Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-01-12

LONDON, January 11.-Even the an
nouncement of the arrival of Field
Marshal Lord Roberts and Gen. Lord
Kitchener, at Cape Town, has failed TO
stem the growing Impotence of the
country at the prolonged inactivity in
the main British camps, and the entire
absence of news giving an adequate in
sight to the local situation. The public
and press being unable to form any just
Judgment as to the actual position OF
affairs, stories are rife that inaction is
enforced on Gen. Butler owing to the
exhaustion of the reserves of ammunl-
ton, and there are even wild rumors of
a shell famine at home. But not much
Importance need be attached to these
rumors.
1t is almost universally assumed that
with the landing of Gems. Roberts and
Kitchener a prompt return will be
made to the original plan of campaign
namely, a great central advance on
Blcemfontein, but the most impatient
of the enthusiasts admit that Gen. Rob-
erts will be unable to move before the
end Of the month.
There was a rumor current in the
clubs late in the day that a battle was
progressing at Tugela river, but moth
to- oo,ll ~ ot@o;,oI -, oorrnhOrafinn
of the report.
CHICAGO, January ia special
cable to the Chicago Tribune from Lon
don says: Lieut.. Gen. Lord Methuen,
commanding the column advancing to
the relief of Kimberley, is to be reliev-
ed of his command within two weeks.
Later he will be sent to Cape Town and
eventually ordered home. When he
reaches England he will be retired.
These facts have been confirmed by an
official of the war office. Lord Methu-
ems case is a sad one Always a man
of rather frail observation-disclosures a
clever boxer and al all-round sports
man-his constitution began to show
signs Of breaking down almost imme-
diately after he took command of his
division. Three days after the battle
OF Belmont, Gen. Wolseley suggested
to the officials of the war Office that
Methuen be relieved. His advice was
not needed. The wisdom of the aged
but keen commander-in-chief of the
British army is now realized to the
fullest extent by the war officials who
scoffed at his suggestion.
Friends of Lord Methuen insist he is
only in broken health; that the strain
of many campaigns has shattered his
naturally nervous system. Those who
know the circumstances and the situa-
ton on Modder river equally well,
however, are willing to state facts
plainly, and say that Methuen's mind
is unbalanced. Constant proof of this
has been coming to the notice of the
officials of the wal Office for two weeks.
The commander of the Modder river
forces has bombarded the government
with some of the most remarkable
messages ever received from a general
in action. One received a few days ago
is a fair sample of the rest. 1t con-
tanned just three words: Darkness
after Dawn"
1t is stated by those acquainted with
the inner workings and plan of cam
paign adopted by the war Office that
man, who with Lord Roberts arrived
at Cape Town to-day, will proceed i'm
mediately to Modder river. He may
o. take active field command of the
troops, but will put the column in
working order again and then assign
some one else, probably Gen. Colville,
to take Methuen's place.
Lord MethueR. in addition to his
other eceentricities, has quarreled with
a number of officers under him. Three
of them, Col. Arthur Paget, Col. Cough
and Capt. Campbell, he ordered home.
They arrived in London to-day. Col.
Cough is seeking a v%indication by
courtmartial. When Cough attempted
to discuss the plan of the Magersfon-
TEN attack, Methuen ordered him I'M
der arrest. The London press. is con-
siderably %suppressing the true state of
affairs SO far as Methuen's ailment is
concerned, but the papers do not hes
itate to print the hard facts about the
battle of Magersfontein, which are just
reaching London through the mails,
all of which go to show, in the Ian
guage of an officer. that "the attack
was that of a mailman"
The death of Lord Wauchope, com
mander of the Black Watch, was one
Of the many sad results of that engag
ment. Lord Wauchope, it is now well
known, realized the futility of the as
sault as planned by Methuen. He ar
gued strongly and -expostulated bitterly
against it. Methuen, however, persist