The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-12-27
LADYSMITH IN BAD SHAPE.
Report Of sickness show That It's
Selection a. a Defensive Point
Was . Mistake.

Report OF sickness show That Its
Selection N a Defensive Point
Was . Mistake.
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 householder. The war Of
Ace has issued series OF casualty lists
from Cape Town, Modder river, Pietermar-
itzburg and Labyrinth, but otherwise has
not thrown any new light upon the mill
tary situation. The Ladysmith list shows
that typhoid fever and dysentery are more
effective than the Beers artillery In re-
ducing the strength Of the garrison day by
day. The military staff seems to have
chosen an unsanitary as well as an inde-
feasible position at Ladysn1ith before the
opening Of the campaign when a much
stronger site for camp might have been
selected at Colenso or Estcourt with a
superior water supply Gems. Butler and
White have been required to pay the penal
ties for the original blunders OF the en-
gineers who recommended Ladysmith and
Glencoe as sites for British camps when
the Tugela line was the natural line Of de-
Tense in Natal, with a station in reserve at
Moot river Concentration of their forces
is now an undertaking of great difficulty an
Is evident from the reports of Buffers bat
tie which are still coming In
Ten days after Longs artillery was lost
1t Is clear that Gen. Butler will renew the
attempt to relieve Ladysmith while Lord
Roberts is on the sea. He is receiving
reinforcements and fresh batteries and
ought to be in q position to reopen hos
tilities in a week or ten days, unless he
waits for the siege train. The move
ments of the battalions arriving at Cape
Town are now concealed by the authori-
ties, but Gen. Butler is evidently taking
the fresh troops and replacing his lost
artillery, while Gen. Methuen is forced
to stand by and watch the Beers while
they extend their rife trenches and
strengthen their position in front Of Mod
der river. Gen. Butler is justified in this
course If Ladysmith. as is generally be-
lieved, is in more critical condition than
Kimberley. About 11,5oo troops will ar
rive during the next eighteen days at
Cape Town before Lord Roberts assumes
command. With this body Of reinforce
ments Gen. Butler will not have the IA
cilities for setting every column again on
the offensive, but he will at least have
against Colenso and ATTEMPTING to turn
the enemy's position there. That is what
military men in London are now expect
ing him to do within fortnight.
One reassuring sign Is the publication
Of mail letters from Ladysmith, Estcourt
and other points in Natal, which evident
ly have not been submitted to the mill
tary censor. This budget of correspond
ence deals in critical spirit with the
plumbers made by the staff and the irri-
tating business OF the martinets in re-
peatedly changing camp and exhausting
the patience Of the soldiers. The letters
also contain evidence that the British
field artillery is distinctly inferior. not
only to the Boer guns in range, but to
the guns of almost every important Eu-
ropean power. This campaign Is bring
ing out many unpleasant revelations, of
which full political use will be made when
the Liberal opposition learns the true
points Of attack