Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1900-02-06
'IHE B0ERS LOST HEAVILY
Dispatch from Ladysrlith Reports
100 Killed and 600 Wounded
in Last Weeks Fighting.
SILENT ABOUT MOVEMENTS OF BUTLER.
Mai. Bathurst Believes He Can Get
Through to Ladysmith with Heavy
Sacrifice of Lifc-Doer Forces at
Stormbcra Almost Surrounded
Need Reenforcements.

London, Feb 5.-The war Office is
silent as regards Gen. Butler, but there
is every reason to believe he is contin-
uing his movement upon Ladysmith.
Those who are in position to know
confirm his reported recrossing of the
Tugela river and believe he was en-
gagged Friday. The message from
Lady smith Thursday, saying the Boer
forces were leaving again and that the
besicging force was considerably di-
minished, tends to confirm this.
Thinks Butler Can Get Through.
Mai. Bathurst, who was wounded at
the battle of Colenso, arrived at South
ampton, on board the Seryia. He says
there are 10000 Beers at Tugela river,
but that Gen. Butler can get through if
he is prepared to sacrifice five or six
thousand men.
Field Marshal Lord Roberts has no.
titled the war Office that 40 Highland
ers who were previously reported
killed at Magersfontein are prisoners
at Pretoria.
DOer Losses Were Heavy.
An undated dispatch from Lady
smith says the Boer losses in last
weeks fighting were 1,1OO killed and
600 wounded, among the former being
five field coronets.
Beers Hard Pressed.
Sterks Spruit, Jan. 29.-Command-
ant Olivier, of the Orange Free State,
in speech to the Beers at Ladygrey
said that his men were almost sur
rounded at Stormberg and unless re-
cruits were Forthcoming he would be
compelled to abandon the position.
1t is admitted that in the recent
fight at Ladysmith the Beers lost 100
killed and 600 wounded.
Many colonists who fought at
Stormberg have gone back to their
farms and have refused to return to
active service, though threatened with
death. Among those are some con-
spicuous burghers, who originally in
vited the Free Staters to invade Cape
Colony.
Tired of the War.
Cape Town, Feb. 5. 1t appears be-
yond doubt that the Free State blrgh-
ers are becoming tired of the war,
and it is rumored that some influential
Free State leaders have entered into
authorities with a view to ascertaining
what terms Great Britain would be
disposed to offer, should they leave
their Transvaal allies.
Germany Denies 1t.
Berlin, Feb. 5.-The German foreign
office denies that DR.. Leyds, the dip
lomatic agent of the Transvaal is at
tempting to induce Germany to join
in an Intervention movement. DR..
Leyds declines to discuss possible in
Prevention and denies that he is going
to St. Petersburg. He is under med
zeal treatment. The diplomatic agent
did not desire to emphasize why there
should be a bond of sympathy be-
tween the United States and the
Transvaal, as it might embarrass Mon
tagu White, the former consul general
of the South African republic in Lon
don, who is now in the United States
The latter, however, is not accredited
to the Washington government DR..
Leyds has exhibited with much salts
faction specimen of Mauser used
by the Beers and manufactured by
Herr Loewe, of Berlin. The barrel is
almost completely encased in wood,
to obvate heating.
Heavy Purchase of Coal.
New York, Feb 5.-There is rumor
current TO the effect that the British
government has contracted with the
Philadelphia G. Reading Railroad COM
pany for 100000 tons of coal.