knowing what steps will be decided upon
White May Retire.
Reports are current here that Genera
White may retire to Pietermaritzburg Will
the railroad is intact. There is much di
vergence of opinion in military circles as t.
the advisability of such a step.
The disaster had an immediate effect OIL
, the Stock exchange here, where conscls fel
". South African securities dropped heavily
, Rand lines falling 2 points. Rio Tlnto
fell q.
The afternoon newspapers made only brie
editorial comments on the news from Lady
smith, but their headlines voiced the feelin
Of general sorrow. The tone Of the edi
torials can be summed up in the followin
statement:
forttude of the nation are to be tested i
:, real earnest by these operations of ours i
. Natal against great odds. General Whit
had difficult task set him and we mus
:, take the disaster with the dogged coolnes
= which Britons know how to display. w
shall await the final result without appre
hension."
4 The Globe calls upon the British empiI
y to receive this bitter and unpalatable dis
;. patch with the spirit of great nation thf
relies upon its invincibe reserves
strength"
While announcement today of the arrivi
: CT General Butler at Capetown' was receive
! by the British with unfeigned satisfaction,
, is pointed out the general cannot end I'll
D. war without an army corps and some Of IL
r troops which are to compose 1t have n
Is even left England for South Africa,
Y, Cordial welcome for Butler.
Is Dispatches from Capetown show tn;
: General Buffers reception there was mo-
enthusiastic. He was welcomed by Generi
al Sir Frederick Forester Walker, after whic
they both entered a carriage and drove
re the government house. escorted by mounte
~ police and mounted volunteers. They wei
le wildly cheered by the throngs OF people lii
a. ing the route. There were cries of "Avent
o. Majuba" and wild cheers for the genera
r General Buffers face was impassive as
,e returned military salutes for the cheers.
L. Other advices from Capetown show tn
IN the Beers are gathering in considerab
force at Dewdrop, southwest of Ladysmit
while large forces OF Beers are advancir
of over the Helpmaakar road. A big camp
of Beers is to be formed between Harrism
to bridge and Potgotiere farm camp, at Dey
of drop, which, 1t is said. will extend fo