Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1900-02-13

BeIeaEuered Garrison May Soon Sur
render or be Captured.

New Ork, Feb. lU.-1he war once IN
London has given out no confirmation of
the report that Gen. Buffers forces had
retired again to the south side of the Iu-
gela. The Boer kilograms have been gen
orally correct hitherto, however, and the
public inclines to the belief that the re-
port is accurate. The London morning
papers publish dispatches from various
sources which indicate that Gen. Butler
had found his position on the Vaalkrantz
ridge a difficult one to hold and the 81
lence from the war Office is taken as cor
robOratiOn of the report that the third
attempt to relieve i4aGysmIth has rallied
The military critics are almost unanl-
nous in the belief that Ladysmith cannot
hold out against another Boer attack.
One London paper strongly hints that
Gen. Buffers operations are for the pur-
pose of distracting the attention or the
Beers from a projected central ADVANCE
by strong force, presumably headed by
Lord Roberts.
The Public is Curious.
The government announcement that in
three weeks time Lord Roberts Will nave
1914, 600 men in South Africa, intensltles
the public curiosity to unveil that closest
official secret where this stupendous force
is.
High authorities agree that Lord Rob
erts, after safeguarding his communlca-
tons, will have only from 3o,OOO TO ~
OUU men 1Or MS nOrtuNdTu
mates of how many Beers he will have to
face are mere guesswork, so much de-
ponds upon the fate of Ladysmith ana
the number Of Beers released from that
point
Extraordinary efforts have beeen made
by the censor to conceal Lord ROBERTS
destination, but the general idea seems TO
be that he contemplateS an advance To-
wards BlOemfontein.
n~;t;St. Bof~ol Co Dfurpd.
4 late dispatch from Sterkstroom
states that a British patrol consisting of
sergeant and six men of Brabants
horse. at Browns farm, was surprised
and captured early yesterday morning,
prior to the Boer attacks on the Pen
hook and Byrd's river camps.
The relief sent from PenhOek Numbered
on 300 Beers. One man of the Cape
Mounted rifles. whose horse was shot,
was captured, but the others escaped.
A Frenchman who is supposed to be Il
spy was caught and brought to Sterk-
stroom camp last night.
There has been no further fighting to-
day Patrols sent out this morning from
Penhoek report having seen nothing of
any Beers.
Butler Not Pressed for Details.
London, Feb. 1O.-Mr. Balfour, the
government leader, replying to Il Ques-
ton in the House of Commons as to
whether any information had been re-
ceived from the seat of war; said: Our
information points to the fact that Gen.
Butler is not pressing an advance from
the position be has occupied. We do not
consider it right to press him for details
of the operations which are in progress,
nor if he gives such information do we
deem it proper to make this public until
such operations are completed. The gov
eminent has no information as to Wheth-
or Cen Mac Donald has retired
Believes BuIIer's Task DificuIt.
The Times in an editorial dealing with
Gen Buffers task says: 1.-The problem
before him is unquestioDably most diff
cult. We cannot be surprised or dis
heartened should he be unable to solve
it with success. His task is not merely
to force a way through the Boer lines to
Ladysmith. That operation would be
formidable enough But it would be easy
compared with the feat he must perform
if large strategical results are to follow
his efforts. He must infict a crushing
defeat upon the Boer army. Unless he
can drive into the Drakensberg or other
wise destroy that army the relief of
Ladysmith can hardly be accomplished
with safety We await the issue of the
operation with great anxiety"
Will Encourage Republicans.
This new repulse of the British will
further raise the morale of toe Boer
army in Natal, which has already nu-
merous successes to its credit, and will
CORRESPONDENCE depress the spirits Of the
British soldiers.
The Beers also realize the significance
of Lord Roberts preparations to advance
on Bloemfontein. of which they are, no
doubt, well Informed.
Queens SoIicitude.
The Queens keen interest in Gen.
ha hr;C do
was evidenced by the great concern she
showed at the news of MacDonald's re-
tirement from NoOdoosberg. Her ma es-
ty sent special inquiries to the war office.
but as the officials had no knowledge of
the movement up to midnight the Queen
made her secretary telegraph twice to
Reuters news agency asking for the most
minute details, whence the news came
and who sent it, and requesting the ear
Hest notification of any explanation re-
ceiyed.
Retirement Temporary.
A special dispatch dated Spearman's
Camp. Friday, February 9, says that
Gen. Buffers retirement was merely tenn
porary, owing to a determination to
change tactics. The force the dispatch
adds, will soon resume operations. The
casualties were mostly slight wounds.
French People Jubi1ant.
Paris, Feb 10-The French, who have
persisted in believing all along that the
present advance of the British was des-
tined either to be decisively checked or
to end in defeat, are overjoyed at the
news that Gen. Butler has been COM
PEELED again to retreat beyond the Tu-
gela river That, however, is because of
the national feeling of antipathy to Great
Britain and the British
Lessons Taught by the Beers.
NJ Emile lola, in conversation earlier
in the day, took this broader view:
THE Beers are teaching us a good many
things besides the power of united pee
pie striving to defend a grand idea. They
are proving that it is by no means the
nation that spends millions year in ar
maments that proves the strongest IN
war; They are making the strongest pos
sible argument against the exaggerated
idea of the value Of tremendous military
establishments.
Army Necessary Evil.
although | am not at all opposed to
the army, which [ judge to be a neces-
sary evil in society as st present it is
constituted [ am powerfully struck with