Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1900-01-16


there from Pretoria to the effect that
the Beers have stormed all the heights
around Ladysmith and that the capitu-
lation of that place is hourly expected.
1t is possible that the news received
in Vienna by way of Brussels from Pre-
toria may refer to the fighting of Sat
urday last, January 6, when the Beers
captured the British trenches three
times and were thrice driven out at the
point of the bayonet, and the fact that
the Beers occupied one British posi-
ton all day long, only being driven out
of it at night.
The Veil Drawn.
London, Jan. 15.-An absolute veil
has been dropped over the occurrences
at the theater of war and the country
is in complete ignorance of what is
Buffers movements is awaited with
eager anxiety.
To Ask for Further War Credit.
The London Sun reports that on the
reassembling of parliament, January
80, the government will Immediately
ask for further war credit of 6 20, 0OO,-
900.
Kitchener the Real Head.
New York, Jan. ia dispatch to
the Herald from London says: 1t now
leaks out that Lord Kitchener is really
chief in South Africa at the head of the
British troops and Lord Roberts fig
urehead.
BOer Move Frusfrated
Rensburg, Cape Colony, Jan. Is. A
strong force of British troops advanced
under cover of a brisk artillery fire,
and encamped at Sliggersfontein, on
the Beers eastern flank. The Beers
patrols 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.
They raced and seized the position first
and fired volleys at the enemy, who re-
tired in the direction of Colesburg.
Object of the Movement.
London, Jan. 15.-The movement OF
Gen. French's troops in the vicinity OF
Colesberg Saturday morning is taken
to indicate that Gen. Lord Roberts
has recognized the Importance of
Gen. French's objective, namely, to
obtain command of both bridges
across the Orange river, and has has
tened to send him reenforcements. 1t
is also thought to partially confirm
the suggestion that Gen. Buffers
plans include synchronous movements
in all the spheres of operation.
About 1000 troops sailed for South
Africa Saturday afternoon.
Outburst of Patriotism.
Though many stirring scenes have
marked the departure of the British
troops for the front, during recent
months, Saturdays outburst of pa
triotism, on the occasion of the starting
of the London volunteers, was quite
unprecedented since the jubilee. 1t is
the first time in the history of the
movement that British volunteers have
been permitted to serve side by side
with the regulars in real warfare, and
the people turned out in hundreds of
thousands to fittingly celebrate it, The
crowds began to throng the route be-
fore dawn and increased in such pro-
portions that a detachment of the Lord
Mayors Own were engulfed at various
stages of the march. The ranks were
broken and the troops at times were
almost lost sight of in the cheering,
shouting, singing mob.
Ranks Broken by Mob.
Every now and then halt had to be
made in order to reform the ranks, but
only to be again broken, as the police
were utterly unable to stem the excit-
ed, cheering, living mass of people
which again and again broke through
all distinctions. The handshakings
and embracings were SO exuberant that
the original smartness of the volun-
teers was speedily impaired, many uni
forms being torn. But the troops fin
ally managed to struggle through to
the Mansion house. On the balcony of
that building the lord mayor, Mr. A. j
Newton, the lady mayoress, the coun.
cillors and others awaited the arrival
of the volunteers and witnessed then
actually fighting their way through the
dense crowds, assisted by male friends
and impeded by clinging women. When
the force was finally reformed the lore
mayor attempted to make speech
but found it impossible. The din was
simply deafening and the chief magis
trate had to be content to indicate his
good wishes by smiles and gestures
while the volunteers greeted him with
cheers and waving their hats on thei,
raised rifles.
Troops Unable to March.
There was another Herculean effor
on the part of the police and the de
tachment resumed its march, to tn,
accompaniment of pushing, screaming
cheering and singing The column hat
hardly covered a hundred yards when j
again intermingled with the surgin,
crowds who had undisputed sway alon.
the route. Many of the volunteers es
capped through side streets and other
struggled along in single file, twos o
threes. BY the time they reached tn
Thames embankment the detachmen
had become conglomeration, won
ems hats being as numerous in tn
ranks as the volunteers headgear, S,
slow was the progress that over an hon