Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-12-18

and numbers OF applications to serve In
regiments from individuals have been
received, The Associated Press learns,
however that Lord W0lseley believes
that though these men are excellent as
volunteers, they lack the evenness In
the ranks and among the officers which
marks line regiment. TO use his own
words. They are brilliant In spots. but
weak In others and while he appreci-
ates the offers, he sees no way TO accept
them at present.
The action Of the National Federation
this week In deciding 10 support a Wig
orous prosecution OF the war, but re-
serving the full right Of criticism now
and in the future, while Eating that
there is much TO be deplored In the con-
duct OF the negotiations preceding the
hostilities may be said to voice the
opinion Of the bulk of the Liberal party.
London. Dee 1S.-"Black Week" as
last week Is now universally called. has
evidently aroused the government and
the war Office to full sense Of their
responsibility and OF the magnitude Of
the task before them. The papers
unanimously applaud this awakening,
despite the fact that they recognize
that the heroic measures now decided
upon SAVIOR rather of weakness than Of
strength.
Rumor has It that the question OF
expense has really been al the bottom
OF the halfhearted measures hitherto
adopted and Il is not unlikely that Sir
Michael Hlcks-Bcach. Chancellor OF the
Exchequer, and other members Of the
cabinet will resign.
1t was high time that something very
energetic was done. The British losses
in killed. wounded, prisoners and mis-
sing throughout the campaign now
reach the enormous total OF 1880.
The Times, commenting on the situ-
alton, says: Neither the Crimean war
nor the Indian mutlny gave rise TO
greater dangers TO the empire than that
with which we are now menaced. nor
at either OF these critical periods was
Great Britain so Isolated politically or
regarded with such dislike and suspi-
cion as are now almost everywhere app
parent. Unless the ealmness which inn
presses the foreign observer proceeds
only from apathy or q want Of suf-
iicient imagination 20 realize the imml-
nent danger to the whole fabric Of our
empire the great efforts now urgently
required will surely be made before II
IL too late TO relieve the situation. We
are fighting not merely for supremacy
in South Africa, but our position as
great power. We know We have mis-
calculated the strength Of our foe and
We are resolved TO make that miscal-
culation good"
The Liberal organs foreshadow a Sc
riOus reckoning for the government
when the time comes.
The Daily Chronicle hints that Gen.
Sir William Butler, who was recalled
from the Cape command because OF his
Boer sympathies, long ago advised the
government that the prosecution OF Mr..
Chamberlain's policy would make
heavy achievements for the Cape i'm
perative.
The Daily News says 1.-THE govern
ments decision is either a council Of
panic or the confusion Of utter miscal-
culati0n."
Lieut. Gen. Sir Charles Warren, COM
handing the fifth division Of the first
army corps, has arrived at Capetown.
1t Is ur 5crstood that he will proceed
to Port Elizabeth
No further news has been received
regarding the battle at the Tugela
river
The latest accounts regarding the
battle at Magersfontein show that the
retirement OF the British troops was
executed with the greatest GOODNESS and
order under heavy Boer artillery fire
on Tuesday
Mafeking was safe on December 10th
and Col. Baden Powell the British
commander there. Is still actively push
inc out his deferses At that time the
Beers had offered to exchange Lady
Sarah Wilson. who was captured while
acting as a correspondent for the Lon
don Daily Mail. for Gen. Ben Viljoen,
who was captured at Elandslaagte, but
the offer had been declined. The other
beleagured garrisons and positions are
still holding out
IL is said that II the Victoria Cross
were to be granted for every act Of
conspicuous gallantry on the part Of
the British troops It would be neces-
sary TO distribute the decoration by
hundreds.
A dispatch from Sterkstrom says: AS
result OF the British reverses the
whole country northward Is in rebel
lion. The natives there, as we'll as
those In Basutoland, are said to be
much disturbed and losing heart re-
specting the strength Of the British"
Dublin, Dec. 1.-THE announcement
that a pro-Boer meeting would be con-
yened today as a protest against the
proposal Of Trinity college TO confer a