The watchman and southron. (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, January 31, 1900, Image 1

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lie Wmn IDMTKK WATCHMAN. KitablUhad Consolidated Au?. 2, 1881. if be Sdlntcbman anb ?nitbron. Publli?td It try WaAntsday, -ir !>?!. Gk OBteexi) 3UMTEK, 8. C, tun : $ 1.50 per annum?in advance. 0%0 Square flrtt insertion ......f 1 00 ?varj sebeeqneat ioeertion. 50 Coe tracts for three aiootbt, or longer wil a* ssaee at reduced rates All eoaausooieatlona ?hieb subserve private hs toteste will be charged for as ad?ertieoaents. Obitaariee aod tribal of respecU ?111 be eAarfd for_ THE WAR IN AFRICA. A Night Attack oo Boer Stronghold Wat Planned. Jaa 24. 4 a as -Geo Bailer's great toroiog movement, of wbish to moot bad beeo *i posted, baa eome lo a ataaditill His oarefally worded aaeeeaga to the war ofioe telling this, aa apology aod ao sipleoatioa Geo Warren holds lbs ridges, bot after a sileooe of two days reads like las eaemy'e position* are higher. Tbs Britten artillery la playing on tbs Boer Kinos?, aod Boers sro replyiog. S British infantry is sepsrsted by ooly 1,400 ysrds from tbs enemy, bot ao spproseb to the aleop slopes, serous lbs bare open woold eipose tbs British to s fstsl rile Irs. Gto Boiler's plssa have resohed Ibeir dsvslopvsst. He deelioes to send his infantry ssross this sods egaioel formidable pnsttlooa by day light sod dieeloeee bia porf jss to aa ssolt tbs Spion hop haighta during the aight Tats appears to be the key to loo B>er defsosea. If be takoa it and thos oommeode 'ho adjseeal eoostry, so iwporteoi aod poeaibly a deeiatve atep ejill bo eeeoroplmbed II eeoms that Gen Boiler's diapsteh reached the war effioe rather sarly io the sight and was the aobjsat of s prolosgad ooofereoee betwsen Lord Lendadowae, Mr Balfoor aod eevoral aloff offioiale The Bailer dtepateh, all, thing* ooo aids red looks like preparation* foi worse sswe to soars of the oswepapers Perltemsot will meet io Asa days. The eebioet hsd been hoping for one rallying British laoeeae to oheer th< sowstry aod to ooomaod gsoeroui atppofl for fresh reveoan measures Aaaong Ihsae will be probably an iaereeee of lbs ineoms tat to a shilling ?o the poood, bot ibis would ooly provide tbs oosi of Ive week's hostili? ties. Too dstiss oo '.obsooo, eloohol, los aod eeffee are likely to be rsleed. The eebioet will meet at the sod of loo weak sad dtseats the ailoatioo Polities I eooeiderotioo, both foreign aod d >ms?tio, prase opoo the military soihoritiss tbe oeosssity of apeedily aceotapliebiog something. These ao Ihorities on have beeo pe mided to srge Gao Bailer to attempt bio great epere;?oo without adequate prepara IIOO. Appereetly Lord Roberte baa ootn log whotsvar to do with Geo Bailer 'a Operation?. Get Bailer sod tbs war ?fioe oommooioute with saeh other dtreet London, Jso 24, I 15 s. m ? Tbo following dispatch from Boiler noted at Speermau's Camp, Joo 23, 6 25 p co . boo jool boeo received ot ibe wsr ofioe : "Warren holds tbe pooition he gained two days ago Io front of him. at about 1,400 yards is Ibe en eny*s position, west of Spion kop ll is oo higher ground tbso Wsrreo's position, so it is impossible to see in it properly. "It oso be opproscbed only over bsro open slopes ami tbe tidges held by Wsrren ere so steep that gone ososot be plsced on them But we are shelling tbe enemy's position with bowitsers end field artillery pieced oo lower ground, bebind in ?stiff "The enemy is replying with Creu sol sod other srtilleiy Io Ibis duel the odvsntegs rests with us, ss we sppear to be sesrcliing bis trei.cbes end hie artillery fire is not causing us mach los? "An sttempt will be rosde tonight to seise Spion kop, tbe ssliert of which forms tbs left of tbe enemy's poeition facing Tricbards' drift and which dividea it from tbe p<siiion facing Poigieter'e drift It has con siderable command over sll tbe cue say's eutrenebments " No Report Reaching Anxious Eoglaod From Africa. London, Jen 26, 4 15 s rn ?Tbe morning pspers went to preae with conjectores and forecasts ot all sorts, striving to gueea out something from Spion kop Spion kop ie tbe highest part of a rocky plateso. Kastwsrd lor eight miles