The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-02-02

smith. the planning Of a new move will
necessarily occupy time
The afternoon newspe pers are draw
ing attention to the c~loseness of the
parallel between the federal attack on
General Lee at Fredericksburg and the
operations on the upper Tugela.
Curiously enough. there is visible, es-
pecially in military circles, an under
current of relief at the news that the
British are safely south of the Tugeia.
for the rumors OF Saturday had con-
jured up visions of an immense catas-
trophe.
AS the afternoon are
commenting without full knowledge of
the facts they are not disposed TO of
Ter any apologies for General Buffers
defeat.
The st. James Gazette says: THE
meaning of the retreat is obvious. We
have had TO recognize that we cannot
force our way through the enemy's
lines TO Ladysmith. Why, we do not
know. II the Boer position is impreg-
nable 1t ought never to have been at
tackled. If it is capable of being ak
en- We were repulsed because the lead
ership was bad n it is die to attempt
to conceal that the latter is far from
Incredible. To start out declaring
there must be no turning back is emil
nently foolish. When swagger and
rant prevail there is commonly plenti-
ful lack of judgment and true reso-
luton. It requires serious effort not
to yield to the gloomy conviction that
the intellectual and moral qualities
which make for success have been re-
placed On our staff by words, words,
words. The remedy for South Africa is
not to add to the numbers. but to put
the troops where their force can come
into play"
I The Westminster Gazette invites the
country to cast aside all decisions and
recognize the fact that progress for
the present is stopped in Natal and
that safety lies in concentration. 1t
avs General Whites force, as an
effective aid, must be written off and
probably most of General Buffers ar
my has left the Tugela. The Beers
nave been given time to p against
an through the Free State
and we haye not sufficient strength at
present to undertake this advance with
any safety. These are ugly facts, but
those who disguise them are again mis-
leading the public. The plain truth is
that we will have to make a new army
somehow from somewhere. We need
at least 10C, 900 more mep-50, 900 to re-
inforce the Cape and $4,000 III reserve
The Globe says: 1T would be a mis-
lake TO minimize the serious character
of the situation in Natal. We have
made a great effort from which great
results were expected and have fail
ed. The situation as it stands today
points, but points with greatly aug
mented force, the same moral as did
our previous mishaps. 1t is, that the
war must be pressed on with ledoubled
energy. Our are not ex-
hauSted, but rather it may be said we
are only just discovering how practi-
cally hmitleSS hey are. The county,
we are sure, is in no mood of giving
way to fears which ale as ~groundlesS
as they are unworthy. 1t has made up
its mind to see his conflict through.
Every check We receive in the field
Will only stiffen the determination of
the people at home and in the colonies
to achieve the end at whatever cost"
SPION KOP NOT MAJUBA HILL.
The Pail Nal Gazette comments in
much the same tone, and adds: Even
if LadySmith falls, Spion kop is not
Majuba in the most vital sense. Tt
will not end the war. There will be no
muddling compound of 'magnanimity,'
and cowardice his time. The war will
end when General Roberts dictates the
terms. at Pretoria. To that end the
C.npire'S mind is made up"
The Evening Standard, commenting
on the supposed natural advantages on
the side of the Beers, says: This
country also had and has great ad-
vantages, out between the wal office,
the admiralty and the generals, they
have been mostly nulliled."
The st. James Gazette this after
noon returns to Scathing criticisms of
the language of General Buffers re-
ports. 1t says: General Buffers re-
lection on the terror he put into the
foe reminds us of things We have heard
about Chinese mandarinS."
The press is discussing whence are
to come the troops for q protracted
campaign. 1t is becoming generally
/ recognized that some form of compul-
sorry service is more imminent than
previously thought of. The st. james
Gazette, however, suggests that the So
luton of pouring more and more troops
into South Africa savorS of the Span
ish action in Cuba, adding that the
solution of making better use of the
thousands already there has never sug-
geSted itself.
HAVOC TO THE BRITISH.
Boer Head Lager, Ladysmith,
Thursday, January 25, 6 p. m. delayed
in transmission).-The British dead left
on the battlefield yesterday numbered
1.500.
London, January 30.-The war office
that no further news has
been received from South Africa ex-
cept a report from Lord Roberts that
the situation is unchanged.
NEWS FROM KIMBERLEY.
The Times has the following hello
graph message via Modder river from
Kimberley dated January 26th: THE
bombardment continues. 1t is now di-
rected toward the portions
OF the town rather than the fortifica-
tions. Between midnight and 4 p. m,
yesterday 145 shells were fired. They
seem to have been of Transvaal man
ufacture, not bursting widely. One
child was killed and four people were
injured"
THE DEATH TRAP THE BRITISH
ENTERED.
: special from Frere camp, dated
Friday, January 26th. $40 p. m, says:
I have just ridden in here, having
left General Buffers forces in the new
positions south OF the Tugela to which
they retired in consequence of the re-
verse at Spion kop.
The fighting. both before and after
the occupation of the mountain was OF
a desperate character. Spion kop is a
precipitous mountain overlapping the
whole line OF kopjes along the upper
Tugela.
go Sida rhA n,a.,n+o;n