Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1900-02-09
STILL FIGHTING
Butler Supposedly Continuing His
Effort to Reach General
White.
News of His Success or Failure
Awaited With Greatest
Anxiety.
At Last Accounts He Was Hold
ing His Own---Casualties Upto
Tuesday Noon 23S.

| AIS 1lAC NA---COSudU1 U1ClCo " II W
Tuesday Noon 25S.
LONDON, Feb. "a cable dispatch
received in this city from Spearman's
camp under Thursdays date says:
"Buller holds his position. Relief is
certain.'
LONDON, Feb. 9.-1:13 p. m.-Gen-
eral Butler has cabled to the war Office
that the approximate British casualties
in the fighting at Potgeiter's drift up to
noon Tuesday are: Officers, 2 killed and
Is wounded; noncommissioned officers
and men, 216 killed and wounded.
The officers killed were Major John
son-Smyth and Lieutenant Shafto, both
of the Durham light infantry.
The officers wounded include Colonel
Ftzgereld Of the Durham light infantry
and Colonel A. j. Montgomery of the
Royal artillery and Lieutenant Sir T.
A. A. Cunninghame of the rifle brigade.
LONDON, Feb. 9.-2:15 p. m.-Pre-
sumably General Butler is still fighting
in his third attempt to relieve Lady
smith and news Of the greatest import
ance may arrive at any movement. Yet
here there is more doubt than exulta-
ton, for, even if the recollection of Gen.
eral Buffers two disastrous failures
after auspicious starts were not keen in
the minds of the public, the list of cas-
ualties published would be sufficient
reminder of the tremendous difficulties
of his task. His occupation Of Vaal
Krantz, the key to the lower ridges,
while praiseworth and gallant achiev-
ment, by no means signifies that he and
General White will inevitably join
hands. Before General Butler there are
several days of hard fighting, and any
attempt to forecast the result would be
valueless. If based on precedent, which
can hardly be done in warfare, it would
be bound to be in favor of the Beers,
for, apparently, the conditions have not
materially altered since the last fruit
less attempt. On the other hand, the
British troops are smarting under de-
feat and will undoubtedly be moved to
more desperate efforts than ever before,
and if furious gallantry can carry Gen
eral Butler over the kopjes that face
him, Ladysmith will be relieved within
q week. But so far, British bravery has
been, in the main, woefully misguided.
1t is more than likely that General
Barton at Chiveley may be strong
enough to advance on the Tugela and
render valuable assistance from the
southeast, while the beleagured garrison
itself according to the latest dispatches
should be able to create a~potential di-
version when General Butler has over
come the initial difficulties which lie in
the kopjes Immediately north Of the
Tugela.
The Modder River District.
Turning from the transcendant inter-
est in Ladysmith, the whole war area
presents scene of important activity.
The Boer attack on General Gatacre's
forces reported Feb. fizzled out, the
artillery Of the burghers, after shelling
the camp, retiring upon the arrival Of
British reinforcements. The affair
scarcely warrants being called slzir-
mish. The British casualties were one
killed and four men wounded
| The latest advices from Sterkstroom
announce that General Gatacre's cav
airy is in pursuit Of the Beers. While
nothing has resulted from this af-
fair it indicates that the burghers
are fully alive to the Importance of the
concentration which is on the verge Of
occurring between the forces of Gen
erals Gatacre, Kelly Kenny and French,
and they do not hesitate to take the ag-
gressive against established positions in
an attempt to thwart, though it is be-
ieved that a sufficiently large body of
troops will soon be massed at Colesberg
to ensure the unopposed advance of the
invading army when it is ready to start.
That it is not prepared for this move at
present, and that all this activity is
merely preliminary to what is known as
Field Marshal Lord Roberts main
movement, is evidenced by dispatch
from Cape Town, under date of Feb. Z,
announcing that the director of trans
port was advertising for wagons and
drivers. Without these it would be
hopeless to think Of carrying on the in
yasion and it must be d month more be-
fore they are ready. Another prelimin-
ary is that General Roberts has only
Just sanctioned the formation Of the
new colonial yeomanry consisting Of a
troop Of 100 men for each district of the
colony, to protect the loyal farmers.
This force viii be oficered from among
the local yeolnen.
Opinion is divided as to whetkes