The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-01-13
ALL EYES ON
GEN. BULLER.
Crisis of the War Believed to
Have Been Reached.
His Forward Movement w Watched
With Anxiety.
BIG BATTLE EXPECTED
at a Standstill I'm
til He Is Heard From.
People Stay Up All Night Wait
ing For News.

ing For News.
New York. Jan. 13.-Discussing the
Anglo-Boer war situation. the London
correspondent Of the Tribune says:
No further news has yet been issued
with regard to Gen. Buffers flank
movement but the general feeling as
expressed in this mornings newspapers
is one Of hope rather than anxiety. Bull
Ter is apparently attempting the turn
ing movement west of Colenso which
nearly all military experts were expect
ing when his first battle was fought,
on December Is, directly in front. The
military writers have assumed during
the last fortnight that there would be
a turning movement but that it would
be east Of Colenso from Weenan. Some
Of these experts chung with tenacity to
their theory yesterday and described
the Potgieter demonstration as a feint
designed to distract Jourbert's attention
from the real point of attack at the
other end of the line but this explana-
ton was not borne out by Gen. Buffers
own spreSence at Springfield. He had
probably been waiting for the compile
ton of his mule transport service, which
would enable him to carry the main
body of his army away from the rail-
way base of supplies and fight day af-
ter day on the enemy's flank until a
junction could be effected with Whites
army. The veterans also suggested
that he might have fingered in his camp
until Gen. Roberts arrival at CaDe
Town in order to allow the new com
mander in chief the privilege of veto
ing at the last moment the proposed
plan of campaign.
Whatever was the precise cause of his
inaction, Gen. Butler was at last in the
saddle and a second battle or series of
battles would be fought for the relief
Of Ladysmlth. Singularly enough, the
only previous reference to this western
turning movement which had appear in
print was in a dispatch from the Boer
camp at Colenso. 1t was vague rumor
that the British were building a rail-
way from F'reere camp toward Potgie-
ter's drift. The occupation of the
south bank of the Tugela at that point
by the British could not have been a.
surprise to the Beers. The drift is at
the apex of a long bend or loop and
back of it are low ranges of kopjes,
with broken country all the way to
Ladysmith. A turning movement east
of Colenso would have threatened the
main line of the BOer communications
northward, but would have left the
Free State troops free to retire west and
their own frontier. A turning move
ment west of Colenso by Potgieter's'
drift if successful. would cut off the
direct line of retreat of the Free State
burgherS to their mountain passes but
would not block their way northward
unless Gen. White should attack in the
rear.
The clubs were crowded with loungers
last night eager to hear the important
news which they were confident would
come before morning. There was an un-
Wonted air of hustle and cheerfulness
at the war C4fice. But hour after hour
passed without disclosures. There was
a general conviction that the crisis of
the campaign had come and that Gen.
Butler was in a position to retrieve his
v-oT, tot fOv, hxya 1-fa
The dangerous character of his flank
movement by which his own camp at
ChieVeley would be exposed to a coun-
ter attack by the Dutch was also dis
cerned and the probability of a series
of desperate battles sobered everyone.
The process of reconstructing the cab
met which has been the chief employ
ment of the marplOts and pessimists
was suspended until Butler could be
heard from. The message which would
electrify or doom to fresh disappoint-
ment the English people had not come
at midnight.
AS the names in the casualty list of the
Ladysmtth battle represent 18 military
organizations It is clear that nearly
the whole garrison was engaged in the
seventeen hours fight.
This list disposes effectually of the Boer
estimates Of losses which General Butler
took needless pains to correct. Those
losses were evidently heavy unless Gen.
ammunition.
A Boer telegram from Pretoria now ad-
cessful at the beginning of the storming
of the plateau at Ladysmith on the 9Th.
abandon two of their positions.
From Boer advices it appears that last
Sunday at Colesburg the British were
beaten back with loss.
A Berlin telegram to the Standard says
the summoning of an international confer
ence to DISCUSS this Include convention
on international maritime law to be sign
ed by the powers interested in the mat
ter, is now under consideration The text
of Lord Salisbury's reply to the Ameri-
can government serves to alter the opin-
ion of experts in International law on one
point. Lord Salisbury has not set a bad
precedent for the United Kingdom which
will have no neutral Delagoa bay whereas
every continental nation will have neutral
territory bordering upon it. He has ruled
that .breadstuffs are not contraband un-
less destined for the enemy's forces. This
decision exerapts foodstuffs NOT sDeciaIIv
accord with the naval orders ~eiven the
eAIner1can cFulSeIs curing n the war with
ed upon rulings of English courts Is
wholly in accord with the, continuous
between provisions for the ordinary use
of life in the enemy's country and pro-
viSOinS for military or naval use.
BOERS STORM LADYSMITH
Vienna, Jan. 13-The Neue Erie
Presse today publishes a dispatch from
Brussels saying news has been received
there from Pretoria to the effect that
the Beers have Stormed all the heights
around Ladysmith and that the capit-
ulation of that place is hourly expected.
FIGHTING NEAR RENSBURG.
Rensburg, Cape Colony, Jan ia
strong force of British troops advanced
this morning under cover of a brisk
artillery fire and encamped at Singers
fOntein on the Beers eastern flank. The
Beers patrol retired, but subsequently
a body of Beers attempted to seize the
position, threatening communication
between the British encampment and
Rensburg. The new Zealanders with
brilliant dash frustrated the attempt.