Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-02-01

London, Jan 3O-History pauses for
time in south Africa. 1t is one OF
those unsatisfactory pauses that are
nearly as trying to British nerves as
the sequence Of reyerses apparently
will terminate only when Lord Rob
erts gives the word for forward
movement into the Free State, which,
according to the most cheerful view.
he will be unable to do for fort
night. Whether he will permit Gen.
Butler to make another attempt
to relieve Ladysmith is quite outside
the knowledge even of those closely
connected with the war office. With
the troops due to arrive next month
he may think himself strong enough
to try two large operations. Combln-
ing the forces under Gems. Methuen,
French and Gatacre, and adding to
them the arriving troops, Lord Roberts
would have 10000 men for the 1nva-
sion of the Free State with from 10000
to $4,000 guarding communications
and 10000 trying to rescue ladysmlth.
The public burns with Impotence that
something should De zone.
But there is nothing to do but wait
on the preparations. Oceans Of ink
are being poured out in advice. Ora
tors are at work in the provinces tell
ing the people that England has set
her teeth in grim determination to see
it through" The governments declar-
atiOns in parliament counter the sug
gestions Of those outside the govern
ment, and the consequent discussion
in the press and on the platform will
Immediately enthrall the public inter-
est The thing on which everybody
seems agreed is that men must go. In
all 20,222 men, with 155 guns are at
sea II 900 infantry and 5000 cavalry
including 5000 yeOmen are practic-
ally ready to embark. Therefore the
government without doing more, can
place at the disposal of Lord Roberts
10000 additional men, and 155 guns.
The further purposes of the war office
officials are supposed to embrace some
where in the neighbOrhood of $4,000
more men An indication is that
candidates will be rather scarce, and
those reservists who were found unfit
at the previous mobilization eXamina-
ton, to report for farther examination.
Applicants for cavalry service are still
freely offering as yeomanry. Gen.
Buffers operations have cost 912 men,
so far as officially reported within ten
days. Applying to the 206 Spion kOp
nf
ton, the losses of officers indicate that
500 casualties are yet to come The
total casualties of the war compiled
from official reports are 1923, nearly a
division. Of these, 2,486 were killed
Ash were wounded, and the rest taken
prisoners. The aggregate of British
home troops in south Africa numbers
116, 900, the Natalians 1853 and Cape
COloniars $1,000.
Kimberley Still Shelled.
London, Ian. 3O.-The Times has the
following Photograph message, via
Modder river, from Kimberley, dated
the Goth: The bombardment con-
tinues. 1t is now directed toward the
inhabited portions of the town rather
than the Notifications. Between mid
night and 4 p. m. yesterday 145 shells
were fired. They seem to have been
of the Transvaal manufacture, not
bursting widely. One child was killed
and four people injured"
Spion Kop's Fearful Trap.
London, Jan. 30.-A special dispatch
says: L have just ridden in here,
having left Gen. Buffers forces in a
new position south of the Tugela, to
which they retired in consequence of
the reverses at Spion kop. The fight
ms both before and after the occupa-
ton of the mountain was of a deSper-
ate character. SpiOn kop is a pre-
cipitious mountain overlapping the
whole line of kopjes along the upper
Tugela. The ridge held by our men
was faced by number of strong little
kopjes at all angles, whence the beers
sent concentrated fire from their
rifles, supported by maxim-norden-
feldts and a big long range gun. What
with rifles, machine guns and big
gun, the summit was converted in
to a perfect hell, shells
exploded continually in our ranks and
the rife fire, from an absolutely I'M
seen enemy, was perfectly appalling.
Reinforcements were hurried up by
Gen. Warren, but they had to cross a
stretch of fiat ground which was liter
ally torn up by the flying lead of the
enemy. Until finished, the trenches
on the summit gave a very question
able shelter, as the enemy's machine
guns were so accurately trained upon
the place that often sixteen shells fell
in the trench in a single minute. Nor
tai men could not permanently hold
such position. Our gallant fellows
held it tenaciously for "a hours, then
taking advantage Of the dark night,
abandoned it to the enemy"
Roberts Says No Change
London, Jan. 30.-12:45 a. m.-The
war Office announces that no farther
news has been received from south
Africa except from Lord Roberts that
the situation is unchanged.
Wilkinson Says More Troops.
London, Jan. 30.-Spencer Wilkin-
son in the Morning Post says: De
feat is bitter. But it is right to face
it and take reasonable means to turn
it into victory. 1t is wrong to try to
conceal it from ourselves The init
awe is now again with the boer COM