Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-01-01
GLOOMY FOR ENGLAND.
New Year Opens with Record OF MIscal-
culstion and Disaster.

New York, Jan. IA despatch TO the
Tribune from London says: The new
year opened gloomy for England with a
resord OF miscalculation and disaster In
South Africa. to be retrieved at great
cost OF life and treasure. and with the
regulations OF generals In the field and
Of ministers at home hanging upon the
Issue of battle during the next few
Weeks. There is no lack Of criticism
and fault finding In the press. and there
are signs Of anxiety in ministerial circles
over the political effects Of additional
reverses TO British arms, but there Is
also hopeful feeling induced by fresh
proofs Of the incapacity Of the Dutch
allies to make use Of their opportunities.
The Boer victories Of Stormberg, Ma
gersfonten and Colenso have not been
followed up In any instance. There have
been no successful raids on the lines OF
communication, aud Ladysmith, KIM
berley and Mafeking have not been
overwhelmed by superior numbers and
guns There IL record Of Boer fail
ures as well as British defeats.
The budget Of news received at mid
night was light one. The arrival OF a
Cape steamer has brought large mail,
and all the morning journals print lei =
tiers from their special correspondents.
The most interesting letters are those
published in the Standard, the Times
and other journals from Ladysmith
In which Incidents Of the siege and gar
rlson life are described.
The writer's are wisely reticent on i'm
portant points. and deal lightly with the
dangers Of the situation, but there Is
little doubt that the garrison has been
short Of ammunition, and the knowledge
Of this fact has Influenced Gen. Butler
In sacrificing his original plan OF cam
paign and massing his forces for the re-
lief Of Ladysmlth. He is still calling In
achievements, for the Majestic has
gone 10 Durham with another battalion
and numerous drafts. No additional
battallons OF Infantry viii be available
from incoming transports for week
Indications still point to a battle at
the end OF this week although there
may be delays through a mule transport
service which Gen. Butler Is evidently
organizing on a large scale. The Tu-
gela is reporttd In food from the heavy
rains and the passage Of the river will
be most difficult.
News from the western border is mea-
gre. There are belated accounts OF gun
practice by the naval brigade at Mod
der river, which IL constantly improv-
ing. One despatch describes the havoc
made by a naval gun which had found
the range for the main source Of the wa
ter supply for the Boer camp
British accounts OF Baden-Powells
sortie cannot be expected for several
days. The Boer official dis
patches, stating that two well
known British officers. one OF them a
son OF the prime minister, were wound
ed. have caused much anxiety In the
world OF wealth and fashion. Lord Ed
ward Cecirs wife Is the daughter OF
Admiral Maxse. and is now In South AZ
relca. Lord Charles Cavendish- Ben
timex IL half-brother Of the duke Of
Portland, and Is an officer Of brilliant
promise. A grim story Is told Of Lord
Salisbury In connection with the service
OF his son under Baden Powell at MAZE
king. He was offered al the opening Of
the war special facilities for getting
early copies Of dispatches from Mafe-
king, but replied that he could take
his turn and walt for the newspapers
like other people.
The swar office reported at midnight
that Lord Methuen's situation was un.
changed, but that the Beers had re-
tired to Colesburg from their intrench-
ments at Rensburg. The British cav
airy from Dordrecht had met with q
superior force Of the enemy and With
drawn In good order after skirmish.