The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-01-24
He Has a Very Difficult Problem
Now Before Him.
The Beers Are Intrenched ON Hills
Higher Than Those ON which His
ARTILLERY II Placed, ana There
Are Fourteen Hundred Yards of
Open Plain to Cross Before an
AssauItinE Force Can Reach
Them-Dundonald Not 1T Lady,
smith But Actively Engaged On
Road Leading to divers Hoeck.

LONDON, Jane "a, 4 q. m--Gen. Buffers
great turning movement Of which 30 mucn
was expected, has come to standstili
His carefully worded message to the war
ONCE telling this, after silence OF Two
days, reads like an apology and an ex-
PLANTATION.
Fourteen Hundred Yards to Cross.
Gen. Warren holds the ridges, but the
enemy's positions are higher. The Brit
ish artillery Is playing on the Boer posi-
tions and the Beers are replying. Tne
British infantry Is separated by only L4Oo
yards from the enemy, but an approach
to the steep slopes across the bare open
would expose the British to a fatal rine
fire.
Night Attack I'm Prospect.
Gen. Buffers plans have reached their
DEVELOPMENT He declines to send his IN
fantry across this zone against formidable
positions by daylight, and disclosed his
purpose to assault the Sponkop heights
during the night. This appears to be the
key to the Boer defenses. II he takes It
and thus commands the adjacent country.
an important and possibly decisive step
will be accomplished.
Reluctant to Give 1t Out.
It seems that Gen. Buffers dispatch
reached the war Office rather early In the
night and was the subject of prolonged
conference between Lord I.ansdowne. Mr..
Balfour and several stan officiaiA A de-
termination appears to have been reached
not to give out the message during the
night hut toward : a. m. copies Of the
dispatch were made for distribution among
the newspaper offices. These arrived too
late for extended comment
Worse News Looked for.
The Morning Post and the Standard
touch lightly upon the unpleasant feature
of the dispatch and take hope from tho
projected night attack, but altogether con-
sidered. the dispatch looks like preparation
for worse news.
Hoping for One Success.
Parliament will meet In five days. The
cabinet has been hoping for one rallying
British success to cheer the country and
to command generous support for fresh
revenue measures. Among these win be
probably an increase of the income tax
to shilling on the pound. but this would
only provide the cost of five weeks hostil-
tiles. The duties on tobacco. alcohol. tea
and coffee are TO be raised.
The cabinet viii meet at the end of the
week and discuss the situation.
Something Necessary to BE Done.
Political considerations. both foreign and
domestic. press upon the military author
tiles the necessity of speedily accomplish
ing something. These authorities may
have been persuading Gen. Butler to at
tempt his great operation without ade-s
quate preparation. This impression.
whether true or not, is abroad.
BuIler working Alone.
Apparently Lord Roberts has nothing
whatever to do with Gen. Buffers opera
ton. Gen. Butler and the war Office COM
municate with each other direct Bull
lers scheme was conceived before Lord
Roberts arrived at Cape Town. and its.ex-
ecution was begun on the day he landed.
The fact that the judgment OF Lord Rob-
erts has not been brought to bear upon
the movement does not add to pubic con-
fidence,.
Intervention Gains Adherents.
From Vienna comes the statement that
the idea OF the Intervention OF European
powers is gaining adherents In influential
quarters.
Investment Not Relaxed.
Special dispatches photographed from
Ladysmith on Monday say that the in
vestment has not been relaxed and that the
garrison has ceased to speculate regarding
the precise date OF deliverance.
Waiting for Reinforcements.
d.
OF Natal Is unchanged. The forward
movement elsewhere appears to be waiting
for reinforcements.
BulIer's Oficial Report.
Contrary to the announcement made
shortly before midnight by the war office.
that nothing further would be issued be-
fore Wednesday forenoon, the following
dispatch from Gen. Butler dated Spear
mans. January %. $50 .. m. has Just been
posted:
Warren holds the position he gained
two days ago. In front OF him, at about
1.400 yards. is the enemy's position. west
of Spionkop. 1t Is on higher ground than
warren's position. so II is impossible to see
into It properly.
ut can be. approached only over bare
open slopes, and the ridges held by War
ren are SO steep that guns cannot be PLACED
on them. But we are shelling the enerny's
position with Howitzers and field artillery.
placed on lower ground behind infantry.
THE enemy is replying with Creusot and