Rock Island Argus

Taking advantage of the dark night, abandoned it to the enemy."

WHAT SPENCER WILKINSON SAYS.
The British Government Will Need 150,000 Men to Defeat the Boers.

London, Jan. 30.—Spencer Wilkinson, in The Morning Post, says: "Defeat is bitter. But it is right to face it and to take reasonable means to turn it into victory. It is wrong to try to conceal it from ourselves. The initiative is now again with the Boer commander and the question is, what will he do next? He will either act against Ladysmith or against General Buller. In the latter case, pursuit would be useless, for when the British force is once across the river again it would be impracticable, as a small rear guard could prevent pursuit. Much more probable would be an attack on Ladysmith before the return of the main body. Either that or a fresh assault on Ladysmith may be recorded in a day or two.

Wilkinson then proceeded to point out the groundlessness of fears that strategic suggestions made in England might be useful to the enemy. He says that the censorship stands in the way of any such benefit to the Boers and that, moreover, if the Boer generals want suggestions they can easily get them from the German press. As such matters are likely to come under the attention of parliament, he discusses at length questions of artillery and the like, concluding as follows:

"The measures now urgently needed are the development of the military resources of the country by the initiative of the government. With 100,000 men in the field and 50,000 to follow, the moment has come to push on the training of all troops left at home and to raise further troops to supply the further needs of the campaign."

GERMAN PRESS COMMENT.
National Zeitung Says Gen. Roberts Must Wait for Reinforcements.

Berlin, Jan. 30—The latest news from South Africa is unfavorably commented upon by the German papers. The National Zeitung says: "The British position around Ladysmith is now untenable. Either Lord Roberts must await reinforcements or remove his strategic center elsewhere, abandoning Ladysmith."

The Lokal Anzeiger says: "The defeat at Spion Kop is likely to become of decisive importance for the whole war."

The Kreuz Zeitung says: "It requires a good piece of British conceit still to believe in an approximately favorable issue of the war, but whom the gods would destroy they first make mad."

The Vossische Zeitung says: "The best prepared and most carefully planned British operation during the war has now ended in complete fiasco. What is there now to prop up the sinking prestige of World Power? To talk about another 100,000 men is rubbish and the few battalions that can be raised will not change the issue of the campaign."

SYMPATHY FOR THE BOERS
Expressed at a Mammoth Pro-Boer Meeting Held in New York.

New York, Jan. 30—A mammoth pro-Boer meeting was held last night in the Grand Central palace. It was called to express American sympathy for the South African republics. Another object was the raising of funds to care for the ill and wounded within the Boer lines. The Grand Central palace was filled to its capacity. The Boer, Free State and American colors were conspicuous in the decorations.

Representative David DeArmond, of Missouri, mentioned some of the reasons why he should sympathize with the Boers. In this connection he said:

"There is no special tongue or particular language that can allay us to tyranny. Liberty is the dream and aspiration, the noblest hope of all who ever dreamed or hoped for advancement. The public burns with impatience that something should be done."

Cincinnati, Jan. 30—The Cincinnati board of legislation last night passed a resolution of sympathy with the cause of the Transvaal Boers and favoring the sending of an American commission to investigate conditions in South Africa.