The evening times., 1900-01-23
BULLER FIGHTING AND SILENT.

The only item of apparent interest IN
our nearly empty Natal budget today is an
incredible report that Lord Dundonald has
made a dash into Ladysmith with sixteen
hundred men. 1t may he that the impos-
sible sometimes happens, as we know the
unexpected always does; but there has
been nothing precedent represented in the
reports of the movements on JOuberts eX-
treme right on the part of Warren, Clery,
and Dundonald to- justify acceptance of
the story. Even If we could consider 1t a
probable one, Dundonald would not nave
the least excuse for moving up to Lazy
smith unless the British left was SWING
ing successfully in that direction lmmedi-
ately on his heels. Since that lett was ut
Acton Homes on Sunday, and its advance
extremely slow and hotly contested, no
reason has been furnished us for believing
that it is or could be beyond Dewdrop,
which might have been reached yesterday
or this morning, always supposing that
the Boer right at Spion Kop had been
crushed, or enveloped and isolated. In the
absence of fresh news We must regard
Dundonald as scouting actively in the area
between Acton Homes, Tintwa Pass, and
Dewdrop, covering Clery's left develop
ment, and watching for signs of Boer
movement toward Van Reenen's and De
Beers passes-as in fact where he ought
to be, on the basis of the dispatches.
After letting up for few days the CEN
sorship is inexorable again; which proba-
bly, means that Sir Redvers Butler intends
to keep the progress of affairs to himself
until decisive point has been gained.
His silence worries London greatly, but
without any well-defined reason. There is
a natural public nervousness in antlclpa-
tion of some possible counter movement
by Joubert which might lead to another
British reverse; but, unless the Boer gen
eral has a great many more men than we
credit him with, he would hardly be IN
position to undertake new adventures be-
yond his present defensive lines To be
sure, if he could catch his adversary nap
ping in the vicinity of ColensO, it might
naturally happen that he should make
break for Buffers right rear and commu-
nications But ii is to be assumed that
the latter has had such possibility IN
view, in planning the advance, and that
there is a strong division posted in po-
sition to meet any movement of the kind.
or course, it will be realized that the far
ther Butler hanks TO the northwest the
longer Joubert must make his line which
must now be twentysiX or twenty-elght
miles long assuming that the defences
east Of Colenso are still maintained, which
we suppose to be matter of course. Jou-
bert would not, except under great stress
of circumstances. open the door for an ad-
vance against his northeastern commit
nications.
To make up for the lack of actual news,
the cable amuses itself with Pietermaritz-
burg and Durham war rumors. We are
treated TO one which tells of a probability
that Butler is only fighting the Boer rear
guard between Potgieter's Drift and Ac-
ton Homes. and that Jouberts main army
is shipping its guns and preparing to raise
the siege of Ladysmith and fall back upon
a new position-perhaps in front oi the
Drakensberg passes. Such a thing might
indeed be true but as yet there is moth
ing better than mere rumor to support
the idea. Until we can hear more in de-
tail of the British movements and dispo-
sitions. and acquire a clearer view than
we can gather from the maps, of geo
graphical and typographical features OF
the area over which the British left Is
moving or trying to move, it will be diff
| fcult to deduce anything beyond conjectu-
raj opinions regarding the game. All we
seem to know at present is that Clery
| holds the Dewdrop Road with Dundonald
scouting out beyond his left, and that
/ Warren is on his right in a line extending
| beyond Potgieter's Drift. II the luck OF
/ the British army" has not deserted it for
! good and all, this situation should have
! been improved yesterday and this morn
| ing. by a further swing Of CIery and Dun
/ donald toward Dewdrop and Walkers
/ Hoek But of the real conditions We are
| likely to be kept in ignorance perhaps for
| another twenty-four hours.
!