Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1900-02-01

London, Jan. 2S-Scvcn days of fight
ing have left the main Boer positions
intact and Gen. Buffers army FOG
weaker, according to the official cas-
ualty lists, which seemingly do not in
clude the Spionkop losses, as those last
forwarded do not mention Gen. Wood
gates wounding.
England is possessed by a depressing
sense of failure. although word in
criticism of her generals and soldiers
is not uttered. Not much effort is made
to place Il happy construction upon
Gen. Buffers bare eigl teen words tell
ing of the retirement from Spioniop.
and there is an uneasy impression that
worse news is vet to come. At the
military clubs the statement passed
from one member to another that the
war office had received an unpleasant
supplementary dispatch from Gen.
Butler which was being held up for
twelve hours. Spencer Wilkinson. in
the Post, writes as follows of the
Spionkop loss:
'ThiS is serious matter and an ut
tempt will not here be made to min
imize it, for no greater wrong can be
done to our people at home than to
mislead them about the significance of
the events of the war. The right way
is to tell the truth as far as we know
it. But facts from the neighbOrhood
of the Tugela are scantier than ever.
The censorship now is simply prohib-
tive and
Something Is Wrong
with the cables. The break on the
east coast lines has been repaired, but
the cable between San Thome and
LoaEda, on the west coast is now inter-
rupted. More troops is the one sug-
gestion in the way to break the Boer
resistance"
Mr.. Wilkinson regrets that Gen.
Butler has not 10000 more men. de
claring if they would not make victory
certain his enterprise without them is
hopeless.
The Spectator, dealing with the ne
cessity of large additional military
preparations, says: at may be yet
that we have another cycle of disasters
in front of us
The transport Asaye arrived at Cape
Town last Friday with 2.175 officers
and men. The first portion of the Sew
enth division is afloat. Hence, with
the 10000 men of this division and
about 5000 others now at sea, it lies in
the power of Lord Roberts to rein-
force Gen. Butler heavily. This course
is advised by several military writer's.
Although English nerves are severely
tried. her nerve is absolutely mistaken
and probably nothing that can happen
in South Africa will change in the
slightest degree her intentions. She
will continue to receive bad news, if,
of course, it comes. with dignity, and
will maintain her determination to win
at last.
Beers Short on Ammunition.
Durham, Jan. 2S.-One hundred and
sixty Beers captured during Gen.
Buffers recent operations, have ar
rived here. A Free Slater, who is
among the recent arrivals. says Presi-
dent Steyn has been removing his fur
niture to Pretoria, where several of
his officials have taken houses. 1t is
stated that no big guns are now left
In the Pretoria forts. that the Beers
have expended their stock of good
cartridges and are now using cart
ridges formerly condemned by Col.
Joubert. They are said to be manu-
featuring $1,000 cartridges and 200
shells daily at the dynamite factory.
Germans Call 1t a British Defeat.
Berlin, Jan. %. - The latest news
from South Africa is interpreted as a
signal defeat for the British The
Deutsche Tagesblatt Zeitung calls the
British position there most serious
trap The last outgoing German
mails to the Transvaal are now being
returned from Cape Town without
any explanations. The German press
comments upon the fact with consider
able heat