The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-12-26
a NEW BoER ALLY.
Typhoid Fever Attacks Garrison at
LadYsmith.

New York, Dec. ga dispatch to the
Tribune from London says:
Unless all signs fail Tommy Atkins
has eaten his Christmas dinner as
quietly as an ordinary English house
holder The war office has issued a
series of casualty lists from Cape Town.
Modder River, Pietermaritzburg and
Ladysmith, but otherwise has not
thrown any new light upon the military
situation. The Ladysmith list shows
that typhoid fever and dystentery are
more effective than the Beers artillery
in reducing the strength of the garrison
day by day The military staff seems
to have chosen an unSanitary as well
as an indefenSible position at Lady
smith before the opening of the cam
paIgn, when a much stronger site for a
camp might have been selected at Co
lensO or EstcOurt, with a superior wa
ter supply. Generals Butler and White
have been required to pay the penalties
for the original blunders of the engi-
neers who recommended Ladysmith
and Glencoe as sites for British camps
when the Tugela line was the natural
line of defense in Natal, with a station
in reserve at MOOi river. Concentration
of their forces is now an undertaking
Of great difficulty, as is evident from
the reports of Buffers battle, which are
still coming in.
Ten days after Longs artillery was
lost, it is clear that General Butler will
renew the attempt to relieve Lady
smith while Lord Roberts is on the sea.
He is receiving reinfOrcementS and
fresh batteries and ought to be in a
position to reopen hOstflities in week
or ten days, unless he waits for the
siege train The movements of the bat
taliOns arriving at Cape Town are now
concealed by the authorities, but Gen
eral Butler is evidently taking the fresh
troops and replacing his lost artillery,
while General Methuen is forced to
stand by and watch the Beers while
they extend their rifle trenches and
strengthen their position in front of
MOdder River. General Butler is justi-
fled in this course if LadySmith, as is
generally believed, is in a more critical
condition than Kimberley. About Il. 500
troops will arrive during the next eigh-
teen days at Cape Town before Lord
Roberts assumes command. With this
body of reinfOrceme tents General Butler
Will not have the facilities for setting
every column again on the offensive,
ebut he will at least have sufficient
strength for manoeuvering against
COlensO and attempting to turn the en-
eny's position there. This is what mil
itary men in London are now expecting
him to do within a fortnight.
One TeaSSuring sign is the publication
of mail letters from LadySmith, Est
court and other points in Natal which
evidently have not been submitted to
the military censor. This budget of cor
respOndence deals in a critical spirit
with the blunders made by the staff
and the irritating fussiness of the Mar
tinetS in repeatedly changing camp and
exhausting the patience of the soldiers
The letters also contain evidence that
the British field artillery is distinctly in
ferior not only to the BOer guns in
range, but to the guns of almost every
paign is bringing out many unpleasant
revelations of which full political use
will be made when the Liberal OppOsi-
tiOn learns the true points of attack.