The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-01-21
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THE THANsyhAL TRAGEDY.

The Transyaal war, scheduled by Lon
don optimlsts as holiday affair has
moved with giant strides to the magnitude
of a struggle 80 pregnant with tremendous
consequence as to enmesh the attention of
hcmisphere5 aud continents All the world
looks towards the appalling tragedy and
speculation. usually bold and confident.
hositates to figure on what side victory
will fall.
when President Kruger flung the gage
NJ battle to the rampant British lion. IL
Was held to be the act OF mailman
London LIMOGES chuckled complaccntly over
their success in provoking tho South Afri
can Republic 10 an ultimatum from whence
there was no appeal except in tho supreme
tragedy of armed conflict The task ahead
Of Great Britain was an easy one. Even
the auti-wsr party believed that British
troops had but to march from Capetown
to Pretoria where they would hnd the
Dutch burghers praying for whatever
mercy their arrogant conquerors might
choose TO Weld them. Instead the war
has grown comparatively old aud with
fateful So far. tho Beers have won. CAT
acre. Methuen. Butler IN quick order,
have been out Unanswered out generated
and hrlshed with consummate skill, and
by an enemy whose prowess and courage
British veterans and military experts at
fected to despse until Boer generalship,
mobility and intrepidity ground their
adamantine conceit into palpahle powder,
| Ladysmith is the center of the Transyaal
war storm, and towards that point are
converging the opposing energies of Brit
on and Boer. General White can not
hold out much longer Already his force
has been reduced. from Boer attack with
out and onteric fever within, by some 5000
men. according to British reports. and
the heliograph has more than once told
the story that he was In sore distress
General BUTLER Is said TO be within twelve
miles OF Ladysmlth with General War
ron's relieving column but six miles In his
rear. General Buffers army, about 40.
600 strong, Is curying in q sort Of vast
semi-circular form south and west of
Ladysmith. Relying wholly upon British
censored reports OF these stupcndous oper-
ations, II is quite significant that. in NOV
ing forward from Coenso and the several
points at which the rugola has been forded
by the conyerglng or handing columns,
, all efforts TO exactly locate Boer positions
and 20 determine their tactics have failed.
The hills in front have been shcled re-
peatedly. but II the Beers have replied
at ali it has been, from tho dispatches
but feebly' The Boer position actually
remains unmasked aud their tactics art
as mystitying as at Magersfontein or a
Tugela river General Jouhort is no doub
, holding his war dogs in leash while hopinl
i. to draw the enemy Into cul de sac.
/ II the British relieve Ladysmith the.
{ will hardly be able to dslodge the Boer
from their strong positions In the ada
cent hills into anything like a disastrou
retreat from Natal. which Is English ter
rtory, into the Orange Free state or tn
. South African Republic. without heavy re
Inducements. Whites army, reduced b
: wounds, disease and the exhaustion OF
= prolonged Siege. viii be OF little aid I
'SuN'e' ~ atsapoSiNc ppN'ht'Sh
: but the effect OF juncture between 1t an
the relieving forces will stimulate BIRTHS
hope to old time confidence and improv
the esprit de corps OF the British arm
In the held. IL the reverse shall transpir
the British lion will lay down for a bri,
- respite in his bath OF human blood br
to rise again with renewed courage an
= determination to reclaim losses and win |
y the end, II il be possible for in the bal
= ancc. at supreme equpoiso between Doe
- resistance and the sayagery OF BIRTHS
" greed, trembles British prestige and Brit
= ish power
a' Before Tho Post reaches its readers G
= this serene Sabbath. when all the wor
would be at peace II men aud natter
- were but honest and unselhsh, Gener
w Whites heleaguered troops may be re
= cued from the iron clutch OF General Jo'
" bert. but the envlrons OF tho storm cent
Will be gorged with the mangled bodl
~ OF brave men ana wherever the ferce hu
= ricane touches will be strewp tho territ
~, wreckage Of war. All because the dem
~ OF insatiate greed will not be content
let an honest and Ciod-feerlng people bui
'iu up and enjoy sovereignty they ha
- planted upon the arid veidt OF Sou
~ Africa