The San Francisco call. [volume], January 22, 1900, Image 1

About The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913

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rlou3, and asks if there be any connec
tion with his return and the arrival of
Webster Davis . at Lourpnzo Marquez.
from which point he is to be taken to
Pretoria in a special train sent by Presi
dent Kru&er. The Matin thinks it very
probable that President Kruger. having
been cut off from telegraphic communi
cation with Dr. Leyds, Is resorting to the
good offices of the Americans In order 10
communicate with the rest of the worli.
and the paper concludes Its observations
by saying:
""We shall soon know the meaning of
these communications."
kept busy on their left, facing
Potgieters Drift. A continuous
artillery fire was poured into
them from Swart;: " Kop an<
Mount Alice. Lyttelton's bri
gade made a reconnoissance in
force, which rendered it impossi
ble for the Boers there to ride off
to the assistance of their hard
pressed right. The British ho-
Continued on Second Pace.
Republican Forces Slowly Be
ing Driven Back by Warren,
but Are Contesting Kvery
Foot of the Way.
While Opposing the Advance of Bullep the
Hard-Pressed Burghers Conduct a Vig
orous Bombardment of White's Garri
son in the Besieged Town.
SPEARMA2JS CAMP. Jan. 21,
9:30 a. in. — General Warren's
engagement continues. He has forced
the enemy fron their position. The
Lancashire and Irish brigades are
advancing steadily. The fire is very
eevere occasionally.
LONDON. Jan. 21.— General Buller
cables to the War Office:
"SPEARMANS CAMP. Jan. 21, 9
p. n. — General Warren has been en
gaged all day, chiefly on his left,
¦u-hica he has siting forward about a
couple of miles. The ground is very
difficult and as the fighting is all the
time uphill it is difficult to say ex
tctly how much vre have gained, but
I think \re are making substantial
progress.
'•In order to relieve the pressure on
General Warren and to ascertain the
strength cf the eneniy in the position
in front of Potgieters Drift General
I-yttelton made a reconnoissance in
force yesterday. This kept the enemy
in their trenches in full strength all
day. Our casualties — Third Battal
ion, King's Royal Rifles, two killed,
twelve -wounded, two misring."
1 Cnb> to Th? Call ar.4 New York Her
aU. Copyrighted, ISOO, by James Goidon
Ber.n^tt.
LONDON. Tan. 22.— Up to j
3 o'clock this morning no
tidings had arrived in Lon
don of the result of the battle 1
which, according to every indi
cation, raged all day yesterday on
Buller's left flank, where General j
Wp.rren in the morning had re
sumed his attempt to turn the!
Boers' right wing. On Saturday
the whole British force was en
gaged in a fierce conflict with the i
Boers ail day, which resulted in
thrusting back the Boers from
ridge after ridge. The fight was!
resumed yesterday and at 9:30)
o'clock General Warren had
forced the Boers from three posi- j
tions. The Lancashire and Irish j
brigades were then advancing. '<
That is as far as the dispatches
go.
The main engagement on Sat
urday took place to the west of
Spion Kop and resulted in the
British securing rough tableland
which is said to constitute the
key to the Boer position. The
Boer right was pushed back
upon the central hill, Spion Kop.
The British assault was delivered
against a ridge of hills six miles
long. The British forces were
marshaled in three brigades un
der Generals Woodgate, Hart
and Hildyard, General Clery di
recting operations.
The British moved forward
and gained position after posi
tion, until the Boer right cave
way. The flanking movement
was evidently entirely successful.
This collapse of the Boers' right
wing would enable the British
commander to swing around and
drive them into an ever narrow
ing circle.
Meanwhile the Boers were
BOERS ACCUSED OF FIRING
UPON A WOMEN'S LAAGER
MAFEKING. Jan. 10 (via Gabrones, via Lourenzo Marquez, Jan. 21.).—
The enemy continues the bombardment with field guns and an occasional
100-pound shell. They have again fired at the women's laager, but without
hurting any one.
MAFEKING, Jan. 6 (by runner to Moclendl, Jan. 14, via Lourenzo Mar
quez. Jan. 21.).— We concentrated our artillery, consisting of a 7-pounder. a
Nordonfeld and one little old ship's gun. on January 3. emplacing during
the darkness, so as to bear on the enemy's big siege gun. We carefully
conceals the pruns until the next afternoon, when, after the enemy had fired
a couple of shells, tie let loose all our pieces, firing and loading as fast as
possible.