ere tbe Boer positions along the Tagftle Nortbweetward from ftpioo kop tbo plateau rooe jraduslly April, I860. ,%Be Jus SUM1 op to a great spur of the Drakens borg Gen Boiler'? infantry, to reach the summit to Spion kop, moet cross a natural glacis three quarters of a mile wide aod climb 500 feet op a steep slope. Nobody here seems to know, not even tbe war office, what Lord Roberta baa dooe with bis large rein foroements Six thousand troops awaited his arrival at Gape Town, and sioce tbeo 6,000 others have reached him. Military critics are all bopiog that a good abaie of these 12,000 have gone to help Gen Boiler, aod they argue tbat a few daya wait may make him atroog enough to over* come tbe deadlook There are 19,000 troops at sea, aod tbia heavy weight oo the British side is expected to deatroy tbe equilibrium oow existing oo every field of opera ttons Tbe British losses op to date io killed, woooded sod captured, acoordiog to Gen Bailer's Isst list, totsl 8,216 men It s generally recognized tbat the Boer positioo, if ever, taken, cao ooly be oaptored si a tremendous cost. ) A dispstoh from Pretoria dsted Tuesday. Jao 23d, says: "Poor or five times during the dsy the British replaced their wearied soldiers by fresh ones The Boer casualties to date are ooe man killed aod two men woooded. Our men are io excellent spirits There has been a large slaughter of British "Gen Botos ia now io sole com? mand, Gen Crooje haviog beeo seat elsewhere.1' Tbe asme dispatch, apparently re (erring to tbe situation st Coleuso, ssye : "One of tbe Urge Boer Maxims was temporally disordered but was soon repaired. REPORTS TO NEWSPAPES. Londoo. Jan 25 ?Tho Daily Tele graph publishes ths followiog dispatch from Spearman's oamp, dated Tuesday, Jao 23, 9 80 p. ? : ' Oo Moaday. Sir Charles Warren's foeos esooooaded aod fosiladsd tbe Boer positioo vest of 8pioo kop, near tbe Acton Hosaes road. A lyddite battery cooperated with tbe other batteries aod Maxims Oertaioly tbe firs was effective, oau-uog tbe euemy serious losses Tbe Boers, however, clung desperately to their works, from whioh they are ooly being very slowly dritso Today ths eoemy fired their goos oftenor, using also ths oaptored 15 pounders with sbrapoel Our cas? ualties today were less sveo (bao those of yesterday "Fighting began about 6 io the morning aod continued anti! dosk, bot there has beeo nothing like a geoeral engagement. The natal big goos assisted, from Potgicter's drift, io sbslliog ths Boer positions." A ditpatoh to The Times from Spear man's oamp. dated Tuesday, 9 30 p m . says : 'The Boers today seoared more guns aod are prepared to fight almost interminably, haviog entrenched their ridge, whioh stretches io an almost uobrokeo line from the Drakeosberg many miles ssstward. "Firing oootloosd throughout the day. We bats ?>ot advanoed aoy farther, bot we threw op eotreoob meots doriog ths night, from behind which tbe musketry dael eootioued from sxaetly the same positioo as yes? terday " The Cape Towo correspondent of The Times, telegraphing Tuesday, says : ''Ths Boodttes are preparing to seise tbe first decisive British victory or the invasion of repablioao territory as the sigoal for a violent peaee agita tion Tbey will accompany their appeal to magnaminity by oovertly hinting that they are unable lo restrain the Dutoh oolonists from rising " A correspondent of The Times st Modder river, telegrapbiog Tuesday, s?ys : "The reports of deserters agree that the situation of tbe Boers at Magersfontein is beeomming unbeae able, because the oamp is unsanitary, enteno fever is spreading and vegeta bios are wantiog Oo tbe other band, 'bo health nf tbe British oamp is satis facory. although the ground hat* been exhausted by tbe long encampment and the trees have beeo out down by Iwswfl p<**t aod dust storms A dispatch to tho Daily Mail from Loreizi MatquiH, datt-d Wednesday, says j "This morning all passengers hook od tor the Transsaal wero stopped by government order, with the exception of tho members of the Huhnihu amhu laooe corps, who proceeded by PMSial train " THE FIGHTING TUESDAY, Spearman's Camp. Toesday. 