The sun., 1900-02-09
nv SOUTH AFRICA.

Tho dispatches from Gen. Buffers head.
quartors up 10 Wednesday night left the
British In possession OF Krantz Kloof on tho
road from potgieter's Drift to Ladysm'h, but
their further advance was prevented for tho
moment. az the ground they occupied was en-
laded by the Hrc Of the Bocr guns at spon
kop on tho left rear and by those on
Doom Kloof on the right. The latter.
apparently. should be one Of the principal OBJ
jcctlycs OF tho ncxt lighting. but II, In its turn
Is said to be covered by the guns on Grobe-
lanr's Klooi further to tho eastward and north
OF Coenso; and beyond the line drawn from
Srion Kop through Krantz Kloof and Doom
Kloof TO Grobelaar's Kloof there are whole
series Of intrenchei and fortified positions
Roughly speaking Gen. Buffers operations
appear 10 be FOR the moment. con-
fined TO limited circle described by
tho ridges and hills running from Spion
kop by Brakfonfein and Krnnt2 Kloop. then
turning south to the Tucela. So far, the brunt
OF what fighting tnere has been appears 10
have bccn borne by Gen Lyttelton's brigade.
though mention has been made OF Gen. Wood
cn'e's, and there has been reference 10 Gen.
Hlllyard's brigade The reticencc OF the de-
spatches from the British side and the meagre-
gothcr with the apparently small result, seem
to explain the comparatively little importance
that Gen, Schalck Burger. in his despatch OF
Tuesday. attached to what had taken place
M to then.
Now that Gen. Butler has unfodel his plan
the Beers will be adapting their tactics to tho
new conditions with their customary CELEBRITY
II was evidently with an insight int o the proba.
bility OF n British advance by the road which
Gen. Butler has selected that the Beers hnve
constructed the batteries they have on tho
ridges and hills between Nethorpc sta.
ton. on the railway above Colen-o,
and Lancer lIl whore there is an in.
tronched Boer lager nine miles to tho
westward. Another line OF intrcnc chments
and batteries runs north from Lancer Hill to
Potgicters Farm. Thesn works are obviously
intended to oppose a sortie in aid OF an advance
from the southwest. The intermediate inter-
val is bound TO be the scene Of severe fighting
before Gen. Butler relieves Ladysmith, which,
though the Boer resistance may be stubborn.
should be accomplished if he is prepared to
make the sacrifice of life which il will demand.
The British War ONCE does not seem TO re-
gard Gen. Buffers success as an absolute
certainty. as 1t has not yet ventured TO express
more than hope that he will reach Lady
smith
Turning to Sterkstroom. the Boer attack on
Pen Hoek. near that place, and on Birds Siding
on Wednesday morning. does not seem to have
been seriously pressed They are said to have
retired from the latter place on the arrival Of
reGnforcements. and to have been followed 10y
the British cavalry and mounted infantry
toward Dordrecht
n N
enigma We are told that the Beers hold a
position half way on the direct road between
Rensburz and Cocsbcrg and that they shelled
ono Of the British positions on Wednesday an
other statement is to the effect that the
Beers position was sheed for an hour
Yesterday with lyddite shells, and that
their guns had been unusually active
lately. From this It Is evident that the
Beers are not seriously alarmed as yet by the
movements that have been reported from time
10 time with the object OF cutting of their
retrea, by Norvas Pont. The inference is that
Gen. French has not made the progress the
dispatches would lead one to believe,
The dispatches from Modler River contain
no indication Of the motive OF Gen. Mac
donald's occupation OF Koodoesberg AMI
the drift on the Riet River. beyond a hint
that it was intended to screen movement
from Belmont toward Douglas. where there
are still some Beers The truth probably lies
in another direction, for Gen. Macdonald's cav
airy reconnoisSances are said to have quite
failed to get the Beers to show their strength
and expose their positions In his front.
Meanwhile. the Modder Camp outposts
report that the Beers are pushing
their intrenchments into the oren plain in
t. 8 q tnsn nxlF.
River 1t is not believed that there Is any
truth In the reports recently put about, that a
large force had been detached from Gen.
Cronle's command TO reinforce the Free State
troops az Colrsberg