One of our shots must have thrown the enemy's siege gun out of posi
tion, for it ceased firing. With glasses we could see the Boers rapidly re
inforcing that point.
The next day they moved back their guns 700 yards. They emplaced a
5-pound«r and proceeded to drop shells regularly into Marquet Sqiiare.
We have made up our minds to stick It out, and -aye food for another
three months. The whole garrison is enraged at the enemy for firing upon
the women's laager.
LORENZO MARQUEZ. Jan. 21.— A dispatch from Gabrones. undated, says:
Colonel Plainer has worked down this far toward Mafeklng with three arm
ored trains and a relieving force. The bridge is being rebuilt so that he
may proceed.
WRECK OF THE ARMORED TRAIN NEAR ESTCOURT
witzers. naval guns and field ar
tillery raked the trenches, keep
ing the Boers in them through
out the entire day.
The British commander and
his lieutenants have evidently
profited by their lessons in war."
There have been no desperate
rushes over open ground, swept
by fire from Boer marksmen.
There has been no marching in
close formation within range of
Boer volleys.
From Ladysmith comes word
that the Boers have placed in po
sition some new guns>and that
the bombardment has been vig
orously conducted during the last
few days. This apparently indi
cates that the Boers do not con
sider their prospects in Natal to
be hopeless.
General Warren seems to have
established himself at Acton
Holmes as an advance point, and,
being fairly behind the Boer po
sition and only twenty miles
from Ladysmith. he ought to be
in a good position to push the
Boers back upon the besieged
city, where General White ought
to have, in spite of the ravages
of disease, 9000 men ready at the
bayonet's point or lance point to
turn the foe off to the north.
This is one of the incidental
disadvantages of General Buller's
movement by the west, that it
throws. the Boers back on the
railway, the line of communica
tion to the Transvaal. This line
is studded with fine positions that
can be turned only from the east.
It may be part of the role as
signed to General White's forces
to prevent such a movement in
the direction of Helpmakaar and
Dundee.
RIDGE AFTER RIDGE
TAKEN BY BRITISH
[Special cable to th? New York Herald. Copy
rlßht. 190). by James Gordon Bennett Re
publlration of this dispatch Is prohibited
All rights reserved in the United States and
Great Hrltaln.J
LONDON, Jan. 22.— These advices from
its special correspondent are published in
the Daily Telegraph: ...
SPEARMANS CAMP. Saturday even
ing, Jan. 20.— That portion of General Bul
ler's forces which is under the command
of General Warren has fought a deliber
ately planned and successful battle. This
important engagement took place on the
west of SDlon ivod and has practically
resulted in our securing a rough table
land which constitutes the key to the
Boer position.
After a fierce cannonade had been di
rected against the enemy's lines for some
time, the British troops assembled near
an eminence known as Three Tree Hill,
which forms the center of a semi-circle
of crests, crowned with the enemy's
works, which are some six miles long.
Steadily and with great dash the Brit
ish infantry went forward in the face of
a heavy fusillade from Mauser rifles. Our
troops were disposed as follows: Wood
gate's brigade on the right. Hart's bri
gade in the center and Hildyard's brigade
en the loft.
Soon after midday the battle on the
hills became furious. From 3 o'clock In
the afternoon until 6 o'clock the fire of
both cannon and rifles was extremely
heavy. Point after point of the enemy's
positions was seized by the British troops.
Eventually the Boer right broke and was
forced hack toward Spion Kop. Our force
is bivouacking upon the ground they have
captured.
During the fighting to-day the enemy
brought Into action a few guns, one of
which was a quick-fire.
To-morrow ought to settle the matter.
In to-day's fighting our losses were tri
fling, but the Boers suffered severely.
While General Warren was fighting his
engagement an effectual demonstration
was proceeding at Potgieters Drift, the
enemy's positions near there being shelled
vigorously by the Britisn batteries.
