Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1900-02-08
SO Says a Cable Dispatch From
Spearman's Camp. Which Says
Butler Holds His Position.
BRITISH ARE MAssINe FORCES
Oils Preparing to Come Home
Lawton's Remains Arrive In
Washington.
PROCEEDINGS IN CONGRESS-

London, Feb. S-General Bulle
cabled the war office that the approx
innate British casualties of the fight
Ing at Potgieters Drift, up to moo,
tuesday, are: Officers-Two killed
nfteen wounded; non-commissionef
onicers and men, ZIG killed ant
wounded The officers killed ware
Major Johnson Smyth and Lieut
Shaito' both of the Durham Light in.
tantry. Officers wounded include
Colonel Fitzgerald of the Durham
Light infantry Colonel A. ]. Mont.
gomery' Royal artillery, Lieut.. Sir
I. A. A. Cunninghame.
Rensberg, Feb. S-The Beers posi.
tion was vigorously shelled with Lvd-
ute Ior an hour this morning. east
ward from Slingerfontein. and west.
ward from Coles Kop, fifteen pound
er snrapnel gun paying special atten.
iron TO the sites of the Beers, eups
"nich had been unusually actiye,late- |
~ The Beers held position half
way on the direct road between Rens.
perg and Colesberg They sbelled
rorters HIN yesterday, ineffectivelv
Modder River, Feb S-GeneraI Mac
Donald maintains his position Of Koo
doesberg' Drift His movement has a
evidently disconnected the Beers and o
at the same time safeguards the posi-. Je
llon OF portion of the Belmont gor- "
rison IN the direction of Douglas L
Where there are still a few Roers $
me Ninth Lancers made several at q
tempts to draw out the Beers hu+ q
We're unsuccessful. The British bold
tne highest portion of the Kopie. the
boers position being the lowest Dor.
ton. Owing to the steepness of the
southern slope of the Kopje, it is i'm.
9ssylble. tn.- Jnniuot. s>,rAssaluos. Vut- o
posts report that the Beers are max I
ing advanced trenches on the open {
plain in front of Magersfontein' Drift
presumably to prevent the British
horse field artillery from approaching
within range of their positions.
London, Feb S-Presumably Cen
eral Butler is fighting again today in I
the third attempt to relieve Lady
smith, and news of the greatest i'm
port may arrive at any moment. Yet
here there is more doubt than exulta-
tion, for the list of casualties publish
ed today, is sufficient reminder of the
tremendous difficulties of his task.
His occupation of Vaalkrantz, the key
to the lower ridges, while praise
worthy and gallant achievementby no
means signifies that General White
will inevitably join hands with him
Before Butler are several days hard
fighting and any attempt to forecast
the result would be valueless.
The British troops are smarting un-
der defeat and will undoubtedly be
nerved to more desperate efforts than
ever before and if furious gallantry
can carry Butler over the kopjes that
face him, Ladysmith will be relieved
within week.
It is more than likely that General
Barton Chieveley may be strong
enough to advance on the Tugela and
render valuable assistance from the
southeast, while the beIeaguered gar
rison itself should be able to create a |
potential diversion when Butler has
to overcome the initial difficulties
which lie in the kopjes Immediately
north of the Tugela The latest adj
vices from Sterkstroom announce that
Gen. Gatacre's cavalry is in pursuit
of the Beers. While nothing has re
suited from this affair, it indicates
that the Burghers are fully alive to
the Importance of the concentration
which is on the verge of occurring
between the forces of Gatacre, Kelly
Kennev and the French, and they do
not hesitate to take the aggressive
in the effort against the established
position, though it is believed that
sufficiently large body Of troops will
soon be massed at Colesberg to in
sure the unopposed advance of the
Invading army when ready to start,
but It must be amonth or more before
they are ready The opinion is divid-
ed as to whether Field Marshal Lord
Roberts, and Gen. Kitchener have
gone to Modder River or to Sterk-
stroom.
London, Feb. S-A cable received
in this city from Spearman's Camp
under todays date, says: "Buller
holds his position. Relief is certain
A dispatch to the London Times
from spearman's Camp, says thai
when the Durhams reached the TOT
of vaai Krantz, over fifty Of the enc
my. who were still defending the po
sition, ned. and more than half 0
these we're armed natives"