Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1899-11-09
BRITISH DISASTER.
Captured Battalions Fought TIL
Their Cartridges Were Gone.
GEN. WHITE SEVERELY CRITICISED.
A Belief That Some One Blundered-Caicu'
Iation of the British Losses since
the Outbreak Of Hostilities
with the Beers.

London, Nov. 1.-THE breakdown OF
the Delagoa Bay cable route, combined
with the monopolization Of the avail
able telegraph lines by the government
and British staff officers, is RESPONSE
bic for the fact that little news arrived
yesterday from South Africa Inc
war office officials are working under
great strain. The gloom caused by
the British disaster at Ladysmith was,
in a measure, relieved by a story CIV
ing an account OF the heroic stand
made by the decimated battalions un-
til their last cartridge was gone. 1t is
known that the Gloucesters and fusi'
Tiers fought against overwhelming
odds and upheld the best traditions OF
the British army, and the tension has
been relieved, since there is no longer
ground to dread that the loss OF life
and men was accompanied with dis
honor.
An unconfrmed statement is pub
lished that Gen. Sir Redvers Butler has
left Cape town for Ladysmith.
A belated dispatch from Ladysmith
describing Mondays fight says:
couple OF squadrons Of hussars had mar
row escape from disaster early In the day
They found themselves suddenly confronted,
within easy range, by IN overwhelming force Oh
Beers, who seemed to spring from the bowels OF
the earth. The hussars were splendidy handled,
and were extrlcated with only one man
wounded
The queen Is credited with express
ing sincere pity for Sir George Stewart
White, and the officials are in no wise
inclined to Judge him harshly. 30 far
Is the public is concerned, however,
while qualification Is felt at the man
ner In which the isolated battalion sur
rendered, there Is still severe criticism
for Gen. White and Lieut.. Col. Carleton
for allowing the column to get out OF
touch, for the absence Of proper scout
ing and for not retiring when the am
munition was lost. In favor Of Lieut..
Col. Carleton, the explanation Is haz-
arded that he believed 1t was impera-
tive to the success Of Gen. Whites
operation that he should hold the posi-
ton at Nicholson's Mex.
The Morning Post comments severely
upon the British contempt for the
enemy, as shown by the belief that the
large Boer force at Acton Homes could
be held In force by Carleton's small
column. It points out that even II the
British there had been supplied with
ammunition they could have held out
only a few hours longer, inasrnuch as
they were In the most complete sense
detached and because nobody appar-
emily at Ladysmith had any idea OF
their distress or took any measures to
rescue them. 1.-THE column was sacri-
feed, says the Morning Post, "because
II was sent into action gagged and
blindfolded. It had neither scout nor
patrol. Twelve hundred men were
thrown away for lack Of cavalry which
would not have been missed from an
other part Of the field"
The Standard, which comments in
similar terms upon 'the fact that Gen.
White made no effort TO extricate the
column from the impossible situation
into which he had thrust It," draws a
Mad picture Of the men "hoping for re-
lief and then realizing with bitterness
OF heart some one had Numbered, that
they had been forgotten by their gen.
eral and his staff, and that nothing
was left but surrender and imprison-
ment at Pretoria until the end Of the
war;"
The Daily Chronicle says: ut is evi.
dent that somebody Numbered, but
more details are required before the
blame can be apportioned."
A careful calculation Of the British
losses in all the engagements since the
outbreak Of hostilities, excluding the
casualties among the non-commissioned
officers and men in Mondays disaster
at Ladysmith, which are thus far un
known here, gives total OF 9le, tt
which probably 1900 will need to b'
added when details regarding thu
Ladysmith reverse are received. Thu
total is made up as follows: Officers
1888, IS being killed, 81 wounded and 81
captured. Men 1888, being 1877 killed
400 wounded and l54 captured. A spe
cial dispatch from Pietermaritzburg
dated Tuesday morning, says: "Strag
glers from the Worcestershire regi
ment are arriving at Ladysmith.
numbers OF mules, with portion o
the mountain battery, are also coming
ia"
Fire Discovered in her Hold.
New Orleans, Nov 2,-The Cromwell
liner Louisiana, which was to hav
sailed yesterday for New York, had +
abandon her trip because Of fire discoy