Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-11-01
Before Details of British
Losses Arc Known.
COMMUNICATION IS CUT
1t is Believed as No Dispatches Have
Been Received Since Those Sent
by Gen. White-The Papers Are
Reduced to Speculation.

London, Nov. IAN ominouS curtain
has again descended Npon affairs in
Natal. No dispatch, except the official
kilograms of General Sir George Stewart
White. has thus far been permitted to
mention the disaster. and no telegram
from. L.adysmith has been received in
London since the advices from the Brit
ish commander. This gives rise to a be-
lief that communications have already
been cut. in which event some time must
elapse before details regarding British
losses are received. If the war officials
have received information on this ponit
they have refrained from publishing it.
General Whites estimate that the Brit
ish losses We're about SO is evidently quite
separate from the probable loss in killed
and wounded among the captured bat
talions. On this point there is the
greatest suspense among relatives of the
prisoners. 1t Is supposed that the stam-
pedlng of the mules meant the carrying
away Of the reserves of ammunition, and
that the troops capitulated after firing
the rounds each man carried.
In the absence of news the morning
papers are reduced to speculation as to
now the disaster occurred. The gener-
al opinion is that the misuse of the cav
airy was the real reason for the fall
into the Bosr trap. Apparently there
| was no cavalry to watch over the safety
of the mission column.
The Daily News says: IF it is found
possible to move the stores, Sir George
White Will probably be ordered to with
draw upon Colenso. If this order is not
given IT. will be because a removal of
the stores would be too risky"
The Morning Post pointing out how
near the British were to "a still greater
disaster" says: ''In capturing the col
| lImn the RaprG also had the DpyOnEhira
regiment practically At then mercy. and
a little more daring would have made a
bad business much worse. and seeing
that q force strong enough to scoop a
couple Of infantry battalions could have
| put itself practically between Sir George
White and his camp, we may be very
thankful that things to-day are not more
serious than they are. The lesson has
been a severe one. 1t is humil:ating
to find a nation of farmers beating us
at our W game
The SOLDERING note is struck by all the
morning papers today. together with the
expression of a determination to carry
the matter Though at Whatever cost.
The Daily News, referring editorially
to the situation, says:
after the patent failure of the cam
| paign and the terrible humiliation of.the
British army we can only vaguely hope
that Sir George White, in tn hard DAYS
that lie before him, may be abb. to hold
1AEn[ fbti4I -. Hob|A IN III ~
taking which carries with it great risks.
IL it ia to be a war of vengeance W. shall
have to Wipe out a disaster before which
the memory of Majuba Hill fades away
! The empire is face to face with a repuise
comparable only to the surrender of Bur-
goyns to the e1nbattleG farmers of our
| Americas colonies If the catastrophe
calls forth something better thar music,
we must come to Il sorrowful Lesson we'll
learned for the good Of our souls
Tho hn1iinU Past "a lis 9ttanfinn tn Gin.
George Whites use of the word %'tcapitu-
1%ation." remhrking that it suspects the
word was used carelessly. 1t says:
we prefer to assume that the column
! fought until it was cut to pieces and all
the ammunition was gone. Capitula-
ton is a word Of shame. Troops in the
! field cannot capitu!ate without disgrace,
and disaster is not necessarily dis
honor
The Times says: I'VE ave met with
a. considerable reverse. 1t is for the ma
ton to show that it can hear i'll fortune
with courage and dignity
There is no general desire eyinced on
the part of the mornin papers to eriti-
cize Sir George White harshly, pending
the arrival of further details. On tho
contrary. the disposition is to admire his
manly courage in assuming full RESPONSE
bility.
Abroad, especially in France. no pains
are taken to disguise the satisfaction felt
in consequence of the British ebuff. In
Paris every means of spreading the news
was utilized. The Presse predicts a gen.
| eral revolt of the Dutch in South Africa.
The Soir hints its regret that France did
not adopt a different attitude during the
Fashoda crisis. The Courier de Soir
thinks the continental powers will pro-
, pose arbitration. Yvos Guyot, in the
Seicle, is almost alone in supporting
Great Britain against the Beers.