Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1900-01-18
THE VAR SITUATION.
Lord Roberts Announces That There
Is No Change.
CULLER'S MOVE ON The TUGELA.


London, Jan. 15.--Lord Roberts
enigmatical announcement, No
change in the situation" does moth
ing to aIlay public anxiety or to ex-
plain the mystery surrounding Gen.
Buffers movements on the Tugela,
and, although there Is disposition to
regard the dispatch as disposing OF
Saturdays adverse rumors, the week
has opened in state of suspense al
most equal to that Of last week, be-
cause it is recognized that failure in
Gen. Buffers present attempt would
seal the fate of Ladysmith.
Presumably mo change in the stu
alton refers to previous dispatches
sent to the war Office, which have not
yet been revealed to the public. Ex-
cept the announcement of the seizure
of Potgieter's drift and of the advance
of Gen. Warren, there has been no
news from the Tugela for week. A
ray of hope is in the fact that the
same silence prevails from the Boer
side. Thus it may, perhaps, be fairly
inferred that Gen. Butler has not yet
met serious check.
Sir Charles Warren's advance prob
ably means an attempt to seize Han
wane hill, the main post of the Beers
south Of lugela. Upon the success or
failure of these operations depends
the whole future of the campaign.
Until the resi-, is known Lord Rob-
erts will be unable to decide how to
dispose the two divisions and the re-
Inducements now arriving.
4 dispatch &c the Daily News from
Naauwpoort, dated January 7, de-
scribing the unfortunate movement
of the Suffolks, says: "Gen. French
permitted the attempt at the urgent
desire of Lieut.. Col. Watson. The
march began at midnight. The men
wore canvas shoes, or failing these,
marched in their socks. The ground
was difficult and many halts were nee
essary to verify the position. On
reaching the summit of the hill the
officers advanced over the crest to
reconnoiter. The Beers, who had
evidently been warned of the move
ment opened terrible fusillade.
Capt. Brett's company charged into
G. Boer trench when came an order to
retire. 1t came in a shout from the
Boer lines and the two rear compa-
MES completely deceived, carried it
out OF the two advance companies
% were killed or wounded. Capt.
Brett got his men under cover and
sent a sergeant with five men to cut
his way out and to ask the British
artillery to direct the fire to the
right. fearing that the guns might
open on him. Three men got through
with the message, but Capt. Brett
was forced to surrender with his
remaining " men. The redoubt be-
hind which the Beers were lying was
very high and doubly loopholed, but
absolutely undiscoverable except by
balloon and too high to be stormed
by scaling ladders"
Another Attempt to Reduce Ladysmith'
London, Jan. ia dispatch to
the Times from Lourenzo Marques
SAYS: give thousand Beers were sent
from Natal last week to defend the
Free State border and to resist the
attacks of Gems. Gatacre and French,
which are causing some alarm. A
leading Transvaaler says the Beers
will make another desperate attempt
to reduce Ladysmith."
Rumor Of the Relief Of Labyrinth.
Durham, Jan. 15.-The entire alb
sence of news from Chiveley or Frere
Camp continues, but there is a per-
sistent rumor here that Ladysmith
has been relieved.