During last night there was occasional
firing and this morning a heavy bombard
ment waa opened on the Boers from. -the
THREE HUNDRED BRITISH
WOUNDED ON SATURDAY
LONDON, Jan. 21.— The War Office has
posted this dispatch from General Bul
ler, dated January 21, 10 a. m.:
"The following were wounded in the
action near Ventors Spruit yesterday ; -
"Officers— Staff, Colonel B. Hamilton
and Major C. McGregor ; Second Lanca
shire Fusileers, Captain R. B. Blunt and
Second Lieutenants M. C. Crostan and E.
J. Barrett; First Border Rifles, Captain
C. D. Vaughn and Second Lieutenant
Musier; First York and Lancashires, Sec
ond Lieutenant A, H. Kierry; Second Fusil
eers, Captain C. A. Hensley (since dead)
and Major F, English; Second Gordons,
Second Lieutenant P. D. Stewart and
279 non-commissioned officers and men. "
British batteries at this place. At the
same time the guns of Warren's force
were heard.- .. .
Four more Boer prisoners, who are
slightly wounded, have been brought into
camp, making' the total so far captured
twenty-three.
FIGHTING THUS FAR AN
AFFAIR OF OUTPOSTS
LONDON, Jan. 21.— One : account of
Saturday's fighting says that the British
had- few' killed. Little reliance can be
placed upon these reports', and, although
the main position of the Boers has not
been attacked and nothing is known as
to its strength. Saturday's and" Sunday's
lighting, which can hardly be described
as more than outpost affairs, evidently
entailed serious losses.
The Beers are following their old-time
tactics— making. a show of resistance and
then retreating in good order to- pre
pared positions, and, as they are working
from the interior of their lines, they may
be able to bring strong forces to defend
the main position.
Nothing is heard regarding any counter
attack by Sir George White from Lady
smith, and General Buller's "I think we
are making substantial progress" re
mains the last word. This shows that
there is still some very hard work in front
of the British forces.
The Times has the following, dated Sun
day evening, from Spearmans Camp.
"All yesterday and to-day General War
ren has been attacking the Boers. Their
position is a long ridge four miles north
west of Richards Drift, ascending from
the river. At dawn on Saturday our
guns occupied a kopje on the east of the
range.
"The enemy's defenses were chiefly
stone sandgars extending forward and
right along the spur, making the posi
tion semi-circular. At 11 o'clock General
Hart's brigade advanced on the left,
along a rocky, uneven spur, into the semi
circle until he could lire from three direc
tions. Taking advantage of all possible
cover the troops advanced to a point
within 500 yards of the enemy's right
wing, but they did not advance beyond
the edge of the cover. There they re
mained until dark and bivouacked.
"In addition to Maxim-Nordenfeldts
the enemy fired shrapnel captured at
Colenso. Their fire was intermittent, and
was always temporarily silenced by our
masked batteries. At night the enemy's
right wing evacuated its position."
A despatch to the Daily News from
Potgieters Drift, dated Friday, January
19, says: ' -:/;;:,'
"The spirits of. the troops are greatly
raised by, the conviction that General Bul
ler now has a thorough grasp on the situ
ation. -As the force has left, the railway
transport difficulties are being experi
enced. The rivers are often flooded, and
what were a short time ago trickling
streams are now deep torrents.
"The scenes at the drift 3 cannot easily
bo forgotten. One sees a perfect pande
monium of ox wagons. Sometimes thirty
oxen are yoked: to a single wagon, and
the drivers make,, a veritable babel of
noise, shouting in Dutch, English and
Zulu. They, brandish their long whips,
and occasionally an upset stops a. whole
train. At another point or time half a
regiment will- drag a cart and Its mules
up the river ' bank by main force. The
traction engines looked promising at first,
but since Chieveley I have seen nothing 1
of them."
The Durban corresuondent of the Stand
ard sends the' following:
"It is reported that ten volunteer
stretcher-bearers, on their arrival at the
front, walked deliberately across into the
Boer lines. The same thing happened at
the battle of Colenso. It is presumed that
they were .spies who had succeeded in en
rolling themselves in the ambulance
corps. It is asserted that the Boers dese
crated the convent church at Newcastle
in an indescribable manner."
BURIAL OF STEVENS,
CALL CORRESPONDENT
[Special Cable to the New York Herald. Copy
right. 19' A by James GonJon Bennett. Re
publleatlon of this dispatch I* prohibited.
All rights reserved in the United States and
Great Britain.]
