The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1900-01-17

there Is the same dearth Of news, the
same dread that worse may yet be-
tide and the same stern determination
that new disasters. should one CONF,
must have morrow
Amid the muitltudinous theories sci
forth BY the critics there is one 70
which attention may be called at The
outset II 's TO ray the least. as good
a guess as any of the other vacllIa
tlons that are being made IN every
quarter ana Il comes from a man who
has had long and close experience oi
the Boars and their character.
This gentleman's suggestion is that
the myst1y that seems 10 envelop the
Roer's movements may be due TO the
fact that they are quietly retiring
from the, Tugela and other advanced
positious toward the Drakensburg
passes. leaving small bodies behind
them to mask their withdrawal.
He cites the reputed movements Of
commandos with guns from the neigh
borhood % Ladysm.th and the con-
fused reports az 10 the abandonment
of the colenso trenches In support OF
hls theory In the Drakensburg range
the passes arr naturally so strong. and
have besides been so well fortified
that the burghers may well look upon
them as the ancients looked upon
Ttermopolae.
Z Though the withdrawal ls kept Sc
crct the small bodies ere left to mask
the general movement. unhampered
with guns or stores would. acc riding
70 this gentleman have a good chance
II making their way to place Of
safety when the British advance made
their retreat necessary
The reports that coienso ard Grob-
lei's Kloof had been abandoned by the
Boess seem to be opan to doubt, as one
correspondent telegraphs that the
Beers are stlll in colenso. while anoth-
cr quotes statements that the Beers
have mounted another gun at GrOb-
ler's Kloof.
The censor is evidently determined
that nothing shall come through from
nullcr's army until hi. movemen, has
been completed. but although there Is
much that is dubious and uncer, ain
about tie exact situation in Natal the
feeling is growing that General Bull
Iers turning movements are having
real and possibly decisive effect.
The facts that seem well assured
are verified, but such as they are, all
point In the same objection. Butler
has not been heard from since his ar
rival al Potgieter's drift with the enc
my four and half miles In front Of
him II is said that General Warren
has crossed the Tugela. at What point
is not mentioned. and that some OF the
British cavalry are on the north side
OF the river.
The apparent ease with which Bul-
Ter made his way westward and
ciossed the little Tugela leads to tie
natural Inference that Springfield was
not held by that contingent of Beers
with guns which was reported several
days ago to be there. And II both on
theR extreme right at Springfield and
on their extreme left at Klangwand
and Inhlwap mountains. The Beers
were discovered 10 have vacated their
strong positions, It follows that their
linr because OF It's extension over 20
miles was too weak and that prud-
ence dictated concentration, probably
near ondtrbrook Spruit. between
Ladysmith and Colenso.
/ simultaneously menaced on the east
and west they must do one Of two
things, collect their forces behind by
/ strong intrenchments. when they must
be dislodged by assault before Lady
smith can be relieved, or else Joubert
is retreating from Colenso and the
east and will fall upon Buffers col
umn with his whole strength, hoping
to crush him before assistance can
arrive from Warren.
This second alternative seems much
more plausible, for 1t accounts for the
rapll removal If Boer commands
from the immediate neighborhood Of
the river. A good road runs Month
west from Bulwer bridge toward Roo
depoort and Dewdrop past Onderbrook
Spruit. II the Beers availed them
selves Of this route they would inter-
cept Butler ON the march from Pot
gieter's drift northward and compel
him TO accept battle.
IL these suppositions are even ap-
proximately correct there must be
some heavy fighting going on north
west Of Colenso and close 10 Dewdrop
OF which we may receive news at any
moment.
Rom LadySmith there h aao her
considerable list OF deaths by disease,
showing that the garrison is uftering
under the train Of the siege. To what
extent Whites command will be able