, 1900-02-14
THE WAR SITUATION
HARD FIGHTING FOR TWO DAYS
REPORTED NEAR COLEsBERG,
AND ENGLISH WITHDRAW.
News From the Front Creates al I'm
pleasant Impression in London
Boer Mastery of the District Has
Caused the Spread of Instruction

London, Feb. IA dispatch to the
Daily Mail from Rensburg, dated yes
terday, says:
There has been hard fighting for
two days near Colesberg, the Beers
making renuo efforts to outflank
the British left. The enemy occupies
strong positions from Achtertans
through Potfentein, to a point five
miles south of Jagersfontein.
THE fighting at the outpost camp has
been very severe during the last few
days. Yesterday the Beers attacked
the position of the W~orcesters. to the
southeast of Colesberg. Fighting con-
tinued all day, and after dark it was
necessary to withdraw to Rensburg.
Our losses are not yet known.
"On the left the West Australians,
Wiltshires and Berkshires had hot
fighting, but held their positions
against long odds. The Boer losses
were considerable.
owing to the growing difficulty ex-
%perienced by conveys in reaching the
camps, all of the latter were vacated
last night and the troops withdrew to
Rensburg.
THE Beers are burning the farms OF
the loyalists, but the latter have con-
trived to get away with their stock"
London, Feb. 1.-THE news Of the
day is the enforced retirement of the
British from the Colesberg district, I'M
der heavy Boer pressure and probably
after brisk fighting. Thus, at a time
when Lord Roberts is apparently able
to push an army into the Free, State.
the Beers make a counter stroke In un-
known but seemingly great force. not
far from the vital line Of railway con-
Meeting De Aar and Orange river.
Military observers do not regard this
as more than a menace. Neverthe-
less, the news produces an unpleasant
impression here. General French has
Unanswered the Beers out Of Rensburg
in December. On January l it was re-
ported that he could take Colesberg in
two days with reinforcements. These
we're sent, but the Beers were also REIN
| forced. Since then the British lines
! have been extended east and west, SO
that at the opening Of this week they
constituted a great horseshoe, Is miles
in length. The lines were not continu-
Gus, but all the strong positions were
held.
General French, when he Joined Lord
Roberts, presumably took most OF his
cavalry. General Clements was left
with the infantry to hold the Beers in
check, but Commandant Delaney, with
a double turning movement, has COM
PEELED the British to concentrate at
R%ensburg, beside threatening Lord
Roberts communications.
The Boer mastery of the district has
caused a spread Of the insurrection, but
this, no doubt, will be promptly sup
pressed, as large British forces are
available not far away.
The indications as to General Bull
ler's immediate Intentions are contra
dictory. One informant. who has in
innate relations with the war office.
predicts a movement within the next
day or two. A number of correspond
ents, who have been with General Bull
Ter, have gone to Durham for q few
days rest, under the impression that
nothing is to be done Immediately.
The war office has directed the
Eighth division of 10000 men to pre-
pare to 90 out.
Spencer Wilkinson, in the Morning
Post, discussing the new from Rens-
berg, says:
This intelligence Is the natural price
paid for a blow elsewhere. The con-
centration at Modder river Is apparent
ly accompanied by a weakening of the
force at Colesberg, and Of this the Bo-
ers have taken advantage to assume
the offensive.
Meanwhile it looks as though the
enemy had withdrawn their forces from
M~agersfontein to reinforce those at
Colesberg, where a Boer victory would
threaten the communications between
Cape Town and Moddsr river"
Reviewing the whole campaign, Mr..
Wilkinson says that the type of the
coming operations recall that of the
American civil a
Developing this thought, he remarks:
British strategy must be a crush in
succession each Of the three principal
Boer forces, rear Kimberley, Colesberg
and Stormberg, by bringing against
them greatly superior numbers. Much
depends on what happens In Natal.
General Joubert 10 not likely TO- ahAa-
don his present enterprise against La
dysmith until disaster to the Bosf ar
my compels him.
The opinion that the invasion Of
the Free State will sufice to bring the
| Eroa State trnOna ont Of Natal and will