Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-01-19
OPENING OF THE BATTLE.
First skirmish of Long Expected
Battie on Turcln.


London, Jan 1a.-Buller telegraphed
the war Office from spearman's Camp
last evening as follows: Lord Dundon-
aid. With a body OF mounted troops,
came into action his afternoon With the
Beers west of Acton Homes. After the
fight he occupied several llopjes, Which
he is still holding. Field Cornet He'll
brun and twenty burghers Mere killed,
and fifteen prisoners taken. Two Brit
ish soldiers We're killed and two wound
ed"
AS to Gen. Ruilcr's future moves. all IS
guesswork. The Beers occupy the kop5ss
in front OF Butler i'll force and they have
strong position on Arnot Hill farm,
some six miles from the drift. This po-
stioY, is open TO turning by the West,
which would cut 1t off from the Orange.
Free State passes. and by the east also
II the garrisonsof Ladyslnith could MAKE
strong movement against the eneniy's
other position by 0nderbresk and
Grobelar's kloof. Butler has Two drifts
in his hands, which gives MIN great ma
neuyering power.
Holding Coienso in front bv bridge,
having the right protected b, his rail-
way line and Frere guarded by diNls-
ional troops, With enough mon left In
the trenches 1t the drifts. he Mould have
for maneuverng purposes besides cav
airy. artillery and mounted infant-y.
about twenty battalions of infantry,
There would be two brigades, eight bat
tal.ons, with batteries and naval guns
to make II good advance and fight The
Beers If needed on their southern front.
There would be some twelve battalioas,
two cavalry regiments, Irregular horse
and field batteries under Warren to
work away to the West. may be 70 DeW'-
drop or Acton Homes. or farther 10 the
west. by Rustenberg Farm
1t is not though, he Will attempt te
force the passes. They are fortified and
Beers have iive if not six, lines of com
iliiiii...tioti7 ns,inti.. Is ,iie trires ptin-
cipal Orange Free State passes, by rail-
way thru charlestoWn and By
I.andsman's drift from Nryhoid. Gen
Warren Will probably Work il 50 as te
give the Beers no idea whether he !.
making for the Orange Free State pass
es or for Ladysmith. Ii he maneuyers
westward he certainly will Draw of
some Beers from their new position
which might help Hildyard or another
near him to take the GolenEo position
and Grobelars kloof position in the rea
and then press on to join hands will
Gen. White at Pieters station. as Whit
will be on the lookout to join In the fra.
both by Pieter's and by Dewtrop.
LEADERS CONFER.
The Daily Mail publishes the follow
ing dispatch from Julian Ralph. Mod
der River. Jan. l7-You will see by TIL
perfunctory reports from this cam
that we made demonstration in con
siderable force last evening As tn
Beers made no reply until we were re
turned. we may regard ii as purely
demonstration by Gen. Methuen, fror
& the fact that not even in South Afric
can the plans of a general be kept Sc
cret The date was Jan. l6. and there
by hangs Il bit of interesting GOSSIP
Both here and in Cape Town the Brit
ish were informed that a fortnight ag
there had been conference betwee
President Kruger and President Steyl
Gen. Cronje and others. President krr
ger complained of the apathy of til
Orange Free S;aters. He said 1t was
fact that large numbers of them wei
deserting.
president Steyn replied that the VIZ
was lasting too long. He said Pres
dent Kruger had promised to be ;
Durham in three days and drive ii
British into Table bay in three week
AS this promise was far from being a
complished the Free Staters were dl
gusted. and he tsseyn) could not prom
ise to hold his people more than
fortnight longer. a
''Krussrs answer No 70 ord