The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1900-01-24
HELD BACK BY BOERS.
BYitons Seem to Make Little Pro-
gress Toward Ladysmith.
A PROPOSED ATTACK BY NIGHT.
Boer Position Seems So Formidable
That Butler Evidently Fears to
Risk the Lives of His Men by Day.

BOer Position Seems So Form dahl
That Butler Evidently Fears to
Risk the Lives of His Men by Days
light-A Boer Version.
London, Jan. 24.-General Buffers
great turning movement, of which SO
much has been expected, has come to
a standstill. His carefully worded
message to the war office telling this,
Rfter silence of two days, reads like
An apology and an explanation.
General Warren holds the ridges,
but the enemy's positions are higher.
The British artillery is playing on the
Boer positions. and the Beers are re-
plying. The British infantry is sepa-
rated by only 1,400 yards from the en-
envy, but an approach to the steep
slopes, across the bare open, would ex-
pose the British to fatal rifle fire.
General Buffers plans have reached
their development. He declines to
serd his infantry across this zone
against formidable positions by day
light, and discloses his purpose to as
sault the Spion Kop during the night.
This appears to be the key to the Boer
defenses. II he takes it and thus COM
mands the adjacent country, an inn
portant and possibly a decisive step
will be accomplished.
It seems that General Buffers dis
patch reached the war office rather
early last night and was the subject
Of prolonged conference between
Lord Lansdowne, Mr.. Balfour and sew
eral staff officials. A determination
appears to have been reached not to
give out the message during the night,
but toward 2 a. m. copies of the dis
patch were made for distribution
among the newspaper offices.
The absence OF any confirmation of
the report that Lord Dundonald had
entered Ladysmith does away with
British hopes in that direction.
A Ladysmith dispatch dated Monday
says: A battle has been raging along
the Oliviers Hook road since Satur-
day between the Beers under Pretorlus
and 5000 British. The fighting is in
full swing at Spions Kop. The Beers
under Botha and Cronje have been
sent thither. The British elsewhere
are only making reconnaissance of
the Boer positions. President Steyn
was under fire at the foremost posi-
tion Of the Free Staters.
A dispatch from the Boer camp on
Upper Tugela river dated Sunday says:
After Commandant Botha checked the
British advance yesterday morning it
was expected that there would be no
further action until tomorrow. This
afternoon, however, signs were dis
cerned of an intended movement in the
British northern camp.
When the heat, which was more
frightful than any yet experienced, had
worn off the British cannon started in
full force, and the infantry advanced
In extended order.
Generals Botha and Cronje held the
high hills over which the road to
Ladysmith passed. When the Mauser
fire opened a pandemonium Of sound
filled the air. The vindictive crash of
lyddite shells, the sharp volleys of Lee
Metfords, and the whiplike crack Of
Mausers were interspersed with the
boom of the Boer Maxims. The battle
ended with darkness, but not without
evidences of execution among the
British that were manifest at sunrise.
Field Cornet Ernst Emilio was kill
ed, nor did the generals escape un-
scathed.
At the central position, Swart Kop,
where the other road to Ladysmith
crosses the hills, the British advanced
from low kopjes on the banks of the
Tugela unmolested. Then they enter
ed the zone of Mauser fire, and, al
though their naval guns kept up the
usual terrible racket, the advance was
stopped and the British had to count
out their dead and wounded.
Commandant Viljoen and two burgh-
ers were knocked senseless by an ex-
posion Of lyddite, but Commandant
Viljoen recovered Field Cornet He'll
bron was wounded and on refusing to
surrender was shot.
The British loss was probably in
significant. They complain that sport
ing Mausers were fired on the field and
soft nosed bullets with Lee-Metfords.
The Beers admit that sporting Mausers
were occasionally found, but they deny
the charge respecting expansive bull
let's. Not shot was fired by the
Beers with cannon or rife at the Swart
Kop position this side Of the river.
One thousand infantry and bat
terry advanced yesterday to the second
row of low Hills between the republic
cans and the river. Heavy connonad-
ing proceeded at range of 1000 yards,
but the federals maintained the ST.
leuce of death. This must have stag
gered the British, as the advance was
stopped, and this morning they had re-
tired to their old positions.
A dispatch to The Daily Mail from
Pietermaritzburg says: Lord Dundon-
aid holds the road to Oliviers Hook
Pass. The latest arrivals fror' han
nesburg say that the Boers' , '"ds
are working ruin to the MI The
Beers pick out the rich ore. leaving
che cost of further developments to the
shareholders. Stores are being robbed
wholesale. The safe deposit vaults
under the stock exchange have been
broken open and tewelry and plate left
by refugees have been extracted. Grass
Is growing in the streets, and cattle
are grazing In fashionable thorough
fares. There are still about 1000 UT
landers In the Transvaal. A letter
from Harrismlth relates that three
Britishers were shot in the market
square for refusing to 60 to the front
when Communicated.
DOES THIS STRIKE YOU