The evening times., 1900-01-06
Listening for Buffers Guns.

Today London is listening in breathless
suspense for news from the Tugela. All
last night men sat up in the military clubs
expecting every minute to hear that Butler
had opened the fight for the relief Of La
dysmiJh. As far as the War Office knew
or would tell, nothing happened. But this
morning there is d hint in the dispatches
from South Africa that serious operations
have begun. II may be only that Butler is
maneuyrng or feiuting preparatory 10 a
movement in force. The English military
writers are working OUT his probable tao
tical plan with much elaboration They
generally agree that he viii clean up the
south bank OF the river before attempting
ing to cross it. This may BE- true, but not
necessarily. The British right is threatened
by a commando heavily entrenched on In
hlawe mountain. In ordinary circumstances
il would be assumed that Butler would con-
slider il necessary TO take and occupy the
position before doing anything else. But,
il his own flank is sufficiently protected
10 make q successful assault from InhlaWs
improbable. be might ignore the mountain
for serious purposes and transact business
on the other end of the line.
The disposition Of the British forces, as
far as we know or can guess them to be,
seems to favor the probability Of q main at
tack on Joubert's extreme right. For topo-
graphical and other reasons. il has always
seemed 10 us that the chances OF reaching
Ladysmith were better in that direction
than to the east On the latter side the
country is terribly difficult, abounding in
defensive positions and with narrow passes.
turning movement from Buffers right,
even if successful at the start you'd not
Immediately bring the attacking column in
touch with Ladysmith, while blow at the
Boer right i successful, would at once
bring Sir Geo rge White, his guns and gar
rison into cooperation with the relieving
column.
The extreme length Of the defence line,
compared with the estimated force at Jou-
bert's command, is an element of weak
ness which Sir Redvers Butler would natu-
rally take into account in his battle plan.
Although it cannot be more than a sur
mise perhaps the operation of this factor
may be detected in the concentration of
Sir Charles Warren's division at Estcourt.
From this point. as the war maps show,
there is a main travelled road northwest,
by Ehnersdale. to Acton Homes, crossing
the Tugela at Zunckle's. which is about
ten miles west OF Springfield, the point as
sumed as the extreme right of the Boer
line. The distance from Estcourt to
Zunckle's approximately is thirty miles. II
Butler could spare a column mobile of, say,
twelve or fifteen thousand men, to strike |
this point beyond Joubert's right, and, at
the same time keep the Beers engaged by |
gun fire at COlenso. and a feint attack at
Inhlawe. the possibilities would seem to be 1
in favor of success, since the farther Bull |
Ter can compel his antagonist to extend his |
wings the less will be the Boer power of |
resistance at intervening points, and the |
less Joubert's superior mobility will count |
The turn at Zunckle's il effected would |
enable Butler to develop the left wing of |
his centre toward Springfield and Zwartz. |
which might become quickly untenabIe for |
Joubert. with Warren on his right and |
rear; and then the British line as re- form
ed would extend from Bethany to Cheveley.
and close enough to Lsdysmith for iuuc-
ton by advance and sortie.
OF course this is merely theory and con-
secture, but the idea is borne out anna /
rently by the movements of Sir Redvers
Butler, preliminary to the advance IT will
surprise us if he does ncE attempt a far