The Topeka state journal., 1900-01-24
AT A STANDSTILL.
CONTINUED from First Page.)


In view of the exaggerated ideas
current that the Beers have been
largely helped by foreign military ad-
visers, it is worth while quoting the
statement of a gentleman who just ar
rived from Delagoa Bay.
He says that the Beers are at a
loss to know what to do and that the
advice being rendered them being based
upon opposing ideas of tactics is value
less and only leads, when adopted, to
loss of life. 1t appears that during
General Jouberts illness General
Schalkberger wired to DR.. Leyds to
send men able to shoot straight and
experts to make explosives and to
work mines, but no useless advisers.
From what saw myself Of the BoeF
forces at the outbreak of the war, I
know that the Beers have a profound
distrust and contempt for European
military methods. and with the excep-
tion of Commandant Albrecht, they
have practically no foreign officers,
even in the artillery.
'@rhe Transvaalers, however, acknowI-
edge that they have learned several
useful tactical devices from the Free
Staters, especially in making entrench-
ments in least expected places, and at
the foot of kopjes insted of only on
ridges"
FROM THE BOER CAMP.
Boer Head Laager, Ladysmith, Mon
day, Jan. ga battle has been raging
Saturday, between the Beers under Pre-
torius and six thousand British.
The fighting is in full swing at Spion's
kop. The Beers under Botha and
CrOnJe have been sent thither.
The British elsewhere are only max
ing a reconnaissance of the Boer posi-
tiOns
President Steyn was under fire at the
foremost position of the Free Staters.
FROM THE UPPER TUGELA.
day, Jan. 21.-After Commandant
Botha checked the British advance yes
terday morning it was expected there
would be no further action until tomor-
row. This afternoon, however, signs
were discerned of an intended move
ment in the British northern camp.
When the heat. which was more
frightful than any yet experienced, had
worn off, the British cannon started in
full force and the infantry advanced in
extended order.
Generals Botha and Cronje held the
high hills over which the road to Lady
smith passed When the Mauser fire
opened a panddemonium of sound filled
the air. The vindictive crash of lyddite
shells, the sharp volleys of Lee Met
fOrds and the whip-like crack of Maus-
ers were interspersed with the boom Of
the Boer maxims. The battle ended
with darkness but not without eviden-
ces of execution among the British that
was manifest at sunrise.
Field Cornet Ernest Emilio was kill
ed, nor did the generals escape un-
scatched.
At the central position Swartkop
where the other road to Ladysmith
crosses the hills; the British advanced
from low lzopjes on the banks of the
Tugela unmolested. Then they entered
the zone of Mauser fire, and although
their naval guns kept up the usual ter
rible racket, the advance was stopped
and the British had to count out their
dead and wounded.
Commandant NiljOen and two burg
hers were knocked senseleSS by an ex-
plOsion of lyddite, but Commandant
Viljoen recovered. Field COrnet He'll
brOn was wounded and on refusing to
surrender was shot.
The British loss was probably insig-
nificant They complain that expansive
bullets in Mausers We're fired in the
field and soft nOsed bullets with Lee
Metfords. The Beers admit that sport
ing Mausers We're occasionally found
but they deny the, charge respecting ex-
pauSiVe bullets. Not a shot was fired
by the Beers with cannon or rifle at
the SwartkOp position this side of the
river. One thousand infantry and a
battery advanced into the second row
of low hills between the republicans and
the river. Heavy cannonading proceed
ed at a range of 1000 yards, but the
Beers maintained the silence of DEATH
This must have staggered the British
as the advance was stopped and this
morning they retired to their old posi-
tions.
MOST ANXIOUS TIME.
London, Jan. 24.-2:45 p. m.-The ex-
treme tension caused by what can
justly be designated the most anxious
pause since the war began had not
been relieved up to the time of writing
by anything save the daily stock ex-
change rumor, which today happens to
have been started by the bulls, who as
sert that Gen. Warren has captured
SpiOnkOp. Anxiety in regard to the
news is visible on all sides. The war
office was besieged at an early hour
this morning and the clubs and other
resorts liable to receive early news have
been crowded with eager inquirers.
1t is generally recognized that the
Boer position if ever taken can only be
captured at a tremendous cost.
dispatch from Pretoria, dated Tues
day, January %, somewhat amplifies
the dispatch of Monday, January %,
from the BOer head laager cabled to
the Associated Press last evening. It
says; -Four or five times during the
day the British replaced their wearied
soldiers by fresh ones. The BOer cas-
ualties to date are one man killed and
two men slightly injured Our men are
in excellent spirits. There is a large
slaughter of the British
Gen. Botha is now in sole command,
Gen. Cronje having been sent else
where"
The same dispatch apparently refer
ring to the situation at Colenso, says:
'One of the large Boer Maxims was
temporarily disOrdered, but was soon
repaired. The British northern camp is
in confusion. People are observed trek
king aimlessly in all directions"
Commenting on Capt Mahans atti-
tude the St James Gazette today re-
marks:
His advice is good and needed in
America While strict neutrality is
maintained in the official world and
good win for England is felt by the
better informed, it is simply misleading
the public of this country to suggest as
some correspondents are doing, that
antagonism to England is confined to
a negligible body of Americans. The
sympathy Of America as a whole, as Il
matter of fact is no more with England
at this moment than was our popular
sympathy with them at the outbreak of
the war with Spain and the contrast of
official and popular attitudes is no less
marked in the United States than it is