The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-01-08
.LADYSN|1HS FAI
IS EXPECTED DAILY.
White Notifies Butler That
He Is Hard Pressed.
BuLLER's ADVANCE BEGUN
Suffolk Regiment Loses One
Fourth Of It's Men.
The Week Opens in London with
Ominous ForebOdfngs - 20 the
Fate OF Ladysmith-Boers Have
Gathered There I'm Great Force
ANA surround the BeIeaEuered
Troops-Gen. Bulier Has Begun
HIS Forward Movement, sendins
gen. CIery's Division to the Front
mo News since saturday Might.

LONDON. Jan. 8. $50 q. m.-The British
public is at last face to face with a cr1ti-
cal moment in the campaign. 1t may SAFE
~ be said that at no previous time have
there been such anxious hours of sus-
pense as will be passed through until the
arrival Of further news regarding the
fate of Ladysmith.
The week opens with only fresh addi-
tions to the disasters that have befallen
British arms, and there is no longer any
sustaining confidence TO buoy up public
opinion. The editorials this morning fully
reflect the extreme gravity of the sttua-
ton, with painful undercurrent OF omin-
GUS foreboding. mainly caused by the fact
that, while the Beers have now changed
their tactics and assumed the offensive.
Gen Butler is apparently unable to do
more to assist Gen. White than in making
a demonstration.
The Morning Post says: "He might al
well have ordered display Of fireworks"
Fear Boer Attack.
AS the heliograph ceased working yes
terday Sunday It is presumed that Gen.
Whites last message was sent hy q
pigeon or runner. Its purport Is serious
enough.
The Times publishes dispatch from
Ladysmith. dated january !, recording
two night movements on the part OF the
Beers to assault the town. These had to
be abandoned when the British defenses
were reached, but the correspondent says
It was apparent that the great attack
would not be long delayed. He adds:
Loyalty supported by the civilians, the
garrison can hold out for considerable
period. We are not reduced to half ra-
tions. The greatest difficulty Is hospital
accommodations for the wounded and
sick"
Took Advantage OF storm.
Little doubt remains as to the meaning
OF the Boer attack. A dispatch from the
Boer camp at Colenso, dated Thursday
last, and sent by way of Lourenzo Mar
quez, mentions that a thunder storm had
turned the dry ravines into torrents and
flooded the Tugela- Doubtless Gen. Jou-
bert felt sure he had secured a couple OF
days in which he could attack IAdyshith
without fear of interference from Gen.
Butler. who even If he decided TO attempt
to relieve the town. would probably occu-
by three days In reaching It by even q
victorious advance.
Strong Forces OF Bocrs.
Apparently on Saturday Gen. Butler was
not ready to attack. Possibly Cen Jou-
bert anticipated that Gen. Butler would
shortly deliver an attack and. in that case.
Gen. Butler may have actually opened bat
tie yesterday.
Great Britain has to face the terrible pos
sibility that the next news viii be the fall
Of Ladysmith. The disquieting feature Is
that the Beers seem to have sufficient
forces to deter Gen. Butler from attacking
while themselves making strenuous eff
forts to reduce the town. In the presence
Of this ominous situation even Gen.
French's disaster, OF which, apparently,
the worst has not yet been neard. assumes
quite minor Importance In the eyes OF the
public.
Outgoing Steamers Seized.
The war Office has already decided upon
immediate steps for sending an eighth i'm
fantry division to South Africa. Some Of
the regiments for this division will ba
taken from Gibraltar and Malta. They will
be replaced by militia.
It is asserted that the customs authori-
ties on the river Thares have detained
two outgoing steamers and seized two large
guns and six Maxims packed IN plano
cases, intended for the Transvaal. 1t is
also said that a quantity of food stuffs on
another vessel have been seized.
Disanectirg the Natives.
The Times publishes the following dis
patch from Lourenzo Marquee:
II learn on unimpeachabie authority that
the Free Staters are actively sowing disaf-
fection among the Basutos. 1t Ii believed
that some OF the minor chiefs have re-
ceived their advances not unfavorably. A
Bas1to interpreter to the Free State but
recently took the son of a Basuto chief to
Pretoria to show him the British prisoners
as proof of the Boer victories. 1t is be-
lieved. however, that with Chiefs Jonathan
and Lerothodi loyal and even desirous OF
attacking the Boers. these intrigues will
not result seriously"
Supplies for Trssnsvaal.
Although the Boer agents and their
foreign satellites have done nothing during
the past week IN securing supplies for the
Transvaal, they are still very active. the
center Of the whole machinery being Con-
sui Pott. who, besides holding the agen-
cies OF various steamship lines, Is the
manager OF the Empress African Landing
Company. which Is tho leading landing
agency here. He Is. therefore, able 10 Ia
cilitate the discharge Of cargces intended
for the TransvaaI There Is reason to be-
lieve that the controlling interest In the
Empress African Landing Company 81
held ny p2na1d, CpESte = Co.. eteaA ~