The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1900-01-19
WANT BUTLER TO ACT
Military Experts Say he Should Relieve
Ladysmith at ANY Cost.
SITUATION is DECIDEDLY CRITICAL
White Has Less Men and Ammunition
COunterbalanced by Boer Losses
CIery's Force From Chieveley Makes n
Demonstration Before Colenso.

LONDON, Jan. 8.-New York World
Cablegram.-The war Office has no con-
frmation of the report that General
Butler has succeeded In crossing the
Tugela river and is moving nearer La
dysmith. Since his defeat, December
Is, at Colenso, and loss of artillery, he
has beer reinforced and it has been UNI
derstood that he would make another
nov shortly, but nothing Official has
been learned of an advance.
The London Morning Posts military
expert, commenting on General Whites
report of the Boer attempt to take La
dysmith by storm, says:
at is with an inexplicible sense of re-
lief that the country learns that Gen
eral White and his brave troops beat
back the Boer attack Saturday.
"The situation in a material aspect is
what it was on the eve Of battle. La
dysmith is still invested. General
Whites force still urgently needs relief
and the difficulties which confront Cen
eral Butler are as great as they were
before.
Indeed, in two respects the situation
is worse, for General Whites force on
Saturday must nave expended a large
amount of ammunition, which, until
the relief Of Ladysmith, cannot be re-
plenished, and must have lost a number
of officers and men, a loss not counter
balanced, so far as Ladysmith is con-
cerned, by the largeS losses OF the
Beers, for the Boer force was much
more numerous.
Nov, therefore, while the effect of
the repulses of Saturday is fresh on
. them and before the consciousness Of
failure has disappeared is the time for
General Butler to make his attack
General Butler has been in Natal
since November 25 planning to relieve
L~adysmith. Today his vanguard is at
Chieveley, about twenty miles from La
dysmith. Every hill and kopje beyond
Colenso is strongly fortified and
manned, while the Boer trenches on his
front are said to extend seventeen
miles along the Tugela river.
The Mail military expert exults in
General Whites defense and says:
"The British army of relief has lost
a great opportunity. Will 1t be allow
ed another such chance?"
The other military experts follow the
same general line, declaring the situa-
tion at Ladysmith is still critical and
urging General Butler to do something
for it's relief at any cost.
At IL o'clock today White neliograpn-
ed he was heavily attacked and all his
forces engaged, whereupon Clery, with
a force from Cheiveley camp, decided
to create a diversion by making a dem
onstration before Colenso.
At 2 o'clock a division marched out
of Camp. Hilyard's brigade began on
the left, Barton's on the right, with
cavalry on the TANKS. The infantry adj
vanced in scattered swarms toward the
Tugela until within 5000 yards Of the
river, when fourteen British guns came
into action from a convenient ridge.
The artillery then searched the Boer
position thoroughly, working from
right to left, making excellent practice,
in which the naval battery joined. The
shells burst in rapid succession along
the Boer trenches.
There were black clouds, lightning
and thunder intensified the effect, but
the Beers remained impressive. not fir
ing a single shot. Many were, however,
seen galloping into the works from the
direction of Ladysmith.
At 5 o'clock news from General
White arrived, saving the enemy had
been repulsed at all points for the pres
ent. Therefore, as night fell, the Brit
ish troops returned quietly to camp.