88, 8 30 p. m ?I ho British Gold artillery and bow.tsers shelled the enemy posted on tbe orest of the ridge this sjoraitg '1 he iofantry, onder BISsllsil cover, kept op ao effeotive nfiV tire. The Boers resigoed a kopje, of whioh tho British iuftoiry look possession. Wheo retiring, ths enemy sheltered it and Fear not?Let all the Ends thou 'ER. S. 0., WEDNES: theraselve* behind a srono wall on the slope of tbo korje, which they held for hours. This afternoon the.y ran across the ravino The British artillery poured shrapnel and lyddite into them and tbo iofaotry took the stone wall. The British oasoalty list was smill. DUTCH REPORT BRITISH DIS ASTER Berlin, Jan 24 ?German press taoticiane are all unan n ously of opinion that the situation of the British forces around Ladysmith is desperste The Berlin Tageblatt prints a Brussel's specisl, claiming that Sir Charles Warreu has been signally defeated* A military writer for the Kreuz Reitung says the move raent to relieve Ladysmith has failed, rendering the British line of retreat endangered BOERS "SNIPPING;" "LONG CECIL" AT WORK. Kimberley, Tuesday, Jan 23.?-The bombardments have oeased bat the Boers are perpetually engaged in snipping "Long Cecil'1 is doing excellent werk sod Cecil Rhodes bsi personally fired several shells trom the goo Spioi. Kop Captured Without Difficulty. But in Holding tt The Brit? ish Suffered London, Jan 25 ?The war office has I issued tbo following dispatch from Spearman's Camp, dated Jan 25, 12 10 a. m : "Gen Warren's troops last night oooupied Spion kop, surprising the smell garrison, who fled. It Las been held by us all day, though wo were heavily attaoked, especially by a very annoying shell fire "I fear our casualties are oootidera ble and I have to inform ynu with regret that Gen Woodgate was danger oosly woooded. "Gen Warreo is of the opioion that be has rendered the eoemy's position untenable. The men are splendid." Loodoo, Jao 26 ?Advices have beeo reoeived from Spearman's Camp that Geo Wnodgate has suooumbed to the wounds he reoeived io the sttack upon Spion kop ENGLAND IS THRILLED BY PRAISE OF HER MEN. Loodoo, J&o 26, 4.15 a. m ?Geo Buller's phrase, 1 the men are splen? did/' thrills England with pride and ooofideooe. His taking and boldiog Spion kop are considered permanent advantages k Sir Charles Warren's opioion that miles of the adjacent Boer entrench meots are onteoable is aoeepted by most expert observers as obviously true, because from the height of the position, also some point oot that if it may laek adequate goo platform to resist artillery firs from the two exteoded sides, it is oot likely that Geo Warreo will Ist g? of anything be holds sod news of forther success is oalmly awaited. The military authorities reo ogoize, of ooorse, that io the twelve or fifteeo miles betweeo Spioo kop and Ladysmith there are oootioaoos defen? sive positions sod ragged hills sod ravines whioh far out range Spion kop, hot they are sore that the troops who have toroed the Boers out of diffioult plaoes oan do it again. The military expert of The Times, says : "It is exoeediogly difficult to arrive at aoy exact estimatioo of the advan tage gained A defioite taotioal objeot has beeo attiioed and definite steps have been taken in the fulfilment of the strategic plan." The Kildooao obstle reaohed Durban yesterday (Thursday) with 2.000 addi tional troops for Goo Butler, and three troopships have arrived from India, bringing, among otbors, a regiment of Laooers Beyond this it is not publioly known here how heavily Geo Buller has been reioforoed. The situation in the neighborhood of the other armies is unchanged, but a forwatd movomcnt by French is daily eipeotod A dispateh to Tho Standard from Rotishurg describes Gen Frenob's position as now formiog a great semi oirole around tbo Boor position The oorrespondont says ho could take Coles burg, 12 mil h away, at aoy time A letter from Pretoria gives th<? tex of a oomplaint wh'ch President Kruger undo to President Sfeyn rcgerding the want of o ?opotation on the part of tho Pres St?ters at Modder River, and President Btevo's address to tho Frco Staters Mr KrOgif naid he h?d learn, ed with regret that "only about 1 000 BJOS of the Free S'atr, t ugh' in the laut battie, and that inanv others