Omaha daily bee., 1900-01-30
WHITE MUST GIVE Up
Prediction Of Abandonment of Ladysmith
0orrobOrated by Ministerial Papers.
BUlLtR'S POSITION is CAUSING ANXIETY
Grave Danger of Having His Line of
Communication Cut,
LOSING CONFIDENCE IN The WAR OFFICE
Defense Committee Holds News of Bullers
Retreat for Two Days
'lNG CONFIDENCE IN The WAR OFFICE
GIVING OUT CASUALTIES IN DRIBltTS
Usual Preliminary Announcement OF
Aggregate Loss Withheid-Tendr
to Give Color TO Heavy Bocr
Estimates of Killed.

Copyright, 1900. by Press Publishing Co)
LONDON, Jan. 2g.-(New York World Ca
blegram--Special Telegram THE exclusive
Information of Saturday predicting the i'm
minent abandonment of Ladysmith Is now
corroborated by the Times and other leading
ministerial papers saying Roberts has actu-
ally advised that step and IL Is rumored in
the military clubs tonight that General
White can only last another week.
The Indian officers acquainted with him
and knowing his character are fully con-
WINGED that White will make an attempt TO
cut his way out at any cost, II he suspects
an order to surrender is coming, but such
an enterprise is recognized as utterly hope
less and would only entail heavy sacrifice
of life.
The cabinet committee of defense was
again in session today and | learn there is
anxiety about Buffers own position eX-
pressed by Roberts, unless he gets safely
south OF the Little Tugela with his heavy
transport train he will run a grave danger
of having his line of communication cut.
Then the continued absence of all news of
Dundonald's mounted brigade, though ur2-
ent inquiries have been addressed to the
War Office, 1t is feared points to u still un
revealed calamity.
1t is now known that the defense commit
| Tee uuu vi buiiti lSlitdl oh
Friday morning in the dispatch announcing
! the abandonment of Spionkop, but the news
Was concealed until Sunday afternoon. This
kind OF thing destroys confidence in the
| reliability of statements by th5 department
Then the gradual dribblinE o,t OF the
| Spionkop casualties and the Withholding of
| the usual preliminary notification OF the
| aggregate loss cause terrible anxiety to the
relatives of those engaged as we'll as to the
public at large, tending TO give color to
| the Beers heavy estimate of 1900 British
| killed.
The situation continues one of, uprelieved
| gloom and though the ministerial press is
endeavoring to discount the fall of Lady
smith. the spectacle of some 10000 British
soldiers, all in arms, together with lieu
tenant general and ex-commander-in chief
! in India, surrendering to the Beers is one
| which cannot fail to exercise a tremendous
| moral effect here and on the continent, Civ
| ing the Boer government a powerful claim
| for mediation Doubtless 1t Is with view
to that contingency that Or. Leyds is now in
Berlin and Montague White in Washington.
British Beaten Rt Every Point.
Copyright 1900, by Press Publishing Coz
| LONDON, Jan. 29.-(New York World Ca
| blegram-Special Telegram. THE Leader
| military expert says
THE enemy has beaten us at the sticking
! game, he has beaten us in strategy and tao
T, tics, he has induced us to give UP the first
| plan where he would have hardly had show
| and conform to his plan where naturally
| everything is against us. Is there single
| soldier who can justify what We have done
on other than political pleas, not one. We
know from his own pen that General White
was induced by one of ChamberIains depu-
ties to disastrously change his plan We
| know that General Butler after working up
to the original plan of marching on Bloem-
fontein, was persuaded by somebody to give
it up, and he was persuaded within three
days. That is a pretty problem for Parlia-
ment to whet its wits on for the opening
day."
The experts score the suggestion that the
British abandon General White to his fate
but admit the only hope for success is to
revert to the original plan of moving frst
against the Orange Free State. The Post
| expert says:
Defeat is bitter, but 1t is right to face It.
it is wrong to try to conceal it from our
selves The meeting OF the defense commit
tee on Saturday was probably caused by the
knowledge of Buffers retreat, although the
fact was kept from the public until Sunday.
The measures now urgently needed are de-
velopment of the military resources of the
country With 100000 men In the field and
10000 to follow the moment has come to
push on the training OF all the troops left
at home
The Post expert also gives a column OF
questions as to the conduct OF the war,
which he declares must be put and answered
in Parliament.