Omaha daily bee., 1900-01-27
BRITISH IN BAD FIX
After Seven Days Fighting BOsr Forces Are
Still Intact
BUlLER SENDS REGRETS 10 WAR OFFICE
General Warrens Garrison Evaouates Po-
sition During Night
SPloNKoP SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN LOADED
Calling Fire Was Rapidly DeOimating the
Forces of the Queen.
AN EXCELLENT RANGE FOR tn: BoERs
Casualties Reported Are zoo. Includ-
ing Eighteen Killed and Thirty
One Missing-RcNulsion of
Feeling In Britain.

LONDON, Ian. 26.-(New York World
CableSram-Special Telegrani.) THE news OF
Warren's loss at Sponkop let the London
public drop from the height Of its elation al
most to despair. The Leader expert SAYS:
Butler is very sorry to say the capture
OF Spiunkop has been abandoned: so we dare
say is Warron for 1t knocks the bottom out
of his tactics. His true tactics were to move
by Acton Homes with a weeks supply OF
ammunition and food"
The Post expert says: The loss of Spion-
kop is a serious matter and no attempt will
be made here to minimize it, The Beers an
pear TO have no lack of men. for it turns out
that the affair OF Tuesday at Chieveley was
not n British, but Boer reconnaissance and
the Boer efforts against Ladysmith have in
creased"
culler sends Regrets.
LONDON, Jan. 26-l1 80 p. m.-The Wal
office announces that there will be no fur.
ther news from the scene of hostilities to-
night.
LONDON, Jan. 26-1l:lO a. m.-The War
office has just posted the following dispatch
from General Butler dated at Spearmans
camp, Thursday, January %, noon:
General Warren's garrison, / am sorry to
say, / find this morning had in the night
abandoned Spionkop'
General Butler reports that the British
casualties January "a were:
Killed:
OFFICERS, SIX.
oN-CoMM1ssIoNED OFFICERS AND
MEN, EIGHTEEN.
Wounded:
Officers, twelve non commissioned officers
and men, 142
Missing: Thirty-one men.
Bocr Positions Intact.
LONDON, Jan Ell a. m.-Seven days OF
fighting have left the main Boer positions
intact and General Buffers army 7O6 weaker,
according to the official casualty lists, which
seemingly do not include the Spionkop losses.
those last forwarded do not mention
General Woodgate's 'souniing.
England is possessed by depressing
sense of failure. although not a word in
criticism OF her generals and soldiers is
uttered. Not much effort is made to place
a happy construction upon General Buffers
bare eighteen words telling of the retire
ment from Spionkop and there is an uneasy
impression abroad that worse news is yet
to come.
At one of the military clubs tonight the
statement passed from one member to an
other that the war office had received an I'M
pleasant supplementary dispatch from GEN
eral Butler, which was being held up for
twelve hours.
Spencer Wilkinson in the Morning Post
writes as follows of the Spionkop loss:
But facts from the neighborhood of the
Tugela are scautier than ever. The cen
sorship now is simply prohibitive and some
thing is wrong with the cables. The break
in the east coast lines has been repaired,
but the cable between San Thome and Lo-
anda on the west coast, is now inter-
rupted."
More Troops the Cry.
More troops is the only suggestion here
to break the Boer resistance Mr.. Wilkin-
son declares General Butler needs 10000
men, adding that if they would not make
victory certain his enterprise without them
is futile.
The Spectator, dealing with the necessity
of largo additional military preparations,
says:
at may be that we have yet another cycle
of disasters in front Of US"
The transport Assaye arrived at Capetowu
last Friday with 2,2l7 officers and men. The
first portion of the Seventh division is afloat.
Hence with the 10000 men of this division
and about 5000 others at sea, 1t lies in the
power of Lord Roberts to reinforce General
Butler heavily. This course is advised by
several military writer's.
Although England's nerves are severely
tried her nerve is absolutely unshaken and
probably nothing that can happen in South
Africa will change in the slightest degree
her intentions. She will continue to re-
ceive bad news, II 1t comes, with dignity
and will maintain her determination to win
at last.
Buffers Dispatches Vague.
The morning papers editorially advise
coolness and judgment and careful avoid
he fn,pn ~ -
the lost position. The Times says:
"The natural disquietude OF the public is
increased by the singular vagueness and
Inconsistency OF General Buffers dispatches.
There is indeed very singular and dis
auieting attitude of detachment on Gen
eral Buffers comments. as revealed In the
Gazette's dispatch. For instance, his com
mcnt as to the action at Zoutpansdrift.
His remarks concerning the probability that
British officers would, In time, learn the
value OF scouting, might properly have come
from a foreign military attache. but 1t il
rather more than surprising that II should
be thrown out in this casual, irresponsible
fashion by the head OF the forces concern
ing his subordinates, week or two. more
over, after the loss Of the guns on the Tu-
gela"
The Standard which thinks still more
ments on the astonishing manner in which
South Africa swallows up troops wholesale
without any appreciable result" goes on TO
REFER to the continental jubilation and 10
the predictions regarding General Buffers
check II says:
1T is humilisting 20 fnd that ths Natal
territory has been more accurately studied
in Berlin than at our own headquartem
on the Tugela"
The editorial then refers TO the signih-
cance OF DR.. Leyds' doing in Paris, remark
ing:
"Dr. Leyds was a guest at President Lou
bets banquet on Thursday where In con
sequence the British ambassador did not
appear. NJ. Delcasse conyersed some time
with him and it is believed that he has
since received him al the quai d'orsay
The Paris correspondent, however, assures