Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-02-15

London, Feb. 1.-THE war Office
still maintains silence regarding the
situation at the seat Of war, announc-
ing at 1880 last evening that no fur
Their news had been received, and
none has come from other sources
which would give a cIew to Gen. Bull
ler's movements since he re-crossed
the Tugela, or TO the present positions
Of the forces.
Barely Escaped Trap.
London, Feb. IA special dispatch
from Springfield bridge, under date OF
Feb. 9th, gives a new explanation OF
Gen. Buffers retirement. According
to this dispatch balloonist Wednes
day discovered the fact that the beers
had developed extraordinary and I'M
expected artillery strength on Doorm
kloof to the British right, where they
managed to draw up dozen heavy
guns, some fitted with disappearing
mountings, and all cunningly masked.
These, but for the balloonist would
never have been discovered in time to
save the British from falling into a
deadly trap, as they commanded the
road the British would have to take in
order to reach Ladysmith. These guns
rendered the actual positions of the
British untenable, and further advance
impossible, except at cost of terri
BILE and useless loss OF life.
Alliance With Portugal.
(Copyrighted by Associated Press.)
| London, Feb. 11.-There exists TO-
day what practically amounts to al
offensive and defensive alliance be-
tween Great Britain and Portugal
For the past week and longer there
has been circulating throughout the
English press, irrespective of party
lines, a nervous apprehension of Euro
pean opposition and still more nervou:
appreciation of the fact that Grea
Britain at the present moment is I'M
able to face it with honor to herself
Constant editorials in the most I'M
sensational papers have almost de
veloped this phase of agitation into {
national nightmare which is not a
all justified by the tenor or continental
news published in English papers. L
the general demands for immediate in
crease in active naval militar!
strength, openly urged to enable Grea
Britain to cope with the most aggres
sive movements that could possibly b'
credited to Russia, France and Ger
many, were only cOrrelative with thu
extent to which Great Britain ha!
been drained in order to sup
port her south African war
these manifestations of the pres!
would easily be understood, but the
clamor for a great-staading army and
naval mobilization so much exceeds
!: the comparatively slight deficiency in
defensive potentially caused by the
war in south Africa that the impartial
observed can scarcely help coming tC
the conclusion that there is more I'M
der the surface than news from the
continent conveys. In the first place
much of this press clamor for ire
mendous armament in order to meet
unforeseen emergencies is originally
inspired with a view to compelling
parliament to pass quickly any finan-
cial measures proposed by the govern
ment and to make the same popular
with the people, who may be called up
on to add their mites toward the stu
pendous plans now pending to place
the British empire upon a military
eminence so supreme as to be beyond
fear of opposition.
Trying to Force Escape.
Boer head laager, Ladysmith, Feb
lit is reported from the upper Tu-