27 JANUARY 1900, Page 17

NEWS OF THE WEEK.

THE week has been one of suspense and anxiety. On Wednesday morning the newspapers published an official despatch from General Buller, dated Tuesday evening at 6.20 p.m., stating that an attempt would be made that night to seize Spion Kop, "the salient which forms the left of enemy's position facing Potgeiter's." After that there was silence till nine o'clock on Thursday morning, when the War Office posted up the news that General Warren's troops had occupied Spion Kop on Tuesday night, the small garrison of Boers flying. General Buller's tele- gram went on to state that the enemy attacked us .heavily all Wednesday, but that though oar casualties were considerable, and though General Woodgate was danger- ously wounded—his death has, unfortunately, been reported since—we had been able to hold our own. The despatch ends : " Warren is of opinion that he has rendered the enemy's position untenable. The men splendid?! pn Friday afternoon came, however, the painful news from General Haller that on Wednesday night Warren's garrison had abandoned Spion Kop. Of course this abandonment does not in any sense mean defeat, but it must, we fear, mean delay. Fortunately, however, it seems certain from the latest reports that Ladysmith can hold out for some time longer.