Show GRIP IsFIRi Censor Does not Permit i Aoytliiog to Be B Sent from Natal r ALL RUMOBS HELD UP How Military Experts Regard I I this Silence NO DECISIVE BLOW STRUCK British War Office Has Issued Order for Formation of Five New Batteries Bat-teries Seventeen More Militia Battalions Bat-talions will be Embarked in Course of a Fortnight All the Regulars Now Out of Country Except Four I Battalions of Infantry and Eleven I of CavalryAn Order Has Been Placed by John Bull for 32000000 Cartridges in CasesAn Order Has Been Issued Countermanding the Departure of a Number of Officers from Egypt who were Previously Ordered to South Africa London Jan 17Een rumors arc no longer telegraphed from Natal The conclusion deducted from this silence by the military experts Is that no decisive de-cisive blow has been struck either way as in such an event there would be no necessity for silence The South Africa concllation committee com-mittee quietly formed to represent the peace minority announces itself to the country today and asks for support Among the members are Lord and Lady Colcrldgtj Herbert Spencer Sir Robert ThreshleReid George John Shaw Lefevre Frederic Harrison Stephen Gladstone the Countess of Carlisle and other notable persons Leonard Courtney Court-ney Unionist mom bel of Parliament for the Bodmin division of Cornwall Is president of the committee NO STOP WAR MOVE This movement should be distinguished distin-guished from the Stop the War group of extremists of which William T Stead is the most active member Its I programme summarised is to wait until a proper opportunity arises forBorne for-Borne peaceable settlement Meanwhile it will gather and distribute correct information and sound views The manifesto affirms that As thc war was begun amid misunderstandings on both sides a pacific settlement Is possible There is no Indication that such an arrangement would be tolerated by any considerable portion of the public National Na-tional emotion Is now In a state of disquietude dis-quietude over the reverses to British arms dissatisfaction with the conduct of the military is Intense and there Is an almost universal determination to see thc thing through TO FORM NEW BATTERIES J The War olllce has Issued orders for the formation of five new batteries Some Idea of the extent of the artillery resources to be drawn upon may be gained from the fact according to the statement of a military expert this morning that an old practice howitzer at Lydcl in Kent with which it Is impossible Im-possible to do accurate shooting but which for some time has been solely used to test shells has been laid under requisition for thc front Orders have been received at Lydd to pack this venerable ven-erable relic with a < much despatch aa possible for embarkation Seventeen HOle militia battalions will be embarked In the course of a fortnight fort-night All the regulars arc now out of tho country except fourteen infantry battalions and eleven cavalry battalions I battal-ions The Val office has placed an order I for 2000000 cartridges In cases MANY APPLICANTS FOR ENLISTMENT ENLIST-MENT The Yeomanry committee announces that it has accepted 5000 out o the 10000 which It wishes to raise and sllll has 20000 applicants to be examined The Dally Chronicle asserts that the committee was goaded Into this statement state-ment by the reports that there was no hope of gelling thc full number The War office has wired to countermand counter-mand the departure from Egypt of a number of officers wh9 were previously ordered to South Africa The Dally Chronicle commenting upon this and upon other news related to It says There are some curious reports In circulation cir-culation apparently with some authority author-ity behind themwhich point lo the stoppage of the despatch of further reinforcements when the troops now mobilized shall have embarked The new cavalry brigade Is not to leave England at present AUTHORTIES CLASH The military and civil authorities at the Cape are In conflict over the treason rases A dlspatch to the Dally Mall from Slcrkatroomi says on this point Kcokomons and Nel two Dutchmen who were tried by court martial during Christmas week with Gen Bullers sanction were committed on January 12th for civil trial the courtmarllal proceedings having been stopped by the Intervention of the At torneyGeneral of Cape Colony |