The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-01-27
BULLER NO NEARER HIS GOAL.
SEVEN DAYS OF FIGHTING SHOWS
SMALL RESULTS.

Without Having Taken an Import
ant POint-His Last Dispatch Told
of Gen. Warrcn's Withdrawal
From SpiOn KOp-0nly Suggestion
as to the Situation Is to Send
More Troops TO the Front.
London, Jan. q, 1 a. m.-Seven days of
fighting have left the main Boer positions
intact and Gen. Buffers army 7O6 men
weaker according to the official casualty
lists, which seemingly do not include the
Spion kop losses, as those last forwarded
do not mention Gen. Woodgates wounding.
England is possessed of a depressing
sense of failure, though not word in crit
iesm of her generals and soldiers is ut-
tered.
Not much effort is made to place a hap
py construction upon Gen. Buffers bare
eighteen words telling of the retirement
from spion kop and there is an uneasy
impression abroad that worse news is yet
to come.
At one of the military clubs tonight the
statement passed from one member 10 an
other that the war office has received an
unpleasant supplementary dispatch from
Gen. Butler. which was being held up for
twelve hours.
spenser Wilkinson, in the Morning Post,
writes as follows of the Spion kop loss:
This is a serious matter, and an at
tempt will not here be made to minimize
it, for no greater wrong can be done to
our people at home than to mislead them
about the significance of the events of the
war. The right way is to tell the truth
far as We know it,"
But facts from the neighbour
hood of Tugela are scantier
than ever The censorship is
now simply prohibitive, and something is
wrong with the cables. The break on
Inc east coast line has been repaired, but
the cables between San Thome and Loan
da, on the west coast is now interrupted.
More Troops Are Needed.
more troops" is the only suggestion
here as the way to break the Beers resist
ance Mr.. Wilkinson regrets that Gen.
Butler has not 5000 more men, declaring
that, If they would not make victory GER
tain his enterprise without them is hope
less.
The Spectator. dealing with the neces-
sity of large additional military prepara-
tions says:
at may be that we have yet another
cycle of disasters in front of u.s."
The transport Assaye arrived at Cape
Town last Friday with 2127 officers and
men. The first portion of the seventh di-
vision is ahoat. Hence, with the 10000 men
Of this division and about 5000 others now
at sea it lies in the power of Lord Rob
erts to reinforce Gen. Butler heavily. This
course is advised by military writers.
Although severely tried Englands nerve
is absolutely unshaken, and probably
nothing that can happen in South Africa
will change in the slightest degree her
intention. She will continue to receive bad
news, if it comes, with dignity and will
maintain her determination to win at
last.
What the Press Says.
The morning papers editorially advise
coolness and judgment and a careful
avoidance of over-es timatng the import
ance of the last position.
The Times says:
The natural disquietude of the public
is increased by the singular vagueness and
Inconsistency of Gen. Buffers dispatches
There is, indeed a very singular and
somewhat disquietng suggestion in Cen
Buffers comments as revealed in the Ga
zettes dispatches For instance, his COM
ment as to the action at Zoutpans Drift
His remark concerning the probab bilitv that
British officers would in time learn the
value of scouting military properly, might
have come from a foreign military at
Al.
ing that II should be thrown out IN this
casual irresponsible fashion by the head
of the forces concerning his subordinates,
a week or two, moreover, after the loss of
the guns on the Tugela.
The consequences of this latest check
may be very serious to the gallant Lady
smith garrison. 1t IS impossible TO esti-
mate the next movement II may be that
Gen Butler will be compelled TO retire
from the ground he lately won, bus In
any event we may be sure that the Brit
sh people will not show themselves want
ing In fortitude and steadiness. The gov
ernment would be well advised to call OUT
Immediately all the militia and TO expe-
dite the dispatch of the Eighth Division
and Fourth Cavalry Brigade. No doubt
Lord Roberts will strain every nerve TO
ena BILE Gen. Butler to renew the attempt
to relieve Ladysmith.'
The Standard says:
Or Leyds was a guest in Paris at
President Loubet's banquet on Thursday,
where, in consequence. the British ambas-
sador did not appear. NJ. Delcasse con-
versed some time with him, and il is be-
leved he has since received him at the
Ouai d'Orsai. our Paris correspondent,
however. assures us that the French gov
ernnent is determined to preserve neu-
trality."
LADYsMITH IS IMPREGNABLE.