The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-02-10

Were In Possession of the Kopje
at MoIens Drift Abandoned 1t
After Bombardment by Boer
Cannon-Add That the British
Have Retired Across the River.
| LONDON. Feb 9.-Mr. Balfour, the gov--
| ernment leader, replying to question:
in the house Of commons this evening, as
| to whether any information had been re-
ceived from the seat Of war, said:
Our information points to the fact that
| Gen. Butler Is not pressing an advance
from the position he has occupied We
do not consider it right to press him for
details Of the operations which are in
progress, nor If he gives such informa-
tlon do We deem 1t proper to make this
public until such operations are complet-
| ed. The government has no information
\ as to whether Gen. Macdonald has retir-
| ed.'
BOERS CLAIM A VICTORY
BOER HEAD LAAGER, LADYSMITH,
Thursday, Feb S.-The British, who were
| Drift, abandoned it after bombardment
| by Boer cannon this morning, and retired
across the Tugela river to their former
| position. desultory cannonade is pro-
| ceeding at the Tugela this morning, but
| otherwise everything is quiet.
| LONDON, Feb Sup to the present
| time the war office has evidently heard
nothing of Gen. Buffers retreat as de-
| scribed In the dispatch from the Boer
Head Laager, Ladysmith, Feb. s. When
| shown the Boer dispatch the officials ap-
| peared utterly dumbfounded. Apparently
| they had not the least suspicion of the
| possibility Of such an outcome of the
| operations.
1t is reported that Gen. Buffers dis
| patch announcing Monday and Tuesdays
| movement was particularly hopeful. He
announced the position gained as exceed
| ingiy effective, and therefore the news
| of the retreat is particularly bitter.
Though it comes from Boer sources there
| is little reason to discredft It. The news
| spread rapidly, and naturally disappoint-
| ment was visible on all sides, though the
| long silence on the Upper Tugela had
already aroused apprehension that Gen.
Butler might have found it impossible to
| go forward, in which case he would have
no option, but to recross the Tugela-
MYSTERIOUS MOVEMENTS.
| KOODOESBERG DRIFT, Thursday,
| Feb Sin order to completely surround
| the Beers, Gen. Darlington was dispatch-
| ed 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 the
day to enable him to get here early this
afternoon This morning Gen. Methuen
ordered that the combined force should
retire upon Modder River, which move
ment is now proceeding. The British
losses in the fighting on Monday were
fifty men killed or wounded.
I LONDON, Feb. 9.-The dispatch from
Koodoesberg Drift does not say whether
Gen Babngton finally joined Gen. Mac
donald, but the word Combined seems
to indicate that he did so.
JOY IN LADYSMITH.
LONDON, Feb. 9.-Heliograms from
Ladysmith, dated Monday, describe the
effect Cen Buffers cannonade had ON
the worn garrison. Hope ran high that
the long period Of inactivity and tedium
was drawing to close. The crash of
guns was almost continuous for four
teen hours, and at times 1t seemed as II
as many as twenty shells burst in min
ute. The Beers, preparing always for the
possibility of defeat, were driving herds
and sending long wagon trains towards
the Drakensberg passes. Intense dark
ness and silence followed broken only
by frogs croaking and the occasional
burst of stray shells fired at search
lights, surrounding the town with wall
of light, to prevent the unobserved ap-
proach of the enemy. A series of Brit
ish mines, laid for the Beers, exploded
accidentally, shaking and alarming the
city and camp.
Gen, MacDonalds retirement puzzles
military commenters. The theory of the
reconnaissance is that it was ordered by
Lord Roberts, and that Gen. MacDon-
AIDS operation were by the direction of
the commander-in-c chief in order to oc-
cupy the Beers at widely separated
points SO that they may be unable to
send any portion of their force to op-
pose the proposed CSHtIdl duNdHCc.
Mr.. Charles Williams, military
writer, who is understood to be in con-
fdential relations with Lord Wolseley,
says that beyond doubt the most author
itative authority in London regards 1t
that an endeavor will be made to force
the line at the Orange river by Wednes-
day night, possibly by Monday.
A report says that the health OF Sir
Alfred Miner is suffering from the pro-
longed strain and his friends fear he will
break down.
Lord Salisbury's son, Lord Edward
Cecil is responsible for Mafeking being
so well prepared. AT the outbreak OF
war he learned of the amount OF army
stores about to be sent to Mafeking and
on his own Initiative pledged his private
means and had the stores quadrupieo.
He is now in Mafeking and one OF It's
boldest defenders.
PUzzLiNG ORDERS.
A dispatch to the Times from Koodoes-
berg, dated Friday, says:
ut is said Boer reinforcements are ar
riying from Magersfontein. Our position
| is easily tenable, but the entire force mas