The Iola register., 1900-02-09
MONDAY REPORT

London, Feb. 5.--Although there is
no actual confirmation of the report
that Gen. Butler has recrossed the
Tugela on third desperate attempt to
relieve Ladysmith, il is known that
the war Office has received several
South African dispatches which have
not yet been published, and, If the
advance is an actual fact, the Secret
is being well kept.
There are newspaper dispatches in
plenty from Spearman's camp up to
Sunday, but there is no hint that an
advance had been begun and it is
assumed in some quarters here that
Lord Dundonald's reconnaissance i'm
the district of lIonger's poort may
be the only foundation for the state
ment that Gen. Butler had started.
On the other hand dispatches from
Ladysmith rather indicate that the
advance is in operation by reported
heavy firing on Friday and Saturday
from the directions of Potgieter's
drift and Colenso.
A dispatch to the Daily Chronicle
from Ladysmith, dated yesterday
says: "a report has reached MS that
one brigade has crossed the Tugela."
The reports that the Beers are re-
concentrating around Ladysmith are
also an indication that preparations
are being made to resist Gen. Butler,
or for an attempt at reattack upon
the garrison in anticipation of his
advance. The fact, however. that no
4
terday's date, either from Ladysmith
or Spearman's camp. might be inter
preted to mean either that the at
tempt had failed or that Gen. Butler
had merely made a demonstration
on Friday or Saturday.
Various rumors are current. One
says that Gen. Butler is again attack
ing Spion kop from the side of Gen.
Lyttleton's camp. Another is that he
received information from the owner
of Spion kop farm and crossed by
fords further west than richards
drift The military authorities in
London think il more likely that the
crossing would be made east of
Zwart's kop. Speculation, however, is
useless. The public can only wait in
patience and it may be said also, in
trepidation. Nor is the feeling of
anxiety much relieved by the possi-
bility that Gen. Butler has been con-
siderably reinforced since the disaster
at Spion kop.
Spencer Wilkinron's Prediction.
London, Feb. 5.-Spencer Wilkinson
in the Morning Post to-day predicts
that the war will end rightly in spite
of all bungling. He says: when
Lord Roberts is ready for the advance
a new complexion will be put on the
campaign. There will be a stragetical
idea, and as this idea gradually re-
veals itself what seemed an ineXtric-
able tangle of difficulties will in time
present itself as a comparatively sim
pie problem" Then at great length,
Mr.. Wilkinson proceeds to criticise
1.-THE great blunders of policy, strategy
and tactics TO which all the disasters
are directly attributable" lie says:
"The first mistake consisted in not
making the war preparations ade-
quate to the policy to be pursued and
in sending Sir George White to
Ladysmith with an army too small to
hold Natal. The second was the mis-
take in dispensing instead of con
centrating Gen. Buffers forces. The
third consisted of the attempts to
force prepared positions like Colen-
so. Something else IS due 10 the i'm
perfect peace training, which has al.
lowed army manoeuvers in which
crowds of men have fired at similar
crowds with blank cartridges in the
open at 300 yards distance. Thos,
mistakes, instead of being repeated,
will be valuable lessons for the fu.
ture."
Messages Exchanged with Ladvsmith,
London, Feb. 5.-The Daily Tcle
graph has the following dispatch from
Spearman's camp dated Sunday even
ing: Messages are now freely eX-
changed between .-- camps of Gen.
Butler and Gen. White-by night with
calcium lamp, by day with heliograph.
The men here are enthusiastic at the
prospect of speedy advance under
Gen. Buffers instructions. \ very
large convoy with stores for the be-
sieged garrison at Ladysmith will ac-
company the relieving force. The
ioers have repaired ,ne road bridge
over the Tugela at Colenso sufficiently
for the passage of cavalry.
All Staked an uhe COming Battle.
London, Dec. 5.-Winston Churchill,
in dispatch from Spearman's camp,
dated Saturday, February 3, says:
"T'he belief is general that all will
be staked on the issue of the coming
battle. 1t is probable that no press
kilograms win be permitted ts leave
pending the operations
The Road to LSdySmith Secured.
London, Feb. 5.--rhe Pietermaritz-
burg correspondent of the Daily
Mail, telegraphing yesterday, says:
"Gen. Butler has undoubtedly secured
the road to Laysmith and should reach
his objective this week"