The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-01-24
bombardment here is slack, but the
Boer big gun on Mt. Bulwana is
still firing"
GEN. BULLER'S PLANS.
How His Dispatch to the War once
Is Construed.

How His Dispatch to the War once
Is Construed.
LONDON, Jan. "a, 4 a. m.-Gen. Buffers
great turning movement, of which so much
had been expected, has come to standstill.
His carefully worded message to the War
Office telling TINS, after silence of two
days. reads like an apology and an ex-
PLANTATION. General Warren holds the
ridges. but the enemy's position is higher
The British artillery is playing on the Boer
positions. and the Beers are replying. The
British infantry is separated by only 1,4OO
yards from the enemy, but an approach to
the steep slopes across the bare open would
expose the British to fatal rifle fire.
General Buffers plans have reached their
development. He declines to send his in
| fantry across this zone against formidable
positions by daylight, and discloses his pur-
| pose to assault the spion kop heights dur
ing the night. This appears to be the key
| to the Boer defenses. If he takes it and
| thus commands the adjacent country an
| important and possibly a decisive step will
be accomplished.
| 1t seems that General Buffers dispatch
reached the War Office rather early in the
| night and was the subject of prolonged
conference between Lord Lansdowne. Mr..
Balfour and several staff officials. A de-
termination appears to have been reached
not to give out the message during the
night. but toward a. m. copies of the dis
patch were made for distribution among
| the newspaper offices. These arrived too
late for extended comment.
| WORSE NEWS MAY COME
The Morning Post and the Standard touch
lightly upon the unpleasant features of
the dispatch and take hope from the pro-
jected night attack. but all things consid-
ered the dispatch looks like preparation for
worse news.
| Parliament will meet in five days. The
Cabinet had been hoping for one rallying
| British success to cheer the country and
to command generous support for fresh
| revenue measures. Among these will be
| probably an increase of the income tax to
a shilling on the pound, but this would
only provide the cost of five weeks hos
| tilities. The duties on tobacco, alcohol,
| faa nd
| Cabinet will meet at the end of the week
and discuss the situation.
Political considerations, both foreign
ano domestic. press upon the military au-
thorities the necessity of speedily accom-
plishing something. These authorities
may have been persuaded to urge General
Butler to attempt his great operation
without adequate preparation. This i'm
preston. whether true or not, is abroad
Apparently Lord Roberts has nothing
whatever to do with General Buffers op-
Grafton. General Butler and the War Of
fee communicate with each other direct
Buffers scheme was conceived before Lord
Roberts arrived at Cape Town. and its
execution was begun the day he landed
The fact that the judgment of Lord Rob-
erts has not been brought to bear upon the
movement does not add to public conf
dence.
VIEWS OF THE "THUNDERER."
The Times. commenting editoriaily upon
General Buffers dispatch. says: "It car
but tend to increase the severe strain from
which the nation Is suffering. We must
wait the result OF his attempt to seize the
formidable Boer position with courage and
cooiness. His success may be decisive. bu,
the danger OF the attempt is evidently
great. The intense excitement OF the be.