LONDON, Jan. 22.— This dispatch from
its special correspondent is published by
the Daily Moil.
LADYSMITH, via Zwartz Kop, Satur
day, Jan. 20. — At midnight on Monday we
buried Stevens In the Ladysmith Ceme
tery. The night was very dark, but the
Boer searchlight on Umbulwana played
on the mourners who followed Stevena"
body to the grave, adding a deep solem
nity to the scene. There were many peo
ple present, including a number of ofll
cers.
LATEST LIST OF THE
LADYSMITH LOSSES
LONDON, Jan. 21.— A third supplement
ary list of the British casualties in the
attack upon Ladysmith. January 6, was
published by the War Offloe to-da>v It
shows twenty-eight non-commissioned
officers and men killed and five danger
ously wounded. This brings the total of
casualties in that engagement to 4SS.
? .
RETREAT OF THE BOERS
BEFORE WARREN'S MEN
DURBAN. Jan. 21.— The Natal Adver
tiser has the following from Spearmans
Camp, dated yesterday: , '.
"General Warren's column attacked a
Boer position on the northern ridge
at Spionkop. -'A heavy bombardment by a
field battery preceded the advance. The
Boers eventually replied with two guns,
several machine guns and rifles. The Brit
ish responded similarly,, and longr-range
firing became general and lasted until
dark. .
"General Hildyard drew the Boers from
DAVIS MAY
BEAR A NOTE
TO KRUGER
London Officials Pondering Over
the Probable Mission of the
American Sent to
Pretoria.
LOURENZO MARQUEZ, Jan. 21.-Web
ster Davis. United States Assistant Secre
tary of the Interior, arrived here to-day
on his way to Pretoria, and called upon
the Governor General. John Alvaro Da
costa Ferreira, who gave him a most
courteous reception and requested him to
convey a message of special friendship to
President McKinley. The Transvaal Gov
ernment has informed Mr. Davis th.it
President Kruger's carriage will convey
him to Pretoria.
LONDON, Jan. 21.— The publication of
the fact that President Kruger is sending
a private car to take Webster Davis from
Lourenzo Marquez to Pretoria is causing
considerable speculation here as to wheth
er Mr. Davis, notwithstanding the dental
from Washington, has not some sort of
official mission. It is thought rather sin
gular that a simple traveler, even though
an official at home, should receive so
much attention. The subject is agitating
the Continental papers, which are inquir
ing through the London representatives
whether the British Government has In
formation with regard to the. object of
Mr. Davis" \isit. They are reluctant to
believe that one of President McKinl*y'q
assistant secretaries would take a vaca
tion in the Transvaal and be given leave
of absence from his duties for' several
months without some special purpose.
A recent dispatch from Washington
pointed out that Mr. Davis had "given up
his proposed visit to the Transvaal owing
to the possibility that It might be misin
terpreted.
?
CONJECTURE AROUSED
BY MACRUM'S RETURN
ROME. Jan. 21.— Charles F. Maerum,
former United States Consul at Pretoria,
who arrived here yesterday, left to-day
for Paris. Mr. Easton of the Washington
Post, who accompanied Mr. Macnim,
said In the course of an interview at Na
ples that the Boers know they must ulti
mately be defeated, but are determined to
resist to the last. He praises the Rotr
tactics and expresses admiration for the
bravery of both armies.
PARIS, Jan. 22.— The Matin, referring
to the arrival of Mr. Maerum In Europe,
says the object of his mission is xnyste-
CANAL BILL
WILL PASS AT
THIS SESSION
Poll of Congress Shows That
It Has an Overwhelming
Majority.
CAREFUL CANVASS
OF BOTH HOUSES
Hepburn's Measure to Be Put
: Through Without Awaiting tha
Walker Commission's
Report.
Special Dispatch to The Can.
CALL. HEADQUARTERS. TTETy
LINGTOX HOTEL. WASHING
TON, Jan. 21.— The Call has made
a canvass of Senators and Repre
sentatives with the object of ascer
taining their views on the Nicara
gua canal. Following is the result:
In favor of action this session-
Senators 62, Representatives 254.
Total 316.
In favor cf delay — Senators 1, Bep
resentatives 29. Total 30.
Non-committal or not canvassed —
Senators 23, Representatives 67.
Total 90.
