Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1900-02-04


Pretoria-British Flying Columns.
LONDON, February S.-The war Of
fee is silent as regards Gen. Butler.
but there is every reason to believe he
is continuing his movement upon
Ladysmith. Those who are in position
TO know confirm his reported recross-
ing of the Tugela river. and believe
he was engaged yesterday. The mes
sage from Ladysmith Thursday, saying
the Boer forces were leaving again,
and that the beseiging force was con-
siderably diminished. tends to con-
firm this.
Field Marshal Lord Roberts has noti-
fled the war Office that forty Highlan-
ders who were previously reported
killed at Magersfontein. are prison.
ers at Pretoria.
A dispatch from Ladysmith says:
Native deserters report the following
field comets killed in last weeks
fighting: Lombard. OF Waterbury,
Grobelair, OF Bremersdorp; Opperman.
of Pretoria; Daniel Erasmus. of Mag
aliersberg. ami one Free State eornet.
The British artillery broke seven Boer
guns. The Boer casualties were APP
proximately 1000 though this infor-
nation is not confirmed officially.
Comandant Oliver. of the Orange
Free State, in a speech to the Beers
at Ladygrey. said that his men were
almost surrounded at Stormberg and
unless recruits were forthcoming no
would be compelled to abandon the
position.
1t is admitted that in the recent
fight at Ladysmith the Beers lost
100 killed and 500 wounded
Many colonists who fought at Storm
berg have gone back to their farms
and have refused TO retuTn-tep HsHnEz
service, though threatened with death.
Among these are some conspicuous
Burghers who originally invited the
Free Staters to invade Capt Colony.
Considerable work is in progress on
the southern frontier of the Free State
but the details are being held back
until results can be reported. This
is the impression made by such dis
patches as are allowed to come through
from SterkstTeam and French's camp,
near Colensberg. The report that the
Boer losses at Spion Kop on Wednes-
day last exceeded one thousand dead.
although unconfirmed, has created
favorable impression and very few are
disposed to discredit 1t.
The Morning Leader belieyeG~ that
Gen. Butler has begun a movef6s1lS
ward I.adysmith. The article says:
Gen Butler probably engaged soon ae-
ter noon yesterday (F'ridayl. II all his
artillery and munitions had come up.
In any case his orders were definite
for an advance at the latest this morn
ing. There Is no reason to suppose thai
the direction Is that of Dundonalds
reconnaissance toward Honger's Poort,
close to Bethany, although some cav
airy and horse artillery may 80 by that
way, so as 10 operate on, or perhaps.
beyond. the Acton Homes road We
are inclined 10 believe Gen. Butler
means to pound out of existence any
Beers or any works lying on the river
near the junction of the Little Tugeia
If he succeeds in establishing himself
there on the n0thern bank. he will vir-
tually have turned the Boer position at
Onderdrook and Groblers kloof. over
looking Colenso. This would mean the
splitting of the Boer forces on the south
OF I.adysmith. Probably Gen. White
would be able to help In the effort W
occupying with energy the remaining
bodies OF the enemy
There is no actual news to support
the statement Of the Leader, but several
OF the London morning papers profess
to believe that Gen. Butler Is pushing
toward L4adysmith. Warren's troops.
on wednesday, we're still resting south
of the Tugeia. while Gen. Lyttleton''s
brigade held it's position on the north
bank. Gen. Joubert has gone 70 tho
Boer camp On the Upper Tugela. an ap~
pareut indication that he expects an%
other attack on his right.
The Beers are exhibiting considerable
anxiety in regard to the movement 81
the British ffving column, which start
I'd through Zululand In the direction u
vrvheld about the time that Gen. Bull
Tor hogan his move toward Springfield.
peer endorsements from about Lady,
smith have been hurried back 10 pro-
tect their lines 6f communication north
ward.
Gen. Charles Tucker who came FROM
India 10 command the Seventh division.
has gone up 10 Mcdder river. This
seems 10 indicate that the troops u
that division which are nov arriving
e the Cape viii. a. well AZ those of
the sixth division under Kelly Kenny.
pe utilized along the border Of the Free
state and take part In The prospective
The reported activity u Col. PIum-
er,s force near Crocodile pools. nlOFs
tbzr, ten DAYS old. Ii a good Sign that
! strong effort will be made " aim
70 nah through ID Aiakeking, wnlea
had evidently nor been relieved AZ tas
time Boer advfees 70 stated
Tne frst batch " weandsd men bee
longing 10 the naval contsngsnss serys
Inrs "a sssosssh Afri6a has arrived IN Eng
iand. They are zI1stiy skilled gunner4
T 1rssesss sar that th9 Beers Maxim Nos
denfeldt one-poukd Quick-friug guns
have most dembralizlng erect On tho
British. These gans are made IN Enes
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