Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-01-12

fatally wounded. There was a q pede
down the hill when the cry eco 9 re-
tire" was heard and the officer. left
with one quarter of their foro fight
hopelessly and surrender. On Of
ficer escaped and the losses lied,
wounded and missing now e,.-4. 1, 100.
This is final proof that night attacks
when the British forces are beset with
spies are highly hazardous and that pre-
cautions should be taken to guard against
treacherous orders from the enemy's
side.
General French has remained inactive
since this minor disaster.
The clubs were filled with vague ru-
mors last night that General Buffers Sec
ond battle had been fought during the
day, but there was no direct confirma-
tion of them at a late hour. The silence
which has been maintained in upper Ma
tai since Sunday was unbroken, save by
mortality lists from fever stricken in
Ladysmith.
Military writer's are urging in this
mornings papers the doubling of intend
ed reinforcements and forecasting Lord
Roberts campaign, but a jaded public
is weary of expert criticiZing and impa-
tient for news Of the right sort. The man
in the street wants to have all the critics
sent to the front.
The world of fashion rallied at the
cert organized by Princess Christian for
the benefit of the Riflemen's society. 1t
was a brilliant affair in which Albani
and many other artists shared the bur-
dens of the entertainment A spirited
play was enacted by Frederick Harrison,
Cyril Maude and Winifred Emery and
Julia Nelson appeared as Britannia"
and sang the national anthem with STIR
ring effect.
Lord Salisbury's reply to the American
request for information respecting the
seizure of breadstuffs at Delagoa bay is
entirely satisfactory to neutral traders
The export of flour or other food from
American ports to neutral territory will
not be interfered with unless the ulti-
mate destination for the enemy be appar-
ent from the manifest. American ex-
porters under this official ruling can send
foodstuffs without risk of seizure as con-
traband If they consign them to Portu-
guese merchants at Lorenzo Marques
although they ought naturally to take the
precaution Of shipping them under neu-
trail rather than the British flag and of
avoiding all traces of their ultimate des-
tination in the clearance papers.
Compensation will be made without
doubt for the seizure of provisions which
have not passed out of the hands of
American owners, nor been tainted with
! evidence in the ships papers of ultima te
ueSulHatlOn IOf the enemy. Close stu
dents of International law are confident
| that the American merchants will not be
hindered in supplying the Dutch repub-
lies with foOdstuffs If these precautions
are observed They are also convinced
that the precedent is dangerous one for
England. Lord Salisbury's ruling, if Eng
land and France are at war, will exclude
all foodstuffs destined for the enemy un-
less they are consigned to a neutral port
with papers untainted.
Americans in event of such a war, can
| ship flour and bacon to France via Bel
gium, but not to the United Kingdom II
| the experts understand Lord Salisbury )
| ruling, he is securing continental nations
with neutral borders against starvation
| in war time, but not Great Britain, and
! meanwhile he is not preventing neutral
trading with the open market of Delagoa
| bay, where Boer agents will be free pur-
chasers of whatever they want.