New-York tribune., 1900-01-24
HOLDING GAINED GROUND.
LONDON ANXIETY HIGH, HOWEVER, AT
MIDNIGHT.
[Copyright: 1900: BY The New-York Tribune.l
[BY CABLE TO THE TRIBUNE.l

[Copyrght: 1900: BY The New-York Tribune.I
IBY TO THE TRIBUNE,l
London Jan. "a 1 a. m.-The War Office closed
at midnight with the announcement that there
was no news from Sir Redvers Butler. The feel
ing of disappointment and of anxiety was keen
at the clubs and it evidently shared by
large number of prominent public men, who
maid late visits to the War Office. Mr.. Balfour
was cIoseted with Lord Lansdowne for a long
time, and the other Ministers were eager to
hear the sequel to the earlier chapters of Cen
eral Warren's mountain fight.
There were no explanations Of General Bull
ler's silence from any official source. It
hardly credible that General Warren had stood
Still for two days. yet It was certain that a
decisive success on his part would have been
posted at the War Office without moments
delay There was little talk at the clubs and
faces gloomy.
Lord Rosebery's philosophical speech, balanc-
ing the disappointments and benefits OF the
present campaign was good tonic for English
men on a gloomy night. 1t also served to revive
the theory that he may take the Foreign Office
Il the present Cabinet is reorganized.
THREE BRIGADEs IN FORMER ACTION.
The strange absence of news Of Mondays
operations on the Tugela River caused much
uneasiness yesterday. Nothing known from
any source beyond the simple statement that
a
daybreak General Butler sent additional casu-
atty lists, showing that three brgades-Hild-
yards Hart's and Woodgates-had been en-
gagged during the two previous days. but did not
comment upon Mondays work among the
kopjes. Either the British army resting
and allowing the batteries to pour shrapne into
the enemy's positions no real progress had
been made.
The aIar1nists ragged over the black press CAL
in
Natal, and imagined vain things. The croakers
In the clubs assumed that a counter attack had
been made by the Dutch, and that Warren's
ertiilery had been captured like Colonel Longs
when there was no infantry behind It. Even the
pptirnists lost heart in puzzling over the con-
fused accounts of the military writers who could
not understand from the direction of the attack
whether the enemy's positions had been turned
o. any real advantage had been gained from the
two days fighting
General Butler had found it difficult Sun
day night to claim any marked success In the
British assault upon the Boer westernmost
stronghold, and Pretoria dispatches indicated
that the Dutch were satisfied with their
work
ONE SOURCE OF SATISFACTION.
The only satisfactory feature was the proof
offered by the light casualty lists the Brit
fish soldiers were content under prudent leader
ship to remain under cover and to avoid reck-
less charges. These lists not large in pro-
portion to the number of troops engaged, and
considerable percentage Of the officers and men
Included in them slightly wounded Brit
3sh soldiers learning to fight like Beers
among the kopjes, and to take shelter behind
the powders.
An English South African, almost unrivalIed
In experience and knowledge. tells that his
hopes centred in General Warren rather
than in General Butler. He says that Warren
has long been known among the Dutch as "the
General" For example, a friend accompanying
Cecil Rhodes through the Barkly West dis
trict during his election in August, 1898
heard constant references to "the General" and
asked who he was Sir Charles Warren Of
course" the invariable reply Before Mr.
Rhodes had foreseen and carried out the great
scheme Of expansion northward, General War
ren had been preaching it to deaf ears His
expedition through Bechuanaland in 1885, when
the Beers were disputing northward
was bloodless This was due to the dread which
his name inspired among the Transvaal Dutch
He has had greater experience in South Africa
than any other British general and his column
is the only one that has attacked the enemy in
the Boer way among the powders and kopjes
and taken advantage of the cover offered by
ahe rocks.
wARREN.s MILITARY GENIUS
The plan which the British troops are now
Operating was not heard of until Warren's ar
rival and the compliments so freely bestowed
upon the theoretical brilliancy of General Rul
lers turning movement have been earned in
reality by the General who is CARRYING ont the
new method OF operations with wariness and de-
liberation. General Warren is described by the
informant whom am quoting as a man of mill
tary genius, and as profoundly religious. resem
bling In many respects General Gordon and
having far seeing mind. He has no social
qualities, and IT is probable that his aversion
for drawing rooms and the dislike of the Lord
Wolseiey gang for stern. mysticalIy minded
soldier Of the Gordon type have stood in the wav
Of his promotion. My South African friend
knows the Tugela district intimately and takes
the gravest view of the present operations since
The troops at warrens disposal are too few
! WHAT FAILURE OR SUCCESS MEANS
If Warren succeeds IL viii be the mos, br,,,,ert
feat OF arms since the Peninsular can,nat1r and
General Buffers victory will be followed h. tba
complete caving in OF the Dutch forces and tbe
war viii virtually be ended; IL the movement
falls the fault will not be Warren's but tbe col-
Lapse of Buffers campaign will be most dtsas
Continued fourth page.