The Topeka state journal., 1900-02-20
Is Said to Be Surrounded on
Road to BIOemfOntein.
Country About Kimberley Is
Clear of Beers.
FIGHTING ON TUGELA.
Butler Drives the Enemy Across
the River.
Besieging Army at Ladysmith
Is Weakened.

Kimberley, Feb. 18.-By heilograph |
to Modder River, Feb. 19.-The country
is all free around Kimberley. The Beers |
have evacuated Dronfeld, Salt Pan,
Spytfontein and Scholtz Mex. One of
their y Founders with ammunition was
captured, as was also their Iaager at
Dronfield, which was abandoned on Fri
day night. Rails are being laid to Mod
der river. Several herds of cattle have
been captured.
Cecil Rhodes is in excellent spirits.
CASUALTY LIST.
London, Feb. 20.-The war Office an
nounces the following casualties among
officers during the relief of Kimber-
ley;
Killed-Lieut.A. 3. Hesketh, 18th Ian
GERS; Lieut. The Hon. w. McCIintock
Bunbury, second Dragons.
Wounded-Capt. f. r. Gordon, and
Lieut.. D. F. Brassey, Ninth Lancers;
Capt. G. B. Tuson, Sixteenth Lancers;
Lieutenants r. I. Fordyce and W. Long,
Second dragons.
FIGHTING ON THE TUGELA.
Durham, Feb.1 -Evening-While Gen.
Buller is continuing his movement on
the extreme right and has made every
disposition for the defence of his posi-
by maintaining there a force adequate
for that purpose, isolated parties of
Beers some times cross the river. There
is much sniping.
There was continuous firing Yesterday
from the British positions on Gun hill
and Hussar hill. The troops advanced
from the former towards Monte Chris
to- There was heavy bOmbardment
with three Al inch guns and the 100
FOUNDER siege gun supported by infant
~ against the Boer position on Hang
wane hill which adjoins Monte Christie
ana IS regarded as the key to GrOblerS
klOof. The firing was particularly ac-
tive from Hussar hill on the strong
Boer entertainments at the end of
HlangWane hill.
The fire still continued at 6 o'clock
yesterday evening.
During the day the gun Lady Ran
dolph" came on an arraored train from
the directoon of Colenso. It is reported
that we have captured over 100 prison.
ers- The naval gun knocked out the
long tom on HlangWane hill at the first
shot for which Gen. Butler especially
coEplimented the gunners.
Hlangwane hill lies between two
bends of the Tugela river
The Beers have erected a bridge be
tween Hlangwane and the northern
bank Of the river.
HLANGWANE'S HILL TAKEN.
London, Feb. 20.-The queen prior to
leaving Osborne house this morning on
her return to Windsor, inspected the
1lncOlQSnlIe
militia Her majesty announced with
a grauhed smile that good news had
been received this morning from the
seat of war.
The Chievely correspondent of the
Daily Telegraph yesterday SAYS:
We now occupy all the hills to the
right OF ColensO, on this side of the
Tugela, including Hlangwane which the
Beers evacuated last night Sunday.
Ihis capture of HlangWane hill is
DI great strateglcal Importance as the
hill commands the flank of the Boer de-
fenses at COlenso. a successful advance
and the recapture of the railway NAV
be expected.
The Cape Town correspondent of the
Daily News, telegraphing Sunday, says:
Lord Methuen's force I learn has ar
rived at Kimberley, having got through
from Magersfontein without fighting"
a member of the cabinet told H W.
Lucy that the war office had received a
telegram announcing that Gen. Cron1e
was hopelessly surrounded.
Nr Wyndham was beset by anxious
members of the house, but would only
reply that the governments news was
extremely satisfactory. The sole expla-
nation of the government Withholding
good news is that confirmation and
more details are awaited.
The situation as disclosed by corre-
spOndents over the Free State border is
tantalizing to the public expectation.
The elementary facts are that the
Beers are treking eastward toward
l8loemfontein, with slow moving bag
gage trains and that they are pursued
by Lord Kitchener with Gen. Kelly
kcnny's division.
Gen. Macdonald with the FIighIanders
made forced march to KoOdOosrand
ford and on Sunday pushed twenty
miles eastward. Gen. French left Kim
Derley Saturday, going east along the
Modder river. Lord Kitchener is try
ing to Outmarch and outflank the Beers
thus connecting their retreat if pos
sible and driving them back into the
hands of Macdonald and French.
The war Office message communicated
to Mr.. Lucy seems to indicate that Lord
Kitchener has either got ahead of the
Beers or is about to realize his plan
and the war office waits to announce a
decisive result.
Meanwhile COmmandant Delarev.
with the Beers from Colesbere is hang
ing on to the right flank of the Brit
tsh pursuing columns, seeking to delay
their movement and so to assist the
Bocr wagon trains to escape.
Students of topography think the
Beers will hardly risk a fight until they
get into the rough country.
A dispatch to the Daily Mail from
Lorenzo Marques. dated Monday, saws:
According to advices from Pretoria
the Beers are expecting a big battle on
the Tugela. They claim that seventy
of the Wiltshires were killed at Coles
berg. and that thirty wagons with for
age and provisions were captured, but
no ammunition. They thus describe the
fighting at Kimberley:
81 The British came through T2laun-
bank and attao ked in two columns
While the Beers We're busily engaged
with Lord Roberts, Gen. French with
1000 cavalry and six guns succeeded in
breaking through the Boer lines The
Beers did not seriously oppose Gen
French's advance, but confined their
efforts to prevent the provisions get