The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1900-02-02

absolute necessity of abandoning Lady,
smith to its fate, while Lord Roberts re-
verts to the original plan of an advance
over the Orange river upon Bloemfon-
tein.
TO Ladysmith the disappointment
must be very bitter. A dispatch from
the Boer lager, near the town, dated
January "a, describes the garrison as
Every evidently preparing desperate
coup in order to effect junction with
Gen. Buffers advancing army" 1t may
be regarded as a certainty that, in the
confident hope of early relief, Sir
George White has lately been issuing
extra rations, and this fact has given
rise to an exaggerated idea as to the
length OF time the provisions would last.
Even should it be decided to send Gen.
Butler requirements and to attempt
to reach Ladysmith by a movement
through the still more difficult country.
east of Colenso, it is extremely doubtful
whether the garrison could hold out
long enough, as such movement would
occupy at least month.
Should Send More Troops.
All the editorials this morning
breathe the spirit of calm determind-
ton. Not one will allow that any re-
verse could deter the country from the
object it cas set itself to attain, what
ever the sacrifices which may be in
volved. The Times says: "Heavy or
light, the thing has to be done and the
government ought to prepare for the
immediate dispatch of $4,000 men and
to take steps to send yet another 5o,-
600, If these should be needed. The
hopeless attempts to carry on the
campaign with four widely separated
columns, each unequal to it's task,
must be abandoned for a. concentra-
ton of force and of purpose
Defeat Equal to Yorktown. ::
The Times says: ''The catastrophe
is almost without precedent in our
military history, and, indeed, without
parallel except the surrender of York.
town.
Very frank criticism of the govern
ment, however, is beginning to be
heard even in quarters that have
hitherto refrained. The Daily Mail
boldly throws all the blame upon Sir
Michael Hicks-Beach, Lord Lands.
downe and Lord Wolseley. It points
to President Lincoln's dismissal of
Simon Cameron from the post of Sec
rotary of war as a precedent for "eet.
fInOr rid nj inn
Buffers Strength.
1t appears that Gen. Butler had alto
gether five brigades wholly or partly en-
gagged, Gen. Cookies, Gen. Hildyard's.
Gen. Harris, Gen. Woodgate's and Gen.
Lyttleton's, and the ~ casualties al
ready announced in Lyttleton's brigade
are thus explained. Much mystery
still surrounds the retreat. 1t is pos
sible that Gen. Butler has withdrawn
his whole forces, but it is generally as
sumed that Lyttleton's brigade and
Lord Dundonald's cavalry and other
troops are still on the north side of
the Tugela. Gen. Buffers confidence
that the Beers did not modest his re-
treat, because they had been taught to
respect the fighting powers of the Brit
ish soldier, is not shared in London.
1t is thought rather that the Beers had
some other plan in store or did not
wish to waste their men.
Will Not Seek Peace.
Berlin, Jan. 29.-The Deutsche Tages
Zeitung publishes an interview with
DR.. Leyds which represents him as hav-
ing said: ''The war will certainly last
very long time. The Transvaal will
decidedly not be the first to seek peace.
and will refuse any proposals on the
basis of the status quo.'
Seeks Mediation.
Berlin, Jan. 29.--Despite DIR. Leyds'
protestations; it is currently reported
and believed that his purpose here is
to induce Germany to intervene, his
chief stipulation for peace being that
Great Britain should guarantee the in
dependence of the Boer republics, with
minor territorial cessions, but no
ports, this latter being left for future
negotiations. Another power having
South African possessions may be taken
into the negotiations. If he fails here
DR.. Leyds will probably visit Washing
ton with the same object. Should the
kaiser decline the proposals, and fail
ing in Washington, St. Petersburg will
be tried. The inducements that are
held out to Germany to assist him in his
plans are commercial, railway and min
ing monopolies to the empire in the
Transvaal and assistance against Brit