re? mained is their oampa while their brother4* resided and even defestsd their enemy 11 TwStS Matoments appear to give offinial SOOirmStioS of the reports of disagreements between tho allies. NOT TIME TO "HOLLER" Loodoo, Jso 25 ? The jubilatioo ftlt? Aims't at, be thy Country's, thy God's DAY. JANUARY 31, over Gon Warren's accomplishment in oapturing Spion bop Tuesday niebt is ohastened by (be realizition thtt his sucaoss is only providentiai, as it appears olear from Gen Butler's dis patch ihaT the B.icrs fully recognize the strategical importance of Spion kop and at th i tira ? his message was sent off they had not abandoned tbd hope of reoapturiog the position Neverthe less, a heavy load of anxiety has been removed from the nation aod there ia general expectation that, as the British have succeeded in keeping the hill all day long, they will manage to retaio it until Qeo Warren plants guos enough oo it to dominate the Boer trenohee right sod left. There is the usual disposition here to exsggerste the importance of the point soored. but the best ioformed people realize that Bailer has a task ahead of him calling for the most dogged persistence and untiring attacks, and that the difficulties will iooreaee as the position develops Boer Shells Made the Moun? tain Too Hot For War? ren's Men. Londoo, Jan 26, 11.10 a. m.?The war offioe has just posted the following dispatch from Gen Boiler, dated Spear man's Gamp, Thursday, January 25, noon : "Gen Warren's garrison, I am sorry to say, I find this morning had in the night absodooed Spion Kop." London, Jan 27, 4 a m ?Seven days of fihting have left the main Beer positions intact and Gen Bailer's army 706 men weaker, according to the official oasualty lift*, which seemingly do oot include the Spion Kop losses, as those last forwarded do not mention Gen Woodgate's wouodirg. England is possessed by a depressing sense of failure, though oot a wori in oritioism of her generals and soldiers is uttered. Not mach effort is made to plaee a happy construction upon Geo Buller'a bare 18 words telling of the retirement from Spion Kop, and there is an uneasy impression abroad that worse news is yet to come At one of the military olubs tonight the statement passed from one member to soother tbst the war offioe has reoeived an unpleasant supplementary dispatch from Gen Buller, which was being held op for 12 boars Spenoer Wilkins on in the Morning Post writes as follows of the Spion Kop loss : "This is s serious matter, aod an attempt will not here be made to minimiss it, for oo greater wrong can be done to our people at home theo to mislead them aboot the sigoifioaooe of the events of the war. The right way is to tell the truth as far as we know it ? Bat facts from the neighborhood of the Tugela are scantier than ever The censorship is now simply prohibitive and something is wrong with the cables The break on the east coast line has been repaired, but the cable betweeo dsn Thome and Loeoda, oo the west coast, is now interrupted "More troops" is the only suggestion here as the way to break the Boer resistance. Mr Wilkinson regrets that Gen Bailer has not 20,000 more meo. declaring that, if they would make vietory certain his enterprise without them is hopeless The Spectator, dealiog with the necessity of large additional military preparations, says : 4 It may be that we have yet another cycle of disasters in front of us " The transport Assaye arrived at Cape Town last Friday with 2 127 officer* and men The first portion of the Seventh division is afloat Hence, with the 10,000 men of this division sod about 9 000 others now at sea it lies in the power of Lord Roberts to reinforoe Geo Bailer heavily. This oourse is advised by military writers Although severely tried, Eogland's nerve is absolutely unshaken, and probably nothiog that can happen in South Africa will oharge in the slight est degree her intention. She will oontinue to reoeive bad news, if it comes, with dignity, and will maintain her determination to win at last The morning papers editorally advise coolness sod judgment and a oarefol avoidance of overestimating the importance of the last position. The Times says : "The natural disquietude of the