The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-02-01
General Butler Believed to BE Prepar.
ing to Make Another Attempt
to Relieve the Town.
CAVALRY BRIGADE TO EMBARK
ANOTHER MEETING OF CABINET
CALLED TO CONSIDER SITUATION.
Rumor that the Beers Intend to Dam
Kip River and Flood the Brit
ish Out of Ladysmith.

LONDON, Feb. j, a. m.-The supple
mental lists of casualties fill two columns
in nonpareil type in the morning papers,
making 1900 reported thus far for Gen.
The Daily Chronicle estimates that the
total exceeds 1000. The 40 per cent. loss at
Spion kop is greater than any British
force ever suffered, except possibly at AL
buera, Spain, in 1911.
Winston Churchill, in further dispatch
to the Morning Post, which describes the
recrossing of the Tugela, says: 1.-The army
is exasperated, not defeated. General Butler
will persevere and all will come right in
the end
A dispatch TO the Times from Pietermar-
itzburg, dated Sunday last says: Colonel
Thornycroft had narrow escape last
week. He went to meet Boer flag of
truce, which asked parley, but, having
mandant that he would not parley. Both
retired and the Beers fired volley the
colonel only escaping in consequence of
the Beers bad shooting
When the nation had almost resigned it
self to the fall of Ladysmith there comes
from all quarters an indication that Gen.
Butler will make another attempt to re-
| lieve the besieged place. If the Daily
Mails report of General Buffers state
| ment that he hoped to be in Ladtsmith
within a week could be implicitly relied
upon, news of further serious fighting
are loath to believe what the ST. James
| Gazette characterizes as "unwarrantable
throws cold water on the dispatch by issu-
| ing a statement that IL has no news con-
| frmatory of such move as Gen. Butler
reported speech indicated. Yet yesterday S
| dispatches from Ladysmth and Cape Town
| gave a strong impression that there is
something more than rumor in all these
reports So while all definite opinion must
await further news, it does not seem at
| all unlikely that another desperate effort
will be made to succor General White.
MR. WILKlNSON'S VIEWS.
| Spencer Wilkinson in the Morning Post
| to-day discussing the military situation,
| takes it for granted that General Butler
| intends to make another attempt to relieve
| Ladysmith He seizes the occasion to ex-
| press the greatest admiration for the
| dauntless spirit of the British army and
| a regret that the main thing is lacking
| namely, proper leadership. He says: 1.-The
| whole manhood of the nation is moved by
the same spirit as stirs the troops on the
Tugela. Cannot the government pluck uI
heart to lead like men a nation of men,
to drop the past and to plan on proper
scale, arming the empire for whatever
| struggle may be in store?"
The Prince of Wales has sent the collec-
ton of bamboo walking sticks which he
made during his Indian tour for the use
of invalided and wounded soldiers from the
Cape.
The latest advices from Ladysmith show.
ing the existence of better conditions thar
| generally believed to be the case have beer
| received with intense satisfaction, though
| there is no unreasoning overconfidence, as
may be Judged from the Pail Mall Gazette's
| remark: Let US, while preparing for the
worst hope for the best"
The possibility of General Butler making
another dash appears to depend greatly or
the exact position of General Lyttleton':
brigade. Beyond the understanding that il
is on the north side of the Tugela rivel
everything is matter of supposition. i
will easily be seen that If General Lyttle
ton still holds the drifts on the north sid,
General Butler retains the openings ant
might attempt another advance by way o.
Potgieter's or some neighboring drift. Blu
the vagueness regarding the position o
General Lyttleton resolves all this into tn,
purest surmise.
From the other columns there is no
much news OF any kind, and it would re
quire something Of overwhelming impor
tance TO distract from the absorbing inter
est in Ladysmiths dilemma.
The Admiralty has warned all half-pa,
naval officers to hold themselves In readi
ness for service. This. with the fact tina
able seamen not thoroughly experience,