The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-02-06

LONDON, Feb. 6, 4 a m-Military opin-
ion in London continues to assume. from
very slender materials. that Gen. Butler
is again throwing his army against the
Boer forces. A retired general, Sir Will
liam Henry Green, whose distinguished
career gives weight to his opinion. thinks
that Gen. Butler with 5000 is making a
wide detour to the west and north In or
der to avoid the roughest places OF the
country. AS Gen. Butler must have
thousands of wagons, Sir William Green
points out that his advance would neces-
sarily be slow.
No authentic word Is at hand save that
the war office reaffirmed orally TO news
paper inquirers at late hour that It
could not confirm the reported advance.
There the Natal situation rests.
Large Operations Beginning.
II is from the western field that more
definite statements come. Large opera
tions are apparently TO begin. Gen.
French. who has now returned 10 Rens-
berg from his conference with Lord Rob-
erts. has sent what is described as an
overwhelming force OF infantry to seize
Norvals point. That Is where the rail-
way before II was destroyed crossed the
Orange river. and connected with the
Free State trunk line 10 Bioemfontein.
Boers at CoIesbarG I'm Danger.
Noevals point Is nineteen miles north
OF Colesburg and twenty-five miles from
Cen. Frsnch's headquarters At Rensberg.
The Beers at Colesburg have been in dam
ger of being surrounded by the largely
reinforced and extending lines of the
British. An occupation OF Norvals point
in force would presumably render Coles
burg untenable.
Boers Gathering In Force.
The Beers are showing great activity in
the Nauwpoort and Colesburg districts.
Many of the guns hitherto facing Lord
Methuen are believed 20 have gone 10
Norvals point. The British therefore may
find formidable bodies OF Beers there.
More Transports GOING.
The war office announces that fifteen
transports will be dispatched between to-
day and Monday with 1900 troops
sir Alfred Miner in letter written
three weeks ago to the former lord mayor
Of Belfast said the war would last three
or four months longer.
News From Butler shut on.
The censorship seems to have compIete-
ly shut down the correspondents at Spear
mans camp. No dispatch from that point
appears in this mornings papers. and
nothing has been allowed 10 issue since
Sunday evening.
Promises Hard Fighting.
A dispatch to the Times from Queens
town, Cape Colony. dated Monday. says;
atme
the regiments OF the colonial division on
parade yesterday said they were leaving
the next morning for the front. not to
return. he hoped until the task intrusi-
ed TO him BY Lord Roberts had been sue
oessfuliy accomplished. He could not dis
close the plan OF operations. but n his in-
tentions were carried out the greatest
glutton of nEhtlng among them would
have his IN
News of nmiier's Move Diseredited.
A correspondent Of the Associated Press
learns from official sources that absolute
~ no confirmation has been received by
the war Office % the report that Butler
has recrossed the Tug0ia river and 10
marching on I4adysmith. on the con-
frary. according to Information Of the
war offgte az the present moment. there
Is every Indication that things are quiet
AZ the front, and that no Immediate
movement 10 anticipated.
only rractie~ with the eaas.
Regarding dispatches from Labyrinth
saying Buffers guns had been heard
there. Il Is surmise3 thas some practice
may have aesa going on with the new
batteries which have just reached ths
front. The war Office statement that Il
has received no confirmation OK the rspors
that Butler has recrussed the TSsgela riv-
er has fzGlea 10 shake the Fnhs!c heaef tnat
operations sf tremendous Importance are
proceeding az Tage.a. and lt Is thought
that either the denial was prompted by a
dcslrs 20 keep military movements as he-
eret as possible until something Is ac-
complishea Or that Baaer u keeping the
home once Ia the dark pending Results
Hard to Get the Truth.
II Is ohv.ouslY extremely dlfflcu.t to er-
tract the truth from the eonficf9nE state
Tasnts regarding Buffers movements. bat
most Of the commentators agree that tho
x.x, o, the items tends 20 confirm the BE-
Nef that movements of importance are in
progress II Is true the correspondents
at Buffers headquarters convey the i'm
precision mat his Esain force Is still south
Continued Oh Page Two.