public is increased by the singular vagueness and incon? sistency of Gen Buller's dispatohes. There is. indeed, a very sitiglar and somewhat disquieting attitude of de tachments in Gen Buller's comments as rnvcalod in The, Guzette's dispatches For instance his oooimen's as to his action at Z >utpans drift His remark concerning the probability that British officers VOtlld in titno learn the value of scouting might properly h ivc come from a foreign military attache, but it is rather more than surprising that ;t should be thrown out in this oasu.l, irresponsible fashion by the head of the forces concerning his subordinates, a w< ek or two, moreover, after the loss of the guns oo the Tugela "The const quencea of this latest ohrck may be very serious to the gal? lant Lidysmith garrison It is impos? sible to estimate the next movement. It may be tbst Gen Bailer will be and Truth's." THE 1 1900. Sew compelled to retire from tho ground la'ely gained, but io any tvent we may bo Miro that tho British people will not show themselves wanting io fortitude and steadiness The government would bo well advised to call out immediately all the militia and to expedite the dispatob of the Eighth division and of the Foorth cavalry brigade No doubt Lord Roberts will strain every nerve to enable Geo Bulier to renew tba attempt to relieve Lady? smith." Tho Standard sty* : "Dr Leyds was a guest in Paris at President Loobet's banquet oo Thursday, where, io ooosequeooe, the British ambassador did oot appear. M DeiCasse con? versed sometime with him, aod it is believed that he has since received him at the Qaai d Orsai Our Paris corres? pondent, however, assures as that the Freooh government is determined to preserve neutrality." SOME JUST CRITICISMS London, Jan 26 ?Under other circumstances the news from Lady smith showing greatly improved sanitary conditions, the plentifulness of provisions and the strengthening of the fortifications an?il the place is regarded as impregnable, would have inspired the nation, bot these good ti lings to the British re over shadowed by anxiety as to the situa? tion on the Upper Tugela. and the hooght that the heavy losses suffer ed during the struggle Tuesday night have counted for naught Military circles made no effort to conceal their chagrin, expressing the gravest fears as to the ultimate fate of Ladysmith Such authorities as Maj Gen Sir Fred Carrington, who is under orders for South Africa, and Lord Gifford. who won the Victoria cross while scouting for Lord Wools eiey during the Zulu war would not be surprised to bear of the capture of Gen White's force within a week Lord Gifford, who knows the country like a book, could not under stand how in the word Geu Warren even got to the top of Spion kop without ascertaining what position commanded it While Gen Warren is not blamed for retreating under what is supposed to have been heavy shell fire, he is severely criticised for occupying a position to which be could not bring op his artillery NO BIG GUNS LEFT IN TORIA PRE Durban. Jan 24 ?One hundred and sixty Boers csptnred during Gen Boiler's recent operations have ar rived here A Free Stater, who is among the recent arrivals, says that President Steyn has boen removing bis furniture to Pretoria, where several of his officials have tsken bouses It is also reported that no big guns are left in the Pretoria forte and that tbe Boers have exhausted their stock of good Mauser cartridges and are now issuing cartridges formerly condemned by Gen Joobert. They are said to be mannfacturing 12.000 cartridges and 200 shells daily at the dynamite factory. HIGH PRICES FOR CHRI8TMAb CHEER. London, Jan 27 ?A dispatch to the Standard from Ladysmith, dated Deo 26, describing tbe Christmas celebtations, says : "Only a few were fortunate enough to get turkeys and geese A major ity had to be content with tbe hard beef of wasted, under fed oxen, or the coarse goat flesh which does duty for mutton "On Saturday there was a provis ion suction Potatoes brought at the rite of a shilling each, eggs averaged 10 pence eacb, carrots 7 pence each, ducks hslf a guinea each, cigaretts 42 pence per 3 penny package, and whiskey from ?5 to ?1 a bottle