Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-02-01
THE TIMES GROWLS
CATASTROPHE WITHOUT PREDE-
DENT IN ENGLISH HISTORY.
FEAR OF THE THUNDERER
No Stock Taken in Buffers Dispatch
that Beers Have Learned to Re
spect Fighting Powers of the Brit
ish Soldier-All Papers Reflect
Popular Anxiety.

London, Jan. 29.-Ihe week has
opened with the utmost gloom for The
British public. The reaction is all the
stronger because Of the high hopes re-
posed in Buffers turning movement
and his announcement that there
would be no turning bcak. At the
very moment when DR.. Leyds was be-
ing received as an honored guest in
high circles on the continent Great
Britain has to face the worst disaster
The campaign thus far has been dis
astrous. Open talk is heard Of the alb
solute necessity Of abandoning Lady
smith to its fate, while Roberts re-
verts to the original plan of an ad
vance over the Orange river upon
Bloemfontein. To Ladysmith the dis
appointment must be very bitter. A
dispatch from bOer laagar near the
town dated the oath describes the gar
rison as very evidently preparing for
desperate coup in order to effect d
junction with Buffers advancing
army. 1t may be regarded as a GER
tainty that, in the confident hope of
early relief, Gen. White has lately been
issuing extra ratiOns, fact that has
given rise to an exaggerated idea as to
the length of time the provisions will
last. Even should it be decided to
send Butler reinforcements and an at
tempt made to reach Ladysmith by
movement through the still more
difficult country east of Colenso, it is
extremely doubtful whether the garri-
son could hold out long enough, as
such a movement would occupy at
least month.
The Times says: The most care
fully planned and executed movement
| of the whole campaign has entirely
failed. 1t can hardly be necessary to
dwell upon the extreme probability
| that we shall learn, little sooner OF
little later, of catastrophe almost
without precedent in our military his
tory, catastrophe indeed without
parallel except in the surrender al
Yorktown. We are checked at every
point Of the campaign. In fact, the
campaign is still to begin. We wish
! W 1lcio S1CoIO pI OOlS IudI tftu HOW
the government has any adequate
comprehension of the situation. The
utterances of responsible ministers
has done nothing to reassur" the coun
try on this point. Heavy or light
the thing has TO be done and the gov.
eminent ought to prepare for the i'm
mediate dispatch of $4,000 men ant
fol Stn To
if needed
All editorials breathe a spirit O.
calm determination. No one will al
low that any reverse could deter the
country from the object it has set it
self to attain, whatever sacrifices may
be involved. A very frank criticism
of the government is, however, begin
ming to be heard even in quarters tina
have hitherto refrained. The Daily
Mail boldly throws all the
blame upon Sir Michael-Hieks
Beach, Lord Lansdowne and Lore
Wolseley. 1t points to President Lin
coins dismissal of Simon Cameron
from the post of secretary of war as g
precedent for getting rid of incom.
petent minister's.
The Standard and other papers re-
fleet the anxiety of the public to learn
how much truth there is in the boeI
accounts of the fighting at Spion kop
To judge with any accuracy the ex-
! tent of the disaster is virtually i'm
possible. 1t appears that Butler had
altogether five brigades wholly or
partly engaged, Gen. Cooks, Hill
yards, Harris, Woodgate's and Lyt-
tleton's, and the 270 casualties already
mentioned in Lyttleton's brigade are
thus explained. Much mystery still
surrounds the retreat 1t is possible
that Butler has withdrawn his whole
force, but it is generally assumed that
| LyttletOn's brigade Dundonald's
cavalry and other troops are still on
the north side Of the Tugela Bull
ler's confidence that the beers did not
| modest his retreat because they had
been taught to respect the lighting
powers Of the British soldier is not
shared in London. It is thought
rather that the beers had other plans
in store or did not wish to waste men.
New arrivals of troops are due at
Capetown during the week There has
been great activity IN military quar-
ters in all parts of England since Sat
urday morning.