The daily morning journal and courier., 1900-01-29
Utmost Gloom in LOndon-Lndysmith
 MaY be Left to Her Fnte.

London, Jan 29-4:15 a. n.-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 were reposed in General Bull
 ler's turning movement and of his an-
 nouncement that there would be mo
 turning back" At the very moment
 when Dr. Leyds Is being received as an
 honored guest in the highest circles of
 the continent Great Britain has to face
 the worst disaster in a campaign thus
 far disastrous. Open talk is heard of
 the absolute necessity of abandoning
 Ladysmith to its fate, while Lord Rob-
 erts reverts to the original plan of an
 advance over the Orange river upon
 Bloemfontein.
 To Ladyemith the appointment must
 be very bitter. A dispatch from the Boer laager near the town, dated Jan uary 24 describes the garrison as ''very evidently preparing desperate coup in order to effect junction with General
 Buffers advancing army" It may be regarded as certainty that, in the con- fident hope of early relief, Sir George White has lately been issuing extra ra1 tions and that fact has given rise to an exaggerated idea as to the length of time the provisions would last. Even should 1t be decided to send General Butler endorsements, and to attempt to reach Ladysmth by movement through the still more difficult country east of Colenso, 1t is extremely doubt ful whether the garrison could hold out long enough, as such movement would occupy at least month.
 The Times says: "The most carefully planned and executed movement of that whole campaign has entirely failed, and it can hardly be necessary to dwell on the extreme probability that we shall learn, little sodner or a little later, of catastrophe almost without precedent in our military history-a catastrophe, in- deed, without parallel except in the surrender at Yorktown. We are check ed at every point of the campaign, In fact, the campaign is still to begin. We wish we had clearer proofs that even now the government has any adequate comprehension of the situation. The of responsible ministers have done nothing to reassure the country on this point Heavy or light the thing has to be done, and the government ought to prepare for the immediate dis patch Of 50000 men and to take steps to send yet another 50,000 if these should be needed. The hopeless attempts to carry on the campaign with four widely columns, each unequal to it's task, must be abandoned for concern tration of force and of purpose"
 All the editorials this morning breath the spirit of calm determination. Not one will allow that any reverse could deter the country from the object it has set itself to attack whatever the sacri- fees which may be involved. Very frank criticism of the government how ever, is beginning to be heard even in | quarters that have hitherto refrained. l The Daily Mail boldly throws all the | blame upon Sir Michael Hicks Beach, | Lord Lansdowne and Lord Wolseley It l points to President Lincoln's dismissal | 1f Simon Cameron from the position of | of war as precedent for 1 getting rid of incompetent ministers"
 The Morning Post dwels upon the | Hanger of further rebellion at the Cape | md of possible European complica tions. | 1t urges that the navy be prepared for any emergency
 Large arrivals of troops are due at Cape Town during the week. There las been great activity in military