Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-01-29
Couldn't Hold Spion Kop Owing TO
No Water and No Place
for His Artillery.
ENGLANO'S DESPAIR.

London. Jan. 29.-i.15 A. M-The
week has opened with the utmost
gloom for the British public and The
reaction is all the stronger because OF
the high hopes that We're repased in
Gen. Buffers turning movement and Of
his announcement that there would be
no turning back"
At the very moment when DR. Leyds
is being received as an honorcd guest
in the highest circles Of the continent,
Great Britain has to face the worst dis
astcr in a campaign thus far disas-
trous. open talk is heard of the abso-
lutte necessity of abandoning Lady
smith to its fate. while Lord Roberts
reverts to the original plan Of an adj
vance over the Orange river upon
Bloemfontein.
To Ladysmith the disappointment
must be bitter. A dispatch from the
Boer lager near the town, dated Jan.
"a describes the garrison as very evil
IDENTIFY preparing desperate coup in
order to effect A junction with Gen.
Buffers advancing army. 1t may be
regarded as a certainty that in the
confident hope of early relief Sir
George White has lately been issuing
extra rations and this fact has given
rise to an exaggerated idea as to the
length Of time the provisions would
last.
Even should ii be decided to send
Gen. Butler reinforCements and to at
tempt TO reach Ladysmith by move
ment through the still more difficult
country east of Colenso. it is extreme
~ doubtful whether the garrison could
hold out long enough as such a move
ment would occupy at least month
The Times says: The most careful
ly planned and executed movement Of
the whole campaign has entire failed
and it can hardly be necessary to dwell
upon the extreme probability that We
shall learn. a little sooner, or a littl"
later. of a catastrophe almost without
precedent in our military history. ca
tastrophe indeed without a parallel cX-
cept in the surrender at Yorktown.
I'VE are checked at every point Of
the campaign. In fact the campaign
is still to begin. We wish we had
clearer proofs that even now the gov
eminent has any adequate comprehend
sion of the situation.
The utterances Of responsible minis
tiers have done nothing TO reassure the
country on this point
Heavy or light. the thing has t. be
done. and the government ought to
prepare for the immediate dispatch Of
80 600 men. ana take steps to send yet
another 10000 if these should be needed.
The hopeless attempts to carry on tn"
campaign with four widely separated
must be abandoned for 4 concentra-
ton of force and Of purpose
All the editorials, this morning,
brea he the spirit Of calm determine
ton. Not one will allow that any re-
verse could deter the country from the
object it has set itself to attain. what
ever the sacrifices which may be in
VOWED. Very frank criticism of the
however. is beginning 10
be heard even in quarters that have
refrained.
The Daily Mail boldly throws all the
blame upon Sir Michael Hicks Beach,
Lord Lansdowne and Lord Wolsley.
1t points to President Lincoln's dis
missal of Mr.. Simon Cameron from the
post Of secretary Of war as a prece-
ucllI LOT StltiHS llu ~ incompetent
minister's.
The Morning Post dWells upon the
danger of further rebellion at the Cap,
and of possible European complica-
lions. 1t urges that the navy be pre-
pared for ANY emergency
The Standard and other papers re-
fleet the anxiety Of the public to learn
how much truth there is in the Rocr
accounts of the fighting at Spion kop.
Gen. Buffers obscurity in his dispatch
cs is rather bitterly criticised. as well
as the evident fact that the censor is
not only heavily delaying. but is cut
ting all important matters from the
newspaper dispatches. To judge with
any accuracy of the extent of the dis
aster is virtually impossible.
1t appears that Gen. Butler had alto
gether five brigades. wholly or partly
engaged. Gen. COke's. Gen. Hildyard's
Gen. Harris, Gen. Woodgate's and Gen.
Lyttleton's. and the 27O casualties al
ready announced in Lyttleton's bri-
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