Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-10-31
THE THEATER OF WAR.

! agined. the capture of these guns will be a
| great help to the Beers
| Further news must be awaited before it
is attempted to fix the blame where it be
| longs. General White manfully accepts all
| the responsibility for the disaster. which,
| apparently, 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, J. Hyde.
| The interest in the news was universal,
pervading all classes and conditions of Lon
| don's populacc. The newspaper extras
We're eagerly read in business houses, on
the streets, and by women In their car
| riaSes.
| Rush to the War Office.
Then there was 4 rush to the war office,
| which by noon was surrounded with pri-
vate carriages and hansoms, while many OF
| the humber class Of people came on foot.
| all waiting and watching for the names
| they held dear.
| Never was the old saw, bad news travels
quickly" better exemplifed here than to-
| day. BY noon gloom and bitter sorrow pre-
vailed throughout the British metropolis.
AT the government offices no effort was
made 10 conceal the feeling of dismay pre-
! vaiing. one official said to a representa-
tive Of the Associated Press:
| 1T is ineXplicabIe, and l am sorry to say
| that its moral effect is inesttma bic. We
| have lost heavily in many wars and have
! had regiments almost wiped out, but TO
| have regiments captured, and by the Beers;
1t is terrible"
| An official of the war office said to the
| representative Of the Associated Press:
| &c 4 10
! craze Of our young officers to distinguish
| themselves, obtain mention in the dis
! patches and earn the Victoria cross than
| to the fault Of that splendid Indian veteran.
| Gen. White, in spite of his avowal."
| As the day Wore on the crowd around the
| war office swelled to enormous proportions,
! and Gloucester, the home of many OF
| those engaged. the widest excitement pre-
| vailed. The special editions of the local
! newspapers We're speedily exhausted and
/ the same thing occurred at Bristol and
| other towns +. that county. Coming so
soon after the engagement at Reifontein,
/ whore the GIOucestershires suffered heavily
/ the news brought the keenest sorrow to
households all over the county whose name
! the regiment bears.
| The thrOngs of visitors at the war office
remained all day. Anxious people fought
Il
| fecting scenes We're witnessed Many
| women were heard to gasp: Thank God
he's alive at any rate" as they found the
| name Of some beloved one on the list of
| prisoners. The sidewalks were packed with
| solid masses awaiting their turn to enter.
Eject stock Exchange
! The disaster had an Immediate effect on
| the stock exchange here. where consoIs fell
| Il. South African securities dropped heav-
| lily, Rand mines falling points. Rio TIN
tos fell q.
| The afternoon papers made merely brief
| editorial comments on the news from Lady
| smith. but their headlines voiced the feel
| ing Of general sorrow. The tone of the
| editorials can be summed up in the follow
| ing statement of the st. James Gazette:
| 1t IS evident that the patriotism and for
| ttude OF the nation are to be tested in real
earnest by these operations of ours in
| Natal against odds. General White had a
| difficult task set him and we must take
| the disaster with the dogged coolness
! which Britons know how to display We
| Shall await the hnal result without appre-
heusion."
! The Globe calls upon the British empire
| TO receive this bitter and unpalatabIe dis
| patch with the spirit of great nation that
| relies upon its invincible reserves OF
strength
! While announcement today of the arrival
I OF General Butler at Cape Town was re-
/ CeIvcd by the British with unfeigncd sat
\ lStacuon, il Is pointed cut the general can
! not chd the war without an army corps,
! and some of the troops which are to com
/ pose ii have not even left England for
] South Africa.
Dispatches from Cape Town show that
| Nith- huller reception there was most en-
| tnuSidslc- He was welcomed by Gen Sir
/ Frederick Forestier-Walker, after which
| lhey both entered a carriage and drove TO
| Government House, escorted by mounted
police and mounted volunteers They were
! wildly cheered by the throngs of people
| 'AVenge Majpba,' ard wild cheers for the
| general. Gen. Buffers face was impassiye
| as he returned military salutes for the
| cheers.
| Beers Gathering at Dewdrop.
| Other advices from Cape Town show that
| the Beers are gathering in considerable
| force at Dewdrop. southwest of Ladysmith
| while large forces of Beers are advancing
| over the Helpmakaar road. a big camp of
| Beers is TO be formed between Harrismith
| bridge and Potgiebere Farm camp. at Dew
| drop, which, it is said, will extend four
| miles.
| An Englishnan who has arrived at Ali
| wal North from Pretoria, whence he was
| expelled by way OF Bloemfontein, says that
| When ne left Pretoria all the stores there
| We're carrying on business as usual. Pres
| loent Kruger was still there and he did not
| see any wounded at Johannesburg. Some
| ana contain glowing accounts of the sue
| cesses OF the Boer army, saying that KIM
| berley and Mafeking are expected to fall at
| any moment, while Bechuanaland Is con-