Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1900-01-25
BULLkR'S MOVEMENT
The Plans Of the British General
Brought to a Standstill.
The DISPATCH FROM Cen. BUTLER.


Ouch C0l0nists Keep Beers Posted
Hattie Raging ut sp .onskop
London, Jan. 24.-Gen. Buffers
great turning movement, of which SO
much had been expected, has come
TO standstill. His carefully worded
message to the war Office telling this,
after a silence of two days, reads like
an apology and an explanation. Gen.
Warren holds the ridges, but the enc
my's positions are higher. The Brit.
ish artillery is playing on the Boer po-
stioms, and the Beers are replying.
The British infantry is separated by
only l,4OO yards from the enemy, but
an approach to the steep slopes,
across the bare open, would expose
the British to a fatal rife fire.
Gen. Buffers plans have reached
their development. He declines to
send his infantry across the zone
against formidable positions by day
light, and discloses his purpose to as
sault the Spionkop heights during the
night. This appears to be the key to
the B0er defenses. II he takes it and
thus commands the adjacent country,
an important and possibly decisive
step will be accomplished.
It seems that Gen. Buffers dispatch
reached the war Office rather early in
the night and was the subject Of a
prolonged conference between Lord
Lansdowne, Mr.. Balfour and several
staff officials. A determination APP
pears to have been reached not to give
out the message during the night, but
toward two a. m. copies Of the dis
patch were gwen to newspapers.
These arrived too late for extended
comment.
The Dispatch from Gen. Butler.
London, Jan. 24.-The following
dispatch from Gen. Butler, dated
Spearman's camp, January 20, $40 p.
IN, has just been posted; Warren
holds the position he gained two days
ago. In front Of him, at about 1,4OO
yards, is the enemy's position, west
Of Spionkop. 1t is on higher ground
than Warren's position, SO it is i'm
possible to see into it properly. 1t
can be approached only over bare open
slopes and the ridges held by Warren
are so steep that guns cannot be
placed on them. But we are Smelling
the enemys position with Howitzers
and field artillery, placed on lower
ground, behind infantry. The enemy
is replying with Cruesot and other ar
tillery. In this duel the advantage
rests with us, as we appear to be
searching his trenches and his artil-
lery fire is not causing us much loss.
An attempt will be made tonight to
seize Spionkop, the salient of which
forms the left of the enemy's posi-
ton facing richards drift and
which divides it from the position
facing Potgeiter's drift. 1t has con-
siderable command over all the enc
my's entertainments"
News from PistsrmarItxburg.
London, Jan. PA dispatch to the
Daily Mail from Pietermaritzbmg,
dated January 20, says: lord Dun
donald holds the road to divers Hook
pass The latest arrivals from 10
hannesburg say that the Boer meth
DDS are working ruin to the miner.
The Beers pick out the rich ore, leav-
ing the cost of further developments
to the shareholders. Stores are being
robbed wholesale. The safe deposit
vaults under the Stock exchange have
been broken open and jewelry and
plate left by the refugees have been
extracted. Grass is growing in the
streets, and cattle are grazing in fash
ionable lhoroughfares There are
still about 1000 Uitlanders in the
Transyaal. A letter received here
from Harrismith relates that three
Britishers We're shot in the market
square for refusing to go to the front
when commandeered."
photographed Message from Ladysmith.
London, Jan. 24.-,The Daily ChrCn.
icle publishes the following hello
graphed message from Ladysmith
dated January 80 Yesterday We
could see British shells bursting close
to the Boer camp on the plateau this
side Of Fotgieter's drift, but the camp
still remains in position there to-day
We heard heavy firing all this morn
ing. The bombardment here is slack
but the Beers big gun on Mount Bull
wana is still firing"
Dutch Co,onists Keep Boers Posted.
London, Jan, IA correspondent
of the Daily Chronicle at Stelk
stroom, telegraphing Monday, says
"Many Dutch colonists, although os
tensibly loyal, really sympathize will
the Beers and keep them posted re
garding all British movements. They
discharge rockets and make othel
probable signals to the enemy. A
general rising, however. is no Longer
feared
A Bsttls Raging at spionkop.
Boer Lager, Ladysmith, Jan. "a
A battle las been raging along tn,
divers Hook road since Saturday he
tween the Beers under Pretorirs an6
5000 British. The Sighting is in jul
swing at Srionkop.
| No More Volunteers to He Sent 10 Manila