The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1900-01-20
DOES NOT REASSURE.
Gen, Roberts Dispatch OF No Change
In the situation Fails to Allay
Public Anxiety.

day, January II, $3.50 p. m, saying:
"There is no change in the situation to-
day" The war office simultaneously is
sued the following from Lord Roberts,
dated Cape Town, January 10, $3.50
p. m:
1.-THE British made no attempt to hold
the first line of breastwerks, but made. an
exceedingly stubborn resistance at the next
row. Every inch was stubbornly con-
tested and conspicuous bravery was dis
played on both sides. After ten o'clock
the British artillery fire slackened,
and a terrible individual contest
ensued among the rilemen for the
possession of Plat-Rand ridge. AT noon
a heavy thunder stor n interrupted the bat
tie. lasting for two hours. Although the
burghers succeeded in ultimately gaining
possession Of most of the British positions
on the western side of the Plat-Rand, they
were finally Obliged TO retire from most of
the ground they occupied. The British
were most strongly entrenched, their re-
doubts being still fully !oopholed, and the
combat was so close that rifles were fire.
quently fired at arms length. 1t was
hand-to-hand encounter. The men on both
sides fought like demons, and The horror
and bewiderment %f the scene could scarce
~ be paralleled. The operations weie con-
tnued the next day Sunday on 4 smaller
scale, but 1t is reported tina, as a result of
one of the forlorn hopes, one gun and two
ammunition wagons were CAPTURED"
London, Jan. 10. - Lord } Roberts
enigmatical announcement mo change
in the situation" does nothing TO allay
public anxiety or TO explain the mys-
terry surrounding Gen. Buffers moe
ments on the Tugela, and although
there is disposition to regard the dis
patch as disposing of Saturdays adj
verse rumors, the week has opened in
n state of suspense almost equal to-
that of last week. because it is recog-
nized that failure in Gen. Buffers pres
ent attempt would seal the fate of
Ladysmith. Presumably mo change
in the situation refers to previous dis
patches sent TO the war office, which
have not yet been revealed to the pub
lie. Except the announcement of the
seizure OF Potgieters drift, and of the
advance of Gen. Warren, there has
been no news from the Tugela for
week a ray of hope is in the fact that
the same silence prevails from the
lioer side. Thus it may, perhaps, be
fairly inferred that Gen. Butler has not
yet met serious check.
If the announcement of Gen. War
ren's movement be correct, ii is evil
dent that Gen. Buffers forces are
spread over wide front-perhaps
% miles-and in the event of a sudden
fall of the river, his operations might
be full of danger. 1t is believed that
Gen. Butler has no good survey maps
of the district. This will add TO his diff
fcultes. Sir Charles Warren's adj
vance probably means an attempt to
seize lllaugwane Hill, the main post
of the Beers south of the Tugela. Upon
the success or failure of these opera
tions depends the whole future of the
campaign. Until the result is known
Lord Roberts will be unable to decide
how to dispose the two divisions and
the requirements now arriving.
Boer Headquarters at Colenso, Thurs
day, Jan. II, via Pretoria, via LourenZo
Marques, Friday, Jan. IL. Everything
| points TO great battle within the next
few days. Ladysmith for the last two
nights has been firing rockets. The OBJ
| ject is not known here. ..
Durham, Friday, January 12.-The
entire absence of news from Chievcley
or Frere camp continues, but there is
n persistent rumor here that Lady
smith has been relieved.
Ladysmith, Friday, Jan. IL (by hello
graph The besiegers have been quiet
for two days, but can belseenin active
movement on the distant hills. We
have perceived two small bodies gallop-
ing with two machine guns. The Boer
| honyx t,inn. ntt1,,.nnn I'LL b,e
been fired for two days. More Boer
dead have been found at the base of
Caesars camp. All is well here.
| Pretoria. Thursday, Jan. fl, via Lou
renzo arques.-President Kruger, in
the course Of n stirring address just is
sued to the burghers, atiirms that Prov
idence is on their side, that their cause
is just and that they must succeed.
Reports from Colesburg represent
the position there as favorable to the
republicans, but that the British are
concentrating for operations on large
scale. The official list of the Boer casu-
altes in what is called the "Plat-Rand
fight" on Saturday, January 6 (the at
tack upon Ladysmith), shows 20 killed
and II wounded. These figures are de-
scribed as the FIRST return"
Cronje's loss at Magersfontein is re-
ported to be 473 killed and zoe
wounded.
The embargo at Delagoa bay upon
Transyaal imports is the question of the
hour with the burghers. If this is not
removed it is asserted that steps will
be taken prejudicial to prisoners and
aliens.
London. Jan. ia dispatch to the
Daily Mail, dated January 10, from Pet
ermaritburg says: Sir Charles Warren
marched with 1000 men eastward,
from Frere, by way of Weenen. His
scouts found no sign of the enemy at
Gobbler's Kloof, and Colenso was as
certained to be deserted. There are ru-
mors that the Beers are preparing to
leave Natal, discouraged by their fail
ure to reduce Ladysmith. All the
colorias and irregulars have been
placed under Gen. Warrep's command.
-
| Experiments are to be made in Ia
wall with new leprosy cure which is