Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1900-01-27
AFRICAN WAR NEWS.
A London Stock Exchange Rumor
Started by the Bulls.
TIE TOPOGRAPHY OF SPIOEKOp,
Tho British Losses Up to Dats-Ths Bosrs'
Positions West OF spIonkop Fusiliadsd
by Gen. wa'ren-Oplnion OF Ger.
man TncticInns.

London, Jan. 25.-The extreme ten
sion caused by what may justly be
designated the most anxious pause
since the war began has not been re-
licved by anything save the stock ex-
change rumor. which happens to have
been started by the bulls, who assert
that Gen. Warren has captured
Spionkop. Anxiety in regard to the
news is visible on all sides. 1t Is gen.
orally recognized that the Boer posi-
ton, II ever taken, can only be cap
turcd ut a tremendous cost. The as
semblage in Pail Mall outside the war
Office and those privileged to wait in
the Hobbies reluctantly dispersed at
midnight, after the final word that
nothing more would be announced.
The morning papers went to press
with conjectures and forecasts Of oil
sorts, striving to guess out something
from Spionkop. Topography maps
show that Spionkop is the highest
part of rocky plateau. Eastward
for eight miles are the Boer positions
along the Tugela. Northwestward
from Spionkop the plateau runs grad
ually up to great spur OF the
Drakcnsburg. Gen. Buffers infantry
TO reach the summit Of Spionkop
must cross n natural glacis three
quarters of mile wide and climb 500
feet up steep slope.
Nobody here seems to know, not
even the war Office, what Lord Rob-
crts has done with his large reinforce
ments. Six thousand troops awaited
his arrival ut Cape Town and since
then G,O0O others have reached there,
Military critics are all hoping that q
good share of these 1000 have gone
10 help Gen. Butler, and they argue
that few days wait may make him
strong enough to overcome the dead
lock. There are 10000 troops ut sea
and this heavyweight on the British
side is expected to destroy the equili-
brium now existing on every field OF
operations.
The British losses up to date in
killed, wounded and captured, accord
ing TO Gen. Buffers last list, total,
s,2l6 men.
FnsiIinded the Boer Positions.
London, Jan. 25.-The Daily Tele-
graph publishes the following dis
patch from Spearman's Camp. dated
January %, $3.50 p. m: ION Monday
Sir Charles Warren's force cannon
AIDED and fusilladed the Boer positions
west of Spionkop. near the Acton
Homes road. A lyddite battery CO.
operated with the other batteries and
Maxims. Certainly the fire was eff
fective, causing the enemy serious
losses. The Beers, however, chung
desperately to their works from which
they are only being very slowly
driven. To-day the enemy fred their
guns oftencr, using also the captured
l5-pounders with shrapnel. Our cas-
ualties to-day were less than those Of
yesterday. Fighting began about six
in the morning and continued until
dark, but there has been nothing like
general engagement. The naval big
guns assisted from Potgetier's drift in
Smelling the Doer positions"
Bner Situation at Mager.fontein.
London, Jan. "a correspondent
of the Times Mt Modder river. tele-
graphing Tuesday, says: "The re-
ports of deserters agree that the sit
uation of the Beers Mt Magersfontein
is becoming unbcarable. because the
camp is insanitary, entcric fever is
spreading and vegetables sre wanting.
On the other hand, the health of the
British camp is satisfactory, although
the ground has been exhausted by the
long encampment and the trees have
been cut down by insect pest and
dust storms"
Opiuion OF German Tnct'cians.
Berlin, Jan. 25.-German press tacti-
clans are almost unanimously of opin-
ion that the situation Of the British
forces around .Ladysmith is desperate.
The Berliner Tageblatt prints Brus-
sells special. claiming that Sir Charles
Warren has been signally defeated. A
military writer for the Kreuz Zeitung
saws the movement 10 relieve Lady
smith has f3iled, rendering the Brit
ish line of retreat dangerous.
Tho shiloh Battlefield.
Chattanooga, Tenn, Jan. 25.-The
Shiloh battlefield commission, which