The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1900-01-24

| developrn" nf4 To tn" shareholders.
| "StOrea are beiu. rolb"i wholesale The
| safo deposit vaults under the Stock I.N-
change have been broken open and jewo'ry
| and plate left hy refugees nave been OK
| tracJei.
Grass is growing IN n. streets. and cat
! tie arc grazing in fashionable thorough
| fares.
There are still nhou, 2e'o Outlanders in
| the TrarsysaI
"A letter received bore from Harrisrnith
relates that three Brlti=a.rs were shot IN
| the market square for ref1siuG 20 go % the
| front when commaudeored
TO EsCHlNGE OFFICERS.
| London. Jan- ZI-Accoru!ng to a special
| dispatch from Pretoria It IS reported ther"
that fourteen: fe!i corue's viii be exchanged
| for fourteen British officers
HtILER'S ENPL.NSTIOS.
| London. Jan. .. a. m.-Cier~~al Rrller's
| great turning movement, Of which 40 much
| had been expected. has come 10 a stand
! still. His carefully w.-,ied message 70 rhe
| War Once. telling this. after silence ~
two days reads Aks an apology and an eX-
| PLANTATION.
General Warren holds the ridges. but the
eueruy's positions ara higher The British
! artillery is playing on the BOer positions.
and tho Beers arc replying The Rriush
| Infantry r. separated hy only lif9 ysrcs
| from the enemy hHt an approach 20 the
| steep slopes across the bare open would
| expose the British to- a fatal rife fire
| General Buffers plans have reached their
development. lie declines 10 sert his In
fantry across this zone against formidable
positions by daylight and li="loses his pur-
pose 20 assault the Spi0n kup height during
tho night. This appears 10 be ;he key I"
the Bocr GeFsnsss II he takes Il and thus
commands the adjacent country, an In
prrtant and possibly decisive step VIII be
a accomplished.
1t seems that General Ruller's dispatch
reached tho War Of'ice early In the night
and was tho subject CT prolonged con-
ference between Lord Lars'iowne. Mr.. Bal
four and several staff officials.
a determination appears TO have heHn
reached not 70 give out tho message during
the night but toward a. n. copies or tho
dispatch were made for distribution among
the newspaper offices. These arrived too
IL te for extended comment.
The Morning Post AMI tho Standard touch
lightly upon the unpleasant features Of the
dispatch and take hope from the projected
night attack but all things considered the
dispstch looks like preparation for worse
news
Parliament will meet in five days. Tho
Cabinet has been hoping for one rallyiug
British SUCCESS to cheer the country and
to command generous support for fresh
revenue measures. Among these probably
VIII. De an increase OF 1He income TAX 10
a shilling in the pound. but this would
only provide the cost Of five weeks hos
tlities Tho duties on tobacco. alcohol. tea
and coffee are likely to be raised
The Cabinet viii meet at the end of the
week and discuss the situation
Political considerations. both foreign and
domestic. press upor, the military authori-
ties the necessity Of speedily accomplishing
something. These authorities may have
been persuaded to urge General Butler to
attempt his great operation without ads-
quate preparation. This impression, wheth-
er true or not, is abroad.
Apparently Lcri Roberts has nothing
whatever TO do with General Buffers oper-
alton. General Butler and the War Ofilce
communicate with each other direct Bull
ler's scheme was conceived before Lord
Roberts's arrival at Cape Town, and its
execution was begun the day he landed
The fact that the judgment CT Lord Rob
erts has not been brought 70 bear upon the
movement does 10! add 10 public conf
deuce.
The Times, commenting editcrially on
General Buffers dispatch. says
'T can but tend TO increase the severe
strain from which the nation IS suffering.
We must await the result Of his attempt 70
seizs the formidable Buer position with
courage and coolneSs. His success may be
decisive. but the danger Of the attempt is
evidently great The intense excitement Of
the besiegei in Ladysmith may be i'm
aginfd.
General Warren Is moving with com
mendable. indeed. imperative. caution. but
Il must not be forgotten that delay. how
ever caused. must tell In many respects in
favor Of the enemy. The BOcrs have, II IS
true, fallen back when hard pressed. but
they have gained time TO bring up men.
guns. ammunition and supplies TO the posi-
ton they have selected for their principal
stand, and to entrench IL III thorough fash
ION the fashion they understand well
Untn that position has been taken and It's
defenders routed and badly cut Up tho re-
lief OF Ladysmith cannot be considered Sc
cured"
From Vienna comes the statement that
the idea Of the intervention OF European
Powers is gaining adheTents IN influential
quarters. The Daily Msily correspondent
regards the signs as unmstakahle. and
mentions especially suggestions prtntoi In
the Austro- Hungarian Foreign Office jour
nails
Dispatches from Boer sources describe
tho renewal Of the bombarduent OF Lady
smith ds more heavy than any previous
firing, and as intended 10 discourage a sor-
tie symptoms Of preparations for esress
from the town having been observed from
the Beers positions.
SpcCia! dispatches photographed from
A. iysmith on Monday say that the invest
m.ut has not been relaxed. and that the
garrison has ceased to speculate regarding
the precise date of deliveraucs.
The position OF the British forces outside
OF Natal Ia unchanged. The forward move
ment elsewhere appears to be waiting FOR
re-enforCsmeutS.