The Hepburn-Morgan bill will b© passol
during the present session of Congress. It
Is on the legislative programme for early
consideration In both houses. Speaker
Henderson is in favor of the bill and of
prompt action. Senator Frye. President
pro tempore of the Senate. want 3 action
by the Senate and expresses the belief
that the bill will be passed at an early
date. The measure will receive tho ap
proval of the President.
There Is an overwhelming 1 majority In
both houses of Congress in favor of the
pending- bill and In favor of passing it
without waiting for the report of tha
Walker commission. These statements
are fully warranted by a careful canvass
of the two houses mado by The Call. It
is apparent from the roll here given tfcat
only the presentation of some strong" ar
gument for delay now unforseen by th©
leaders can change the programme.
These are the Senators who have ex
pressed themselves in favor of tha passage
of the canal bill at this session:
Allison. Allen. Bacon. Baiter. Bate. Berry.
BeverWge, Burrows, Butler, Chllton. Clark
(Montana). Clark (Wyoming). Clay. Cockrell.
Culberson, E«nSel. Davis. D«pew. Elkina. Fair
banks, Foraker. Foster. Frye. H&nna. Hana
brough. HarrU, Hawley. Ileitfleld, Jones (Ar
kansas). Jones (Nevada). Kean. Ker.ney. Kyl«.
Lindsay. Lodge. Mcßrlde. McEnery, McLaurin.
Mallory. Martin. Money. Morgan. Nelson. Per
kins. Pettus. Platt (Connecticut), P'.att (New
York). Pritchard. Rawlin»» Scott. SeweH, Si
mon, Stewart. Sullivan. TallaTerro. I>:>r.
Thurston. Tlllmaa, Turley, Turner. "West, War
ren.
Those who have not tnade tip their
mind 3 on tha subject and with whom.
Judging from their talk, it Is Immaterial
whether there is action at this session or
not, are:
Aldrlch, Carter, Chandler. Culloni. Debo<*.
Galllser. Gear. Hale, Hoar. McComas, Mo-
Cumber. McMillan. Mason. Penroae. Pett!
rrew. Proctor. Quarles. Ross. Shoup. Spooner.
Welltncton. Wetmor*. Walcott-
The only Senator pronounced In Ills
opposition to the bill is Cattery of Loui
siana.
The following Representatives are In
favor of action on the bill at this ses
sion:
Acheson, Adams, Adamson. Allen (Maine).
Allen (Mississippi). Atwater. Bailey (Kansas).
Bailey tTexas). Ball. Bankhead. Barber. Bar
ham. Bartholdt. Bartlett. Bellamy. Berry.
Blnrham. Bishop. BowersocV. Bradley Ofevr
lork) Brantley (Georgia). Ereazeaie. Brenner.
Brewer. Bromwell. Broslus. Brcussard. Brown.
Brownlow. Brundldge. Burke (Texas). Burkett.
Burlelgh, Burleson. Burnett. Ca'.derhead. Cald
¦w«ll Carmack. Catchln?s. Chickertas. Clayton
.\labama). Clayton (New York). Cochran.
Cocbrane. Ccnnell. Cooper (Texas). Corliss. Cox.
Cr-wford Crowley. Crump. Cruapacker. Cum
mlngs Curtis. Cusack. Daliell. Samuel Daven
oort Stanley Paver.port. Davis. Dayton.
D« 'craffenreM. De Vries. Dick. Dinamor^.
Dovener. Drills. Drlscoll. Eddy Elliott En,»r
son Epes. Finley, Fitzgerald (Massachusetts.,
Fitzgerald (New York). Flemir.*. Fonlney.
Foster Fowler. Fox. Freer. Games. Gnrdn*r
fMlchlican). Gardner (New Jersey). Gaston.
SSST GUI. GU.et .New York). GlHm
(Massachusetts). Gordon. Graff. Graham.
Green. Greene. Grtgss. Grosvenor. Grout. Grow.
SAN FRANCISCO, MONDAY, JANUARY 22, 1900.
PRICE FIVE CENTS.
VOLUME LXXXYH-XO. 53.
BRITONS AND BOERS BATTLE
ON THE ROAD TO LADYSMITH
THROUGHOUT THE SABBATH
The San Francisco Call
In the British Territory
Annexed by the Boers.