Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1899-12-16
GREAT BRITAIN SHOCKED.
Buffers Repulse at Tugela River
Greatly Dcplored by the Press and

=
London, Dec 1s The news of Cen.
Rullers reverse was received so late
that morning newspaper comment to-
day Is confined to perfunctory express
|sions OF extreme regret and disap-
pointment and of the necessity of calm
ness and reaoubled efforts to retrieve
the position. This last check is regard
ed as the most serious event in Great
Britains military history since the In
dian mutiny
The STANDARD says: Gen. Ruller's
dispatch is deplora BILE reading. t is the
now familiar story of concealed Beers
and of British troops marching up
blndly to the very muzzles of the
enemy's rifles. 1t cannot he doubted
that the moral effect will be to aggra-
lvata our difficulties over the whole field
of operations.
THE country has discovered with an
noyance and surprise that subduing
| Boer farmers is about the hardest work
we have entered upon since the Indian
mutiny. The commandants have shown
themselves able TO give our generals
useful but expensive lessons in modern
tactics
The Times says: Since the days of
the Indian mutiny the nation has not
been confronted with so painful and
lanxious a situation. Plainly Gen. Bul
Hers advance is paralyzed for the mo-
ment as completely as Lord Methuens $
ard Gen. Gatacre's
The depression over the defeat of
Great f.ritain's trusted and idoized
lcommandss is all the greater, as DUR
ling the last forty-eight hours there
had been reports of the relief of Lady
smith. Yesterday the war office all
l!owed ii TO be understood that the po-
lsition of affairs in Natal Was entirely
satisfactory. The reaction is all the
| more pronounced on this account
The gloomy information came too late
| to reach the service clubs and only a
flew journalists and stragglars We're
waiting at the war office 1t has hardly
been realized until now. even after the
lexpereuce of the week, that Gen. Butler
could fail.
| Virtually nothing had been allowed to
lleak through regarding his prepara-
| tions. but the public waited patiently. in
1.-THE confident belief that he was taking
such time and precautions as would in
lsure success.
No independent reports of the engage
ment have yet been allowed to come
/ through, but Gen. Buffers own dispatch
/ tells the sad tale in sufficient outline TO
show that the British have been en-
/: strapped again by the astute Beers. 1t
was rot anticipated that Cen Butler
would make a frontal attack. No criti-
Scisms of his movements are made, how
ever. since apparently he suffered a re-
pulse rather than a defeat, and did not
push the attack home, but broke 1t off
| in the middle so as to save a useless
jsacrifice of life.
/; it is expected that he will renew the
/: :attack shortly. Immediately on receiv
ing the news the war office decided to
mobilize still another division and to re-
place the losses of artillery. The neces-
sary reinforcements will be hurried off
as speedily as possible.
| Fifteen transports are due to arrive at
| Cape Town between Dec. II and Jan. s..
with about $4,000 troops of all arms. but
unless Gen. Butler Is able to renew the
attack, which is exceedingly doubtful,
the British generals will be compelled
lfor another fortnight or more to remain
practically on the defensive.