The sun., 1900-02-10
BRITISH IRE IN RETREAT
Once More They are Forced to
RecrOss the Tugela
Amid Defeat.
MACDONALD DRIVEN BACK
After Some Hot Work at Koodoos-
(. berg Drift General Methuen
Orders the Scotsman's Forces
to Retire Upon the
Modder River.
MACDONALD DRIVEN BACK

London, Feb. "a dispatch from Boer
head laager, Ladysmith, dated Feb. y,
says:
'"rhe British who were in possession of
the kOpje at Molens drift abandoned ii
after bonbardment by Boer cannon
| this morning and retired across the 1uRe- 4
| la river to their former position. des-
ultory cannonade is proceeding at the Tu-
gela this morning, but otherwise every
| thing is quiet"
A dispatch from the same place, dated
| Feb. {, says:
"An armored train yesterday made
sortie from Clieveley toward Colenso
and landed 2,O00 British troops on the
right of the Boer position. The Beers
Immediately crossed the river and made
an attack with rifles and artillery, fore
ing the withdrawal of both the train and
the troops to Chieveley.
THE fighting on the upper Tugela riv-
er lasted until 500 yesterday evening
Particulars are lacking.
"i'ring at both Colenso ana along the
upper Tugea has been proceeding since
5 o'clock this morning"
A dispatch dated Frcro camp, Thurs
day, Feb. s, hut probably written with
the advanced lines Wednesday, Feb. !
and sent to Frcre By runner, says:
THE forces of the enemy are on both
our flanks and continue to render our
position extremely difficult TO maintain"
Defeat For Macdonald.
A dispatch from Koud0osberg drift,
dated Feb s, says:
THE Beers yesterday made deter
mined attempt to drive the British from
a hill commanding the drift Mounting
two Founders at the northern eXtrcm-
ty they shellcd the position intetmit-
tently the whole day. The Seaforth high
anders gained position on the rocky
summit und kept up sustained rifle fire,
but suffered somewhat from the Beers
sheling 4 battery was sent and Sue
ceeded in silencing the Boer fire.
Meanwhile two companies OF the Ar
gyll highlundcrs, advancing along the
plain in u westerly direction. found the
Beers intrcnched ut Il small drift. A
sharp engagement followed, lasting the
whole day.
General Macdonald now only required
sufficient troops in order to completely
surround the Beers. General Babngton
was dispatched from the Modder river
with a large force Of cavalry and two
batteries Of horse artillery, but failed to
reach here, although he started early
enough in ,he day to enable him to get
here early this afternoon. This morning
General Methucn ordered that the COM
bincd force should retire upon the Mod
der river, which movement is now pro-
ceeding. The British losses in the fight
ing on Wednesday were so men killed or
wounded"
Tho dispatch from I<oodoosberg drift
does not say whether General Gabington
finally JOINED General Macdonald, hut the
word combined seems to indicate that
he did SO.
Butler Needs More Men.
Beyond the fact that General Butler
devoted Wednesday to bringing more ar
tillcry and troops across the Tugcla moth
ing is known Of his movements. But that
he badly needed rc-enforcemcnts is cvi-
dent from the Fterc dispatch Ii is still
more patent that il is impossible for
him to advance till the artillery has been
enabled to take up forward positions for
the purpose of suhluing the Boer guns
oil both TANKS. Upon the length Of time
occupied in this operation depends the
duration of General Buller's maintenance
Of the defensive.
Another Frerc camp dispatch says a
Boer prisoner asserts that the burghcrs
expected General Butler to cross at ski
OTIS drift and that thousands of Beers
were being posted ut Dornkloof to oppose
such a passage, while there were only Il
few hundred Iohannesburgers This
tends to increase the anxiety of those
who believe General Butler has scarcely
begun the serious part of his advance,
though encouragement is CLEANED from
the news that the heavy naval guns aft
er repeated attempts. during which the
mules rolled down the hill, have succeed
ed in reaching the summit of Zwarts
kop whence they are doing excellent
practice.
General Hector Macdonald's retirement
from Koodoosberg has created disap-
pointment. But the operation was ap-
parently only intended as a sortie aud
its success or failure could scarcely have
resulted in any material effect on the
campaign.
1t is said that one of the first steps to
increase the home army will be the rails
ing of 81 new horse and field batteries
with barracks on Salisbury plain ana the
addition of third battaions to numerous
regiments which at present are without
them.