Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1900-01-29
BULLER is BLOCKED
BUT WILL TRY TO CARRY
TRENCHES IN DARKNESS.
BRITISH MAKE NO GAINS
Warren Holds His Position But Has
Made no Headway in Past Two
Days-Artillery Duel Kept Up With
Vigor-Attempt Will Be Made to
Take Commanding Place.

London, Jan. 24-Gen. Buffers
great turning movement, of which so
much has been expected, has come to
standstill. His carefully worded
message to the war Office telling this
after two days Of silence reads like an
apology and explanation. Gen. War
rem holds the ridges, but the enemy's
positions are higher. British artillery
is playing on the boer positions and
the beers are replying. The British
infantry is separated by only l,4OO
yards from the enemy, but an ap-
proach to the steep slopes, across the
bare open, would expose the British
to a fatel rifle fire from the enemy.
Gen. Buffers plans have reached their
development He declines to send IN
fantry across this zone against the
formidable positions by daylight, and
discloses his purpose to assault the
Spion kop heights during the night
This appears to be the key to the boer
defense. If he takes it and thus
commands the adjacent country, an
| important and possibly decisive step
will have been taken. 1t seems that
General Buffers dispatch reached the
war office rather early in the night
and was the subject Of prolonged
conference between Lord Lansdowne,
Mr.. Ba1four and several staff officials.
The determination appears to have
| been reached not to give out the mes
sage during the night, but toward
a. m. copies of the dispatch were made
for distribution among the newspaper
Offices. ~<
The Morning Post and Standard,
| touching lightly upon the unpleasant
features of the dispatch, take hope
from the projected night attack, but
all things considered, the dispatch
looks like preparations for worse
news. Parliament will meet in five
! days. The cabinet has been hoping
for one rallying British success to
cheer the country and command gen
erous support for fresh reveneu meas
ures. Among these will be probably
an increase in the income tax to a
shilling on the. pound but this would
only provide the cost of five weeks
hostilities. Duties on tobacco,
alcohol, tea ? and coffee will
likely be raised. The cabinet
will meet. at the end of week to dis
cuss the situation. Political consid-
erations, both foreign. and domestic,
and the press military authorities urge
the necessity of speedily accomplish
ing something This may urge Gener-
al Butler to attempt his great opera
ton without adequate preparation
This impression, whether true or not
is abroad that Lord Roberts has
nothing to do with Buffers operations
Butler and the war office communicate
with each other direct. Buffers
scheme was conceived before Lord
Roberts arrived at Capetown and it
it's execution begun the day he landed
To Attempt Important Place.
London, Jan. 24-(2:15.)- Contrary
to the announcement made shortly
before midnight by the war office that
nothing farther would be issued until
Wednesday forenoon, the following
dispatch from Gen. Butler, dated
spearman's camp, (23d) $40 p. M,
has just been posted: Gen. 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
! Spion's kop. 1t is on higher ground
than Warren's position, so it is i'm
possible to see into it properly. It
can be approached only over bare open
slopes and ridges held by Warren SO
steep guns cannot be placed on them
But We are Smelling the enemy's posi-
ton with howitzers and field artillery,
placed on the ground behind the in
fantry. The enemy is replying with
creusot and other artillery. In this
duel advantage rests with us, as we
appear to be searching his trenches
and his artillery fire is not causing us
much loss. An attempt will be made
tonight to seize Spion's kop, the sa-
Iient point of which frOms the left of
the enemy's position facing Trichard's
drift and which divides it from the
position facing POtgieter's drift It