The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-02-16
FIERCE WORK ON TUGELA
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obsolete guns at the various coast de-
lenses are being replaced with modern
naval guns. The Government is pre-
pairing plan to be submitted to Par
lament for the conversion of the yeo-
many, volunteers and militia into a
well-organized and properly equipped
army for home defense.
Grounds for Anxiety.
LONDON, Feb. 81 a. Nall the
messages from the observers with Cen
eral Butler throw in a phrase or two
about the strength of the Boer posi-
tions" and the difficulties of General
Buffers work." but they do not carry
events beyond Tuesday evening. Their
last slender narratives leave the Brit
ish advance on Vaal Krantz, in the CEN
ter of semi-circle, where the troops
are exposed to the Boer artillery on
both sides and in the center. The fight
ing continued until Tuesday evening
and almost without doubt continued
Wednesday. as the Beers certainly
would not leave this wedge into their
lines unmolested.
The heaviest fighting appears to have
been on Tuesday. General Buffers 233
casualties are mentioned as having oc-
Cured before noon Tuesday. Large
lists are consequently expected for the
rest of the day. The casualties already
reported bring the total British losses
during the war to 1924 killed, wound
ed and captured. The disposition here
is rather to minimize the importance of
the fighting in Natal and to suggest
that this is only an incident any way
placing hope upon expected decisive en-
gagements in Northern Cape Colony
and upon the invasion of the Free State
by Lord Roberts. At all events, this
is the official view.
In Cape Colony General Macdonald
| has had skirmish with 1000 Beers at
KoodooeSburg. This was on Monday.
| The Beers have been taking the often
siye against General French near Rens-
burg, as well as against General Cat
acre in the Stormberg hills.
Since the war has strained the re-
| sources of the military system, En-
| glishmen have been troubled by the
possibility that sea fighting might show
naval defects which would weaken the
| first line of defense in which the coun-
! try has placed such complete trust.
This apprehension has suddenly found
| expression. During the past two or
| three days, in half the newspapers in
| England, the Governments attention
| has been specially directed to the muz-
| zle-loading guns. Even public men
have been panied to learn that sixteen
| battle-ships and eight armored cruisers
| depend upon muzzle-loaders. This
| means that smaller but faster ships
| with modern guns would be able to stay
| 1000 or 1000 yards out of range and to
| disable, in leisurely fashion, about one
third of the vessels which now appear
in the naval list as first class"
| The Admiralty is understood to be
preparing to remedy this defecL, and to
propose also considerable additions.
that will preserve the present ratio of
Great Britain's naval strength to that
of France and Germany.
The supplementary army statement
to March 31st was laid pro forma before
the House of Commons yesterday, but
| was not made public 1t is reported
that the call is for 100000, 900, which
would make the cost of the war ilp to
that date e30,000,00O. The mainten-
ance of 100000 men at the front. it is
/ estimated, costs between $4,000 OOO
and e10,000,00 per month.
Fighting Grows Fiercer.
| LONDON, Feb. 9.-The Daily Tele-
lgraph has received the following dis
patch, dated Tuesday, February 9th
from Spearman's Camp: This is the
second day of the battle and the fight
ing has been fiercer than it was yes
terday. At dawn the Beers began the
action by Smelling our bivouac with
thelr Long Tom and Pompon guns
from Doom Kloof. Their 6-inch shell:
fell near the spot where General Bull.
Ter and his staff were watching the
engagement. One shell burst amid E
squadron of the Thirteenth Hussars
but not a soul was touched.
Our guns from Zwartzs Kop and OF
the plain soon silenced the enemy's ar
tlllery, but repeatedly the Boer!
Drought back their guns, put them int
work across the hills fired a few
ROUNDS and then again changed thei
position. During the morning ou
gunners succeeded in blowing up tn,
enemys ammunition wagon upol
Doom Kloof. General Lytteltons bri
gade was shot at from three sides. AM
had a warm time upon Wall Krantz.
Desperate efforts were made by tn
Beers to recover the smoking hill. TIL
Durham Light Infantry, the King
Royal Rifles and the Scottish Rifle
calamity charged and cleared the DO
sition. General Hildyard's brigade re
? lieved General Lyttelton's brigade to
ward sunset.
Fighting continued until 9. Seyera
prisoners have been taken. They de
clare that the Beers yesterday los
heavily. The enemy suffered severed
today. 1t is reported that among thei
dead in the trenches armed Kafir
were found.
LONDON, Feb. "a dispatch to tn
Morning Post from Ladysmith, date
Tuesday, February 9Th, says: Littl
can be seen of General Buffers actor
owing to the haze. 1t appears that tn
Beers have withdrawn their big gun
from the hills here southwark.
large force of Beers still remain an
= the garrison is prepared for a night al
tack.
A dispatch to the London Time
= from Spearman's Camp says that whe
1.-The DurhamS reached +bo +o,, of 1Ts.