The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-01-30

London. January -, I a. m.-Seven
days OF fighting have left the main
Boer positions intact and General Bull
ers army 706 men weaker. according
to the official casualty lists, which
seemingly do not include the Spion kop
losses as those last forwarded do not
mention General WoOdgate's wound
ing.
England is possessed by a depressing
sense OF failure, though not a word in
criticism of her generals and soldiers
is uttered Not much effort is made
10 place a happy construction upon
General Buffers bare eighteen words
telling Of the retirement from Snion
kop' ana 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 mem
Der TO another that the war office has
received an unpleasant pIement
dispatch from General Butler, which
was being held up for twelve hours.
renee Wilkinson in The Morning
Post writes as follows of the Spion
kop loss: This is a serious matter.
and an attempt will not here be made
= " III greater wrong
can be done to our people at home
than 10 mislead them about the signif-
lcance OF the events of the war. The
right way is to tell the truth as far as
we know it"
But facts from the "neighborhood of
the Tugeia are scantier than ever.
The censorship is now imply prohibit
tive. and something is wrong with. the
cables. The break on the east coast
lines has been repaired, but the cable
San ThOme and LOanda. on
the west coast, is now interrupted.
More troops is the only suggestion
here as the way to break the BOer re-
sistance. Mr.. Wilkinson regrets that
General Butler has not 20, 600 more men.
declaring that, if they would not make
victory certain, his enterprise without
them is hopeless.
The Spectator, dealing with the ne
cessity Of large additional military
preparations says: 1T may be tina
We have yet another cycle of dfsas-
tiers in front of U.S."
The transport Assaye arrived at Cape
Town last Friday with ,, 12I officers
and men. The first portion of the
Seventh division is afloat. Hence.
with the 10000 men of this division and
about 5000 others now at sea, it lies in
the power of Lord Roberts to reinforce
General Butler heavily. This course
is advised by military writers.
Although severely tried, England's
nerve is absolutely and
probably nothing hat can happen in
South Africa will change in the slight
est degree her intention. She will con-
tinue to receive bad news, if it comes,
with dignity and will maintain her de-
termination to win at last.
PRESS COMMENTS.
The morning papers editorially ad-
wise GOODNESS and judgment and a care
full avoidance of over-estimating the
importance of the last position.
The Times says: THE natural dis
q%UietUde of the public is increased by
the singular ~VaguenesS and inconsiS-
tency OF General Buffers dispatches.
There is. indeed. a very singular and
somewhat disquieting attitude of de-
tachments in General Buffers COM
ments as eVeale in the GaZette'S dis
patches. For instance, his comment
as to the action at Zoulpans drift. His
remark concerning the probability that
British officers would in time learn the
value of scouting might properly have
come from a foreign military attachee,
but it is rather more than surprising
that it should be thrown out in this
casual irresponsible fashion by the
head of the forces concerning his sub
o~rdinates, a week or two, moreover,
after the loss of the guns on the Tu-
gela.
The consequences of this latest
check mi be very serious to the gal
liant LadySmith garrison. 1t is impos-
Sible to estimate the next movement.
1t may be that General Butler will be
compelled to retire from the ground he
lately won, but in any event we may
be sure that the British people will
not show themselves wanting in forti-
tude and steadiness. The government
would be well advised to call out inn
mediately all the militia and to eXpe-
dite the dispatch of the Eighth divis-
ion and of the Fourth cavalry brigade.
No doubt Lord Roberts will strain
every nerve to enable General Butler
TO renew the attempt to relieve Lady
smith"
The Standard says: DIR Leyds was
a guest in Paris at President Loubet's
banquet, on Thursday, where, in conse-
quence, the British ambassador did not
appear. NJ. Del Case conversed some
time with him and it is believed that
he has since received him at he DUAL
d'Orsi. Our Paris correspondent. how
ever. assures us that the French gov
eminent IS determined to preserve neu-
trality."
BRITISH ABANDON SPION KOP.
London. January 26.-The war office
has just posted the following dispatch
from General Butler dated Spearman's
camp, Thursday, January 25th, noon:
General Warren's garrison, / am
sorry 10 say l find this morning, a in
the night abandoned Spion kop.'
Pretoria, Wednesday, January "a
The Federal forces started a heavy
bOmbardment of Kimberley. The gar
rison'S new gun carried five miles. but
collapsed after d few shots.
a BODY of 200 Lancers made a sortie
from LadySmith under cover of a
heavy cannon and rifle fire from the
forts opposite the laager of the Preto-
ria commando. The British retired
with evident loss. One Boer was
wounded a heavy cannonade started
this morning and still continues.
SITUATION AT LADYSMITH.
Ladysmith, Sunday, January 21.-by
RUNNER via Frere Camp, Wednesday
January 24.-The garrison is watchlns
General Buffers guns Smelling the
Beers. The fire can be seen at this
distance and appears to be very effec'
tive. The movements of the BoerS