The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-03-01
LADYSMlTH'S AWFUL PLIGHT
GEN, WHITES FORCE ALMOST At
ITS LAST GASP.
This Due More to Poisonous Water
Than Anything EIse-War Office Intt-
mates That an Immediate Announce
memt of Relief Need Not be Expected
Gen. BuIIer's Distinct Success, How
ever, Brishtens the PrOspect-Nothing
ID h"ite "sto What Roberts WIN Do
Next.

Next.
London, March 1.-4:15 a. m.--General
Pieter's Hill brings the rescue of Lady
smith nearer but the war office init
mated late last evening that an imme-
date announcement of relief need not
be expected. The goings to and fro at
midnight of officials and messengers
suggested that important news had been
received If this were the case Lord
Landsdowne obviously desired to sleep
on it, before taking the public into his
confidence. AS his message reveals
General Buffers successful attack came
after the hard fighting of Friday, and
it was improvised and it's execution be-
gan during the armistice of Sunday.
In proposing the armistice the British
commander stipulated that both sides
should be free to move, but that neither
should do any shooting. He was, there
fore, within his privileges in immedi-
ately beginning to transfer his troops.
General Buffers tidings come'weight-
ed with his long list of casualties. His
losses in the four attempts to get Cen
eral White out aggregate four thousand.
Ladysmith ie in desperate straits.
Charles Williams, the military expert,
says he learns on very high authority
presumably that of Lord Wolseley--that
General Whites force is almost at it's
last gasp"
This is not so much" says Mr.. Will
liams, ION account of any lack of pro-
visions sor of ammunition, neither of
which Is exhausted, as because of the
poisonous waters of the Kip river and
the evil effects of the heat on the ter
rain, in which the garrison must reside.
Even those who have escaped fever and
dysentery are in state of low vitality.
They can still man trenches and would
probably hold their own against last,
desperate assault, but they can initiate
nothing. General Butler now knows
that, as units, the regiments will be of
no use to him for months. The water
of the Kip ripper is not available for
drinking and to boil it is impossible be-
cause of the scarcity of fuel. 1t is thick
with putrid animal matter. Tea made
Of it has suspended fibre, something
like beef tea. 1t liz caused by the sew
age from the Boer camps"
Mr.. Williams adds that when news
like this passes under the thumb of the
censor it more than offsets whatever
jolly news may be photographed from
There lis no authoritative indication
yet of what Lord Roberts will do next.
1t seems likely that a branch railway
will be built across the veldt to lessen
the difficulties of transport. Colonel
who built the Soudan railway,
Is with Lord Roberts. The strain on the
western railway is seen from the fact
that the population of Kimberley, two
weeks after the relief continues on re-
duced rations. Lord Roberts troops |
have thus far only been partially fed
1t is quite clear to technical heads |
that those who talk of an immediate
and rapid advance far into the Free |
State do not realize the transport con- |
ditions. The Beers, as it now appears, I
have built railway from Harrismith
to Kroomstadt to facilitate the move
nent of their troops between Natal and |
The Free State. Mafeking was holding
out on February 16. At that time the
Beers were showing unusual activity |
md firing inflammable shells. The |
Beers who hold positions south of the
Orange river have been weakened.
Barentzen, writing on be-
lalf of himself and of other Scandina-
Wan prisoners, affirms that there are
10 mercenaries in the Boer army and
10 volunteers who receive a penny for
heir services.