Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-01-17

London, Jan. 1.-THE Times pub
fishes the following from Pietermaritz-
| burg, dated Tuesday: Every heavy ar
| tillery firing was heard yesterday in
the direction OF Springfield"
The Exchange Telegram Company
has received the following dispatch,
dated Jan. l6, from Pietermaritzburg
] There Is no news from the front, but
heavy firing was heard today In the
| direction OF Frere. II is probable that
| Gen. Butler is engaging the enemy. A
| rumor Is current here that a portion
Of the British force is near Ladysmith."
A dispatch TO the Daily Mail from
| PieteTmaritzburg, dated Tuesday, says.
There was very heavy firing to the
north yesterday | believe the Beers
| are contesting Gen. Buffers passage
| Of the Tugela. Howitzers are evidently
| busy, as the firing is described as the
heaviest yet heard in Natal"
Even rumors are no longer tele-
graphed from Natal 10 the war office.
| The conclusion deducted from this
silence by the military experts gener-
| ally is that no decisive blow has been
struck either way, as in such an event
there would be no necessity for silence
The South Africa Cancellation COM
mittee, quietly formed to represent the
peace minority. announces itself to the
country today and asks for support
Among the members are Lord and Lady
Coleridge. Herbert Spencer, Sir Robert
Threshie- Reid George John Shaw-Le-
feyre, Frederic Harrison, Stephen
Gladstone. the countess OF Carlisle and
other notable persons. Leonard Court
ney, Ilnionist member OF parliament for
the Bodmin division OF Cornwall, is
president Of the committee.
This movement should be distin-
guished from the stop the War" group
Of extremists Of which William H.
Stead Is the most active member. Its
program summarized. is 10 walt until
proper opportunity arises for some
peaceabe settlement. Meanwhile IL
will gather and distribute correct in
formation and sound views. The mani.
festo afilrms that "As the war was be-
gun enid Misunderstanding on both
sides a pacific settlement is possible"
There Is no indication that such an
arrangement would be tolerated by any
considerable portion Of the public. Ma
tiOnal emotion Is now In n state OF dis
quietude over the reverses Of British
arms; dissatisfaction with the conduct
OF military business in intense, and
there is an almost universal determine
ton to see the thing through.
The war office has issued orders for
the formation OF five new batteries.
Some !see OF the extent OF the artll-
lery resources 20 be drawn upon may
be gained from the fact, according TO
the statement OF military expert this
morning, that an old practice howitzer
at Lydd, in Kent, with which Ii Is i'm
possible to do accurate shooting, but
which for some time has been solely
used 10 test shells, has been laid under
requisiliOn for the front. Orders have
been received at Lydd to pack this ven
cradle relic with as much dispatch as
possible for embarkation.
Seventeen more militia battalIons will
he enlisted In the course Of a fortnight.
All the regulars are now out OF the
country except fourteen infantry bat
tallons and eleven cavalry battalions.
The war Office has placed an order for
$4,000 600 cartridges In cases
The yeomanry committee announces
that ~ has accepted 5000 out OF the
10000 which II wishes TO raise and still
hiss 10000 applicants 10 be examined.
The Daily Chronicle asserts that the
committee was goaded into this state.
nlent by the reports that there was no
hope OF getting the full number.
The war Office has wired TO counter
mand the departure from Egypt of n
number o. officers who were previously
ordered to South Africa. The Daily
Chronicle. commenting upon this and