The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1900-09-07
British Operations in
South Africa.
BUTLER DOES GOOD WORK
He Occupies