Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-01-29

London. Jan. 2s.-General Butler says
General Warren's troops nave retreated
south Of the Tugela river. The Beers
say the British lost 1900 killed Wedncs>
day. 1t is believed here that this IN
cludes the wounded. The Beers also
claim that $50 Of the English troops sur
rendered at Spionkop.
London, Jan. 29.-The week has opened
with the utmost gloom for the English
public and the reaction ts all the stronger
because of the high hopes that were re-
posed in General Buffers turning move
ment and Of his announcement that there
would be no turning back
At the very moment when DR.. Leyds
is being received as an onora guest in
the highest circles on the continent, Great
Britain has to face the worst disaster in
"a campaign thus far disastrous. Open
talk is heard of the absolute. necessity of
abandoning Ladysmith to it's fate, while
Lord Roberts resorts to the original plan
Of an advance over the Orange river upon
Bl~oemfontein
! To L~adysmith the disappointment must
be very bitter. "A dispatch from the Eoer
laager near the town, dated Jan. -, de-
scribes the garrison as very evidently
preparing a desperate coup in order to
effect a junction with General Buffers
advancing army"
1t may be regarded as a certainty that,
in the confident hope Of early :aliaf, Sir
George White has lately been issuing ex-
ira rations and this fact has given rise
to an exaggerated idea as to the length
OF time the provisions would last. Even
should it be decided to send General Bui-
Ter achievements n to attempt to
reach Ladysmith by a movement through
49, -4:11 ..-,~ :aS-,,1 --oA - (N-
lenso. 1T is extremely doubtful whether
the garrison could hold out long enough,
as such a movement would occupy at
least q month.
The Times says: "The most carefully
planned and executed movement of the
whole campaign has entirely failed and it
can..be hardly necessary to dwell upon
the extreme probability h a we shall
learn, a little sooner or a little later, of
a catastrophe almost beyond precedent in
our military history, a catastrophe in
deed, without a parallel except in the
surrender at Yorktown.
w are checked at every point of the
campaign. In fact, the campaign is still
to'begin. We wish we had clearer proofs
that even now the government has any
adequate comprehension of the situation.
The ~utterances Of responsible ministers
have done nothing to reassure the coun-
try on this point.
Heavy or light, the thing has to be
ol.C o1d lAC A11lCll W DICS
pare for the immediate dispatch of 5O,-
900 men land take steps to send yet an
other $4,000 If these should be needed.
The hopeless attempts to carry on Lne
columns, each unequal to it's task, must
be abandoned for a concentration of force
and of purpose"
All of the editorials. this morning
breathe the spirit of calm determination
Not one will allow that any reverse
could deter the cnlntrv from tho ohioot
it has set itself to attain, whatever the
sacrifices which may be involved.
Very frank criticism OF the government,
however. is beginning to be heard, even
The Daily Mail bodily throws all the
blame upon Sir Michael Hicks-Beach.
Lord Lansdowne and LorA Wolseley. 1t
points to President Lincoln's dismissal Of
Simon Cameron from the post of secre-
tary of war as a precedent for getting
lid of incompetent ministers"
The Morning Post dwells. upon the
danger of further rebellion at the Cape
and of possible European complications.
1t urges that the a V be prepared for
any emergency"
The Standard and other papers reflect
the anxiety of the public to learn how
much truth there is in the Boer accounts
IF the fighting at ~Spionkop. General Bull
ler's obscurity in his dispatches is rather
bitterly criticised. as well as the evident
fact that the censor is not only heavily
delaying but is. culling out all Important
matter from the newspaper dispatches.
To judge with any. accuracy of the ex-
tent of the disaster is virtually impos.
sible.
1t appears that General ,Bu.4er had al
together five brigades wholly or partially
engaged. General Cookies, General Harris
General Woodgate's and General Lyttle-
toms and the 270 casualties already AN
nounced in Lyttleton's brigade was thus
explained. Much mystery still surrounds