Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-01-27
FRENCH VIEW OF SPION KOP
Paris Papers Charge British officials With
Misleading Public.
Keeu Satisfaction Expressed mt the
Discontinue of Forces Under
General Butler.

PARIS. January 2t.-MoSt of the French
papers hail with Keen satisfaction the an
noanceneIit that the British have aban-
Tened Spion Kop. The ambiguous wording
of The first dispatch had led them to de-
clare that the British war office was keep
Ing back something. and they now insist
that this dispatch must have contained the
fact that Sir Charles Warren had aban-
dcned the position, and that this was sur
pIessed by the war office.
All comment upon this extraordinary
STEP and express the opinion that it is
sufficient to drive any nation to despair
The Matin even goes so far as to make
tlis irsinuaticn: THE British government
willingly gave the nation false joy when
i: knew it had the truth. Was it from mo-
lives of policy or from other motives? To
what must We attribute such sharp prac-
tees? Signor Crispi acted thus at the
time of the AbysSiuian war. We believe
Lcrd Salisbury to be n stranger to
such proceedings which are only explic-
able if the direction of affairs is in the
uncontrolled hands Of Mr. Chamberlain.
The papers also comment upon the alb
Stncn of the British ambassador. Sir Ed
mund J. Monson, from President Loubets
diplomatic dinner Thursday evening. at
which Or. I.eyds was present. The Echo
4, Paris says:
His absence was the cause of much re-
mark. Moreover. The receptions at the
fSIfiiS!t embassy niiNc phtr suspended Ibi
some weeks past. Marquis de Gallifet, who
WAS formerly II constant visitor, has not
been seen at the embassy during the last
fortnight.
We may add that the recall of Sir Ed
mund Munson. which was 50 much dis
c1iSS"d before the TransNaal war, is only
delayed. He viii be replaced after the "H-
position
Say Butler is in "a Trap.
\ dispatch from Berlin says: The latest
news from South Africa is Interpreted
signal defeat for the British. The Deutsch"
Tagesz"ituns calls the British position there
another step into the mouse trap.
The last direct German mails to the
fransVaal now being returned from
cape Town without any explanation on the
part If the British authorities. The Ger
man press comments upon the fact with
considerable heat.
An incident illustrating the bitterness of
popular feeling in Germany against Eng
land is the appearance of a pamphlet en-
titlaa The Final Reckoning; With Eng
land. This prrtent!s 10 describe events III
1881, and sets forth descriptions Of naval
battles IN which Germany ,tefeatS EnSia nd
and n genera, ErTak-l1; of ne British en-
pre enSuos. with Australia. d, cIarin2 her
Independence and tho other British colo
mics hci:g divided up ;nlpng various pow
CTS
Whites Hiun"cr mt Dundee.
III" ST. James Gazette publishes u num-
bcr Of dispatches from sen. Butler TO the
war Office. incloSiug reports from Gems.
White, Hi!ayara. Methuen ana other gem
erals regarding their various operations
but containing nothing later than the rec
ord of occurrences to the middle of Decem-
Der. A dispatch from GIN. White. dated
November =, says:
! was 50 greatly impressed with the ex-.