The evening times., 1900-01-26


LONDON. can. 26.-General Butler nott-
led the war Office this morning that Cen
~ral Wares aad abandoned Spion Kop dur
ing the night. The slaughter of the Brit
ssh in capturing the position was terrific
and the casualties continued during the
zine it was held. the Beers guns being in
position to sweep the ground occupied
by Warren. London is -astounded today
at this last and perhaps greatest disaster
General Buffers despatch. or that part
Il it which the War Office makes public.
explaining the British reverse. reads;
"sPEARMAN'S CAMP. Jan. 25-12:O5 p.
m--CeneraI Warren's garrison. am sorry
10 say, I find this morning had in the night
abandoned Spion Kop."
The Beers Fierce NttncL.
Instead Of making the position Of the
Beers uuteuable. as Butler cabled that
Warren thought he had done. The Beers at
tackled Warren so derccly with artillery
and rifle fire that he was compelled 10
withdraw to the position he held before he
night attack. The fact is that the Beers
puruosCly allowed the British 10 take
position on spion Kop. which the burghers
had already put under command OF their
best artillery and when Warren rushed
into the trap and the small garrison"
fed. he found be had walked into hor-
nets nest.
The Beers an day Wednesday poured in
a murderous fire on the infantry and cav
airy that had taken the lower exposed por-
tion of The Kop and prevented the English
from bringing any Of their big guns into
such position that they could be used ef-
fecuvdy. The casualties among the Brit
ish were frightfuI. II is believed that the
Killed and wounded will run into the thou
sands.
Explanation Of the Error.
Another explanation Of the British disas-
ter reads
"Wdrreu's abandonment Of Spion Kop
means that ne found the position untena-
Die. lie was probably driven of BY the
shell FIRE Of the Beers to which Butler in
his previous dispatches had referred as
very annoying.
The Kop was commanded by the Boer
guns planted on ridges to the northwest
The British expected that with possession
Of the Kop they could command the Boer
positions and make them untenable.
They were evidently mistaken ana
found that they had secured a position that
they could not hold. It is suggested that
the Beers allowed the British to take the
hin. knowing that it was mtonable. and
that they had their guns planted and the
ranges marked on so as to pour in de-
structiye fire as soon as warre. got pos
session.
''It is believed that the loss TO the Brit
ish is very heavy. They had no guns on
the hill to reply TO the Boer she'll fire. and
had TO lie under the best cover they could
find, while The shells rained all around.
"The abandonment of the position IS
had setback for Butler. It may completely
check the present attempt to relieve La
dysmith.'
y" ConcenIment Of the Disaster.
The War Office has not made public ali
the messages received from Butler, but
some Of the newspaper men have been per-
mitted to learn the contents Of the
dispatches. The newspapers make no at
tempt to conceal the disaster. the follow
ing account being published in the evening
rapers:
'Harassed for hours by heavy fire from
the Bocr gurs, General Warren was forced |
10 eyacuate spion Kop Wednesday night.
after holding it for day under a shell
FIRE so Incescant aud so accurate that the
British troops were moved down by hun
drcds.
''warren's fight cost thousand in dead
and wounded on both sides. the greater
loss being to the British. and no attempt !
has been made as yet by General Butler to |
send list Of Warren's casualties.
"The Fopie carried by Warren in his
night attack proved to be only a small |
part Of the Boer defence. and the half
hearted fight put up by Bocrs to hold II |
indicates a willy plot to lure Warren into |
a trap where his troops could be cut TO
pieces without any risk to the Beers.
NO sooner had Warren settled down in
the captured trenches than the Beers nm |
masked their guns they had so secluded |
through all the Eve days OF fierce prelimi- |
nary fighting. From a high plateau domi- (
mating the captured trench a tornado Of |
shell and sbraPnel broke loose. The i3oer J