The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-02-09
BUTLER NOW SEES
THE END IN SIGHT
Confined From First Page.)


of casualties published today would he
a sufficient reminder of the tremendous
difficulties of his task His occupation
of Vaal Kl,antz fhe key TO the lower
ridges. while Il praisewor'thy and gallant
achievement. by mo means signifies shat
he and General White will inevitably
join hands. Before General Butler there
are several days of hard fgh ing and
any attempt to forecast the result would
he valueless. If based on precedent.
which can hardly be done in warfare. it
would be bound to be i'll favor Of the
Beers, for apparently. the conditions have
not materially altered since the last fruit
less attempt.
On the other hand the British troops
are smarting under defeat and will UNI
doubleday be nerved to more desperate
efforts than ever before. and If furious
gallamtry can carry General Butler over
the kopjes that face him. Ladysm.th will
he relieved within Il week. But, so far.
British bravery has been i'll the main
woefuly misguided
1t is more than likely that General
Barton. at ClGeveley. may he strong
enough to advance on the Tugela and
render valuable assistance from the so;r.l-
east. while the beleaguered garrison IL
self. according to the latest dispatches,
should be able to create Il potential diver
sion when General Butler has overcome
the initial difficulties which lie I'M the
konies Immediately north of the Iugela.
Turning from the tranScendent interest,
in Iadysmith, the whole war area pre-
sents a scene of important activity. The
Bopr attack on General Gatacre's forces
reported February 18th, fiZzled out. the
artillery of the hurghers, after Smelling
the camp. retiring upon the arrival OF
British reinforcements. The affair scarce
ly warrants being called Il skirmish The
British casualties were one man killed
and four men wounded.
The latest advices from SterkStroom
announce that General Gatacre's cavalry
is in pursuit of the Beers. While moth
ing has resulted from this affair. il indi-
Gates that the burghers are fully alive
to the Importance of the concentration
which is on the verge of occurring be-
tween the forces of Generals Gatacre,
Kelly-K emmy and French. and they do
not hesitate to take the aggressive against
established positions in an attempt to
thwart it. though it is believed that Il
sufficiently large body of troops will soon
be massed nj CoeSherg to ensure the
unopposed advance of the invading army
when it is ready to start. That II Is not
prepared for this move at present and
that all this activity is merely pfelimina-
rv to what is known AZ Field AlarShal
Lord Roberts main movement Is evil
denced by a dispatch from Cape Town,
under date of February 1th announcing
that the director of transport was adj
yertisinc for ox-wagons and drivers.
Without these it would be hopeless to
think of CARRYING on the invasion ana II
must DE a month more before they are
ready. Another preliminary Is that Gen.
eral Roberts has only inst sanctioned the
formation Of the new colonial yeomanry
consisting of ii troop of 100 men fcf
each district of the colony. to protect the
loval farmers. This force will be officer
ed from among the local yeomen
Opinion is divided as TO whether Eeld
Marshal Lord Roberts and General
Kitchener have gone to the Modder River
or to Sterkstroom General Macdonald $
activity in the former locality. c0mbin-
ed with the belief that the Colesberg
movement is to draw off Il portion of the
Free State force, has given rise to the
hone that General Methuen will shortly
be enabled to make Il successful attack
resulting in the relief Of Kimberley. while
the gradually thinning forces surround
ing Mafeking will altogether melt away.
Sir John Gordon Sprigg. the former
Premier of Cape Coloney. has cablfd TO
Mr.. Chamberlain. the Colonial Secretary.
in behalf of the imperialists OF Cape
Colony. congratulating him on the GOV
crnment's Overwhelming majority iii the
House of Commons and declaring the
Government policy. if steadfastly pllr-
sued. would secure South Africa under
British supremacy permanent prosperity.
McDONAIID'S POSITION.
Modder River. Feb .7.-General Mac
Donald maintains his position ut MOO
doessberg Drift His movement has evil
IDENTIFY disconnected the Beers and az
the same time safeguards the operations
Of a portion of the Belmont garrison in
the direction of Douglas. where there
are still Il few Beers.
The British casualties till now are
two men.
The Ninth LancerS made several at
tempts to draw out the Beers but were
unsuccessful The British hold the high
est portion of the kopje. the Beers posi-
ton being on the lowest position. Owing
to the steepnesS of the southern
slope of the kopie it is Impossible to
mount artillery. The usual daily shell
ing here continues.
The outposts report that the Beers are
making advanced trenches i'll the open
plain in front of Magersfontein Drift.
presumably to prevent the British horse
and field artillery from approaching
within range of their positions.
SMELLING AT RENSBERG.
Rensburg. Feb S.-1'he Beers Tosi-
ton was vigorously Shelled with lyddite
for an hour early this morning. east
ward from opposite Slingerfontein and
westward from the top at Coles kop.
fifteen FOUNDER shrapnel gun paying
special attention to the sites of the
Beers guns which have been unusually
active lately.
The Beers hold a position half way
on the direct road between Renshnrg and
Colesherg They shelled Porter's Hill
yesterday Intellectually.
THE SECOND DAYS BATTLE.