Everybody, however, was able to indulge in Christmas pudding, as the commissariat kindly issued the necessary ingredienta for the occa? sion. HEAVY BOMBARDMENT OF KIMBERLKY Pretoria, Wednesday, Jan 24 ? The federal forces statted a heavy bombardment of Kimberley The garrison's new gun carried live miles, but collapsed after a few shots A body of '200 Lancers mado a Sortis from Ladysmith under cover of a heavy cannon and ritle tire from the forts opposite? the laager of the Pre toria commando The British retired ^ Absolutely ^ Makes the food more deli SOVAL 8AKIN0 POWW ritUE sol TU KON, Established Jan? ISfcS Series?Vol. XIX. Xo. 27 with evident los9 One Boer was wounded. A heavy connonade started this morning and stilt con? tinues. BOERS LOSS HEAVILY SUNDAY London, Jan 26 ?Special dispatch? es from Durban say the Boer losses on the Upper Togela during the fighting on Sunday last were vary great Gen Warren's men captured 160 prisoners snd 130 Boers were found deed in one trench Gen Buller reports tbst the British casualties Jan 23 were: Killed, officers six ; non commissioned offi? cers snd men 18 ; wounded officers 12; noncommissioned officers snd men 142 , missing 31 men. PEOPLE PANIC STRICKEN 35 Deaths From Plaeue at Honolulu. Seattle, Wash., Jsn 25 ?A special to The Times from Victoria, B C , says : "The steamer Miowsra has just ar? rived with news of 35 deaths at Hon? olulu from the plague, one a white woman of good olass. The oity is paoio strioken. An armed mob pre? vents the landing of steamers at Hilo. Cooper The board of health of Hon? olulu, bad 10 blocks burned. Dr. Car miohael has been ordered to Manila. Thirty-four hundred Japanese at Hon? olulu are io quarantine American Forces Continue the Campaign of Slaughter. Washington, Jan 26?Gen Otis cabled the war department today as follows : Manila. Jan 26.?Kobbe's troopa oooupy the hemp ports of Sorsogon, Donsol, Butsn, Albay aod Legespi, southeastern Luion. Virao, island of Cxanduanes ; will probably occupy the ports of Calbayee, Cathbalogao and Taoleban on the islands of Samar aod Lye before tomorrow evening ; no opposition exoept at Legaspi, where 800 insurgents strongly entrenched, under Chinese geoeral, Powab, made stubborn resistance. Troops ianded under protection of gons of Nashville, whioh fiercely bombarded fortifications at close range. Enemy's loss over 50 killed or mortally wounded, 28 killed at Bridge Head st almos' hand to-band encounter, refusing to surrender. Our casualties : Captain Bradley Hanoook, quartermaster volunteers, aid to Kobbe, wounded io band ; six men. including one sailor oo Nashville, slightly wound* ed Tbese ports contain great quantity of hemp ready for shipment and will be open oo 20th instant. Otis. China's New Emperor Pekin, Jsn 25 ?An imperial edict snnounces that Po Chun, 14 years old, eon of Prince Toan, is appointed heir to the present emperor Kwang, who announces ill besltb makes bis sbdicstion necessary The new emperor, it is said, will ascend the throne Jan 21 The dowager will continue ber strong power and no change in Chinese policy is in view. REPORTED SUICIDE OF FMPER. OR KWANG SU. London. Jan 26 ?According to s special dispstch from Sbsnghai, it is reported that emperor Kwang Su has committed suicide Mr. Thomas' Charges. Yesterday afternoon the legislative committee to whom was referred the matter of the charges made by former Railroad Commissioner II R Thomas agaicst the other members of the rail? road commission, held a session at the offioe of the commission. All the par? ties interested were thore, and Mr. Thomas presented his charges and what bo considered proof to sustain them. The committee heard the whole matter and asked a number of questions. Its report will doubtless soon be forthcom? ing and will set forth the findiu^s.? The State, Jan. 26th. Washington, Jan 23. ? Henry A. llszen, w.fi of the chief forecasters of the weather bureau and well known as a scientist, died hero to? night as the result of injuries received last night by a bicycle collision with a negro pedestrian. Hie skull was badly fractured and he continued unconscious up to the time of his death L baking Powder IM icious and wholesome ES OO., NEW VOSK. __