The evening times., 1900-01-23
BULLER FIGHTING AND SILENT.

The only item of apparent interest in
our nearly empty Natal budget today is an
incredible report that Lord Dundonald has
made a dash into Ladysmith with sixteen
hundred men. 1t may DC that the impos-
sible sometimes happens as we know the
unexpected always does; but there has
been nothing precedent represented in the
reports of the movements on Jouberts eX-
treme right on the part of Warren. Clery,
and DundonaId. TO, justify acceptance of
the story. Even If we cTuld consider It
probable one, Dundonald would not have
the least excuse for moving up TO Lady
smith unless the British left was swing
ing successfully in that direction immedi-
ately on his heels. Since that left was at
Acton Homes on Sunday. and its advance
extremely slow and hotly contested. no
reason has been furnished us for believing
that it is or could be beyond Dewdrop,
which might have been reached yesterday
or this morning, always suppOsing that
the BOer right at Spion Kop had been
crushed, or enyeloped ana isolated. In the
absence of fresh news We must regard
DundOnaid as scouting actively in the area
between Acton Homes Tintwa Pass, and
DewdrOp, covering Clery's left develop
ment, and watching for signs OF a BOer
movement toward Van Reenen's and De
Beers passes-as in fact where he ought
TO be, on the basis of the dispatches.
After letting up for a few days the cen
sorship is inexorabIe again; which proba-
bly, means that Sir Redvers Butler intends
TO keep the progress Of affairs 10 himself
until decisive point has been gained
His silence worries London greatly. but
without any well-defned reason. There is
a natural public nervousness in anticipa-
tion OF some possible counter movement
by Joubert which might lead to another
/ British reverse; but, unless the Boer gen
eral has a great many more men than We
credit him with, he would hardly be in a
position TO undertake new adventures be
yoDd his present defensive lines. To be
sure, II he could catch his adversary nap
ping in the vicinity Of COlensO, it might
naturally happen that he should make a
/ break for Buffers right rear and commu-
( nications. But il is TO be assumed that
/ the latter has had such a possibility in
/ view, in planning the advance. and that
/ there is a strong division posted in a po-
{ sitiOn to meet any movement Of the kind
/ or course, IL will be realized that the far
/ ther Butler Ranks 20 the northwest the
longer Joubert must make his line, which
/ must now be twenty-six or twenty-eight
I miles lolg, assuming that the defeuces
/ east Of Colenso are still maintained, which
/ We suppose TO hA a matter Of course. Jou-
I bert would not except under great stress
/ OF circumstances. open the door for an ad-
vance against his northeastern COmmu-
nications.
/ To make up for the lack OF actual news
. the cable amuses itself with PietermaritZ
burg and Durham war rumors. We are
/ treated TO one which tells Of a probability
I that Butler is only fighting the BOer real
/ guard between Potgieter's Drift and Ac-
ton Homes and that Joubert's main army
/ is shipping its guns and preparing to raise
7 the siege % Ladysmith and fall back upoI
a new pOsIJion-perhaps in trout Of the
/ Drskensberg passes. Such a thing NIGH
/ indeed be true. but as yet there is moth
ing better than mere rumor to support
the idea. Until we can hear more in de
tail Of the British movements and dispO-
sitions. and acquire clearer view thar
We can gather from the maps. OF geo.
/ graphical auG typographical features o
the area over which the British left i:
moving OF trying to move, it will be diff
'cult to deduce anything beyond conjectu
I raj opinions regarding the game All vs.,
. seem to know at present is that Cler!
holds the Dewdrop Road with DundOnalC
I scouting out beyond his left and tha
Warren is On his right in a line extending
beyond Potgieter's Drift. II the luck o
the British army" has not deserted il fo
good and ALL this situation should hsv
. been improved yesterday and this morn
ing. by a further swing II Clery and Dun
donald toward Dewdrop Sld Walker
I Hoek. But Of the real conditions We ar
likely 10 be kept in ignorance perhaps 70
[ another JWenty-fOUr hours