The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-02-01
BETTER
CONDITIONS
AT LADYSMITH.
Attempts at Relief WIN Depend on
Position Of Lyttlston's
Command.
THORNEYCROFT COMMENDED
BY Butler For His Action in AbRn-
dontng spion
KCp.

Kop.
LONDON. Feb. /, "a. m.-The supple
mental lists Of casualties MI two coli
umns in nonpareal type in the morning
papers, making 1900 reported this far
for General Buffers operations north Of
the Tugela.
The Daily Chronicle estimates that
the total exceeds 1000,
The 40 per cent loss at spion Kop is
greater than any British force ever
suffered, except possibly at Aibuera,
Spain, in 1911.
The admiralty has warned all half
pay naval officers to hold themselves in
readiness for services. This. with the
fact that able seamen, not thoroughly
experienced, have been withdrawn
from the channel squadron. Is taken to
indicate the early mobilization Of the
reserve fleet, especially "A" division.
At a meeting OF the army and navy
members Of the house of commons yes
terday, a resolution expressing abso-
lutte confidence In whatever the gov
ernment thought necessary command
ed only two votes. Instead of this, a
resolution was adopted, calling for the
immediate formation Of a home defense
force
Lord Salisbury has called another
cabinet council. which Will meet Fri
day or Saturday to consider the sltua-
tion.
Public spirits are at a very low ebb.
LONDON, Feb. 1.-wlnston Church,
hill. IN dispatch to the Morning Post
which describes the re-crossing Of Tu-
gela says:
''The army Is exasperated, not de-
feated. General Builer win persevere
and all viii come right in the end"
LONDON, Jan. 3l.-The latest advices
from LadysmIth, showing the existence
Of better conditions there than were
generally believed to be the case. have
been received with Intense Satisfaction,
though there IS no unreasoning over
confidence, as may be judged from the
Pail Mall Gazette's remark: Let US.
while preparing for the worst, hope for
the best"
The possibility of General Butler
making another dash appears to de-
pend greatly on the exact position of
General Lyttleton's brigade. Beyond
the understanding that IT is on the
north side OF the Tugela river, every
thing is a matter OF suppOsitlon. 1t
viii easily be seen that IL General Lyt-
tleton still holds the drifts on the north
side, General Butler retains the open
ings and might attempt another adj
vance by way OF Potgieter's or some
neighborIng drift, but the vagueness
regarding the position of General Lyt-
Teton resolves all this into the prsest
surmise. From the other commands
there is not much news Of any kind.
and 1t would require something Of
overwhelming Importance TO distract
from the absorbing interest In Lady
smiths dilemma.
General Butler teiegraphs from Spear
mans Camp under to-day's date. that
Colonel Thorneycroft was the officer
who ordered the retirement from splcn
Kop. General Butler adds;
at is due to him to say that I believe
his personal gailantry saved a difficult
situation early January "a and that un-
der loss Of at least 40 per cent. he dl-
rected the defense with conspicuous
courage and ability throughout the
day. No blame whatever for the with
drnwal is, in my opinion, attributable
to him, and think his conduct
throughout was admirable"
The war Office has issued an addi-
tlOnal casualty list OF the battle of
splon Kop, January "a, and Of the en-
gagements at Venter's sprult, January
II and January 20. The additional list
numbers lss men killed, SO1 wounded,
and sc missing, a total OF SOS. With ia
additional casualties given for the
fighting at Veuter's spruit, the total
loss since the beginning of the war is
placed ut O,G5s men.
CAPE TOWN. Jan. Sl.-Field Mar
,,,tkn,I.au the raRFe.