, 1900-01-13
BRITISH ADVANCE
GENERAL BULLER MAKES MOVE
MENT TO OUTFLANK
THE BOERS.
Believed Now That British Military
Chief Has Succeeded in Getting
Around Boer Outposts and is Close
to Ladysmith-Bridge Across Tu-
gela Commanded.

gela Commanded.
London. Jan. 12.-The wal office this
morning received the following dis
patch from General Butler, dated
Springfield, Thursday, Jan. II, at $50
evening:
81 occupied the south bank of the Tu-
gela river at Potgeistcr's Drift this
morning and seized Point. The river
is flooded. The enemy is strongly en-
trenched about four and a half miles
10 the north"
London. Jan. l3.-Again the eyes of
the British nation are concentrated up
on General Buffers advance on the Tu-
gela river.
As l cab!ed yesterday morning, ru-
mors were current at the West End on
Thursday night among society people
and in military circles close to the war
office hat General Butler was in mo-
ton. No confirmation could then be
obtained, and the war office was silent
up on Don yesterday, when an official
dispatch was given out showing that
on Thursday the British forces moved
westward to Potgeisters drift, seized
Pont and located the Beers four and
one-half miles to the north.
Potgieters drift is not marked on n
known map, but it is known to be
about fifteen miles west of Colenso.
and is due north of Springfield, from
which General Buffers telegram was
sent.
General Butler must refer to the
great, not to the Little Tugela, when
he says he has occupied the south
bank.
The Beers are believed to hold the
junction of the two rivers and to have
a strong position at Mount Tabany-
ANA, east-southeast Of Ladysmith.
which commands the approach to Pot
gieters drift.
A glance at the map will show the
significance of the British move. Gen
Ni"A u N"S S"AA q III INV -
to be constructing a railway towards
Springfield. 1t was also reported that
the bulk of his forces had retired to
Frere, the available troops sent to
make the demonstration under General
Clery when Ladysmith was attacked
being only about | 5000 or about one-
third of his army.
1t 10Y appears probable hat 10 900
the railway line or have marched from
Frere by the road which leaves Doom
kop on the right, and after running
eighteen miles in the northwesterly di-
r~ection crosses the Little Tugela and
reaches Springfield. Thence a march
of eight miles due north would bring
them TO Potgeisters drift, on the Tuge-
la proper, where they have established
themselves on the southern bank. II,
as it was reported, the Beers were
strongly entrenched at Springfield,
where they had mounted one or two
long guns, it would seem that their po-
sition was evaded by a night march.
At Potgeisters drift General Butler has
the main Boer entertainments away on
the right. If he can maintain him
self there he seriously threatens the
safety of General Joubert's right flank.
The river before him, he reports, is
in flood, but as he probably has his roy
al engineers with their pontoon train
this will not seriously retard him. His
immediate opponents are four and one-
half miles north, guarding, no doubt,
the road which leads to R~oodespoort
and Dewdrop. From the drift to the
latter place is about ten miles, and La
dysmith itself is only eight miles far
Their off.
Once at Dewdrop the relieving force
would be in a close communication
with the beseiged forces. for General
Whites advanced posts are two or
three miles from camp on either side
of the road.
General Butler means tighting-that
is certain. The chief obstacle in his
path for the moment is the Tugela riy-
er, but floods go down as rapidly as
they rise. Important information
bearing on this point is contained in a
dispatch from the Daily Telegraph's
war correspondent, who reports in a
message dated Tuesday that a heavy
storm, with rain, had filled the rivers
and spruits full of water. This ac-
cords with what General Bullet says
of the state of the Tugela at Potgeisters
drift on Thursday.
The correspondent also states that the
Beers who were holding Mount Hang
wane were now quite isolate, as the
bridge over the Tugela must have been
carried away. If this is the case an
assault on this mountain is extremely
likely. Should the British be success
full, they will have established them
selves on both flank of the Beers, with
a chance of inflicting heavy loss.
1t is probable that General Clery had
orders to begin his attack as soon as
the Springfield position had been turn
ed and General Butler had secured the
drift. Everything looks as If a decisive
movement and a determined effort to
clear the way to Ladysmith had be-
guam effort on which the whole is
sue Of the Natal campaign depends.
Perhaps a series of engagements may
take Dlace on hnfh tho ripht and tho