Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-01-24
Gen, Butler Says Situation is Same
as Two Days Ago.
TO MAKE ANOTHER EFFORT,
Attempt TO storm Spionkop-Gener
Warren IL Cautious Boers Know
what the British are Doing.

| aus NAtl NOuiu We lssutu belOle htuItS-
day forenoon, the following dispatch
from Gen. Butler. dated spearmans
January Z3rd $50 ,. m. has just been
posted at $3.50 o'clock this "wednesday
morning.
Warren holds the position he gained
two days ago In front Of him, at
about 1900 yards, is the enemy's posi-
ton, west Of Spionkop. 1t is on
higher ground than Warrens position.
so It is impossible TO see into 1t prop
erly.
1t can be approached only over bare,
open slopes, and the ridges held By
Warren are so steep that guns cannot
be placed on them. But we are Smelling
the enemys position with howltzers
and field artillery placed on lower
ground behind infantry.
The enemy is replying with creusot
and other artillery. In this duel the
advantage rests with US, as we appear
| to be searching his trenches and his
artillery fire is not causing US much
loss.
AN attempt win be made to seize
| Spionkop, the salient Of which forms
the enemys position facing richards
drift and which divides 1t from the
position facing Potgleters drift. 1t
has considerable command over all the
enemys intrenchments"
Gen. Buffers great turning move
| ment, OF which so much Is expected,
has come to a standstill. His carefully
| worded message TO the war office tell
| ing this, after a silence Of two days,
reads like an apology and an explana-
ton.
Gen. Warren holds the ridges but the
enemys positions are higher. The Brit
ish artillery Is playing on the Boer po-
| sitions and the Beers are replying. The
British Infantry is separated by only
| 1900 yards from the enemy but an APP
preach to the steep slopes, across the
| bare open. would expose the British TO
a fatal rifle fire.
Gen. Buffers plans have reached
| their development. He declines to send
the infantry across this zone against
! formidable positions by daylight, and
| discloses his purpose TO assault the
| Spionkop heights during the night.
This appears TO be the key TO the / Der
defenses. II he takes II and thus COM
mands the adjacent country, an import
| tant and possibly decisive step will be
accomplished.
II seems that Gen. Buffers dispatch
reached the war Office rather early In
the night and was the subject OF a
prolonged conference between Lord
Lansdowne, Mr.. Balfour and several
STAFF officials A determination APP
pears to have been reached not 10
| give out the message during the night,
but towards a. m. copies Of the dis
patch were made for distribution
among the newspaper offices These
arrived too late for extended comment.
The Daily Chronicle publishes the
following photographed message from
Ladysmith, dated January END, by
way Of swartkop. January 2Srd:
Yesterday we could see British shells
bursting close to the Boer camp on the
plateau this side Of Potgieter's drift,
but the camp still remains In position
there today.
1--WE heard heavy firing all this morn
ing. The bombardment here Is slack,
but the Beers big gun on Mount Bull
wanna is still firing"
| Inc MulnlUk lOSl anu kii
| touch lightly upon the unpleasant fea-
lures Of the dispatch and take hope
| from the projected night attack, but
altogether considered, the dispatch
J looks like preparation for worse news.
Parliament will meet in five days,
| The cabinet has been hoping for one
rallying British success TO cheer the
| country and to command generous sup
/ A.. ..ug an ar
| Among these will be probably an in
crease Of the income TO shilling In the
pound, but this would only provide the
cost of Ave weeks hostlities. The duties
on tobacco. alcohol, tea and coffee are
likely to be raised The cabinet Will
| meet at the end OF the week and dis
cuss the situation.
Political considerations. both foreign
! and domestic, press upon the military
| authorities the necessity OF speedily ac-
complshing something. These authori-
ties may have been persuading Gen.
Butler TO attempt his great operation
| without adequate preparation. This
| impression. whether true or not. is
abroad.
Apparently Lord Roberts has nothing
whatever to do with Gen. Buffers oper-
tllOUcs ttHs bhlNiA anu Ailt wal NilAt
communicate with each other direct
Buffers scheme was conceived before
Lord Roberts arrived al Capetown, and
its execution was begun on the day he
landed The fact that the judgment OF
Lord Roberts has not been brought TO
bear upon the movement does not add
TO .uhlic confidence.
The Times. commenting editorially
nMllapfc dfcnafgh
cannot be the aim TO increase the Sc
we're strain from which the nation Is
suffering We must await the result Of
his attempt to seize the formidable
Boer position with courage and cool
ness. His success may be decisive. but
dhe danger Of the attempt Is evidently
great. The intense excitement Of the be-
sieged In Ladysmith may be imagined.
Gen. Warren Is moving with COM
mendable caution. but Il must not be
forgotten that delay, however caused,
must tell In many respects in favor OF
the enemy. The Beers have. Il Is true,
fallen back when hard pressed but
they have gained time to bring up men.
guns, ammunition and supplies to the
position they have selected for their
principal stand and 10 lntrench IL In
thorough fashion. the fashion they I'M
derstand so well. Until that position
has been taken. and It's defenders
routed and badly cut up the relief Of
Ladysmith cannot be considered here"
From Vienna comes the statement
that the idea Of Intervention OF Euro
pean powers Is gaining adherents In in
hueniial quarters. The Daily Mails
correspondent regards the signs as un-
mistakable. and mentions especially
suggestions printed IN the Austro- Hun
garian foreign office journals
Dispatches from Boer sources de-
scribe the renewal Of the bombariment
OF Ladysmith as more heavy than any
previous firing. and as intended 10 dis
courage sortie, symptoms Of prepara-
lions for egress from the town having
been observed from the Boer positions
Special dispatches photographed from
Ladysmith on Monday say that the IN
vestment has not been relaxed ana that
the garrison has ceased 10 speculate re-
gardlng the precise date Of dellverance.
The position Of the British forces out
side Of Natal "A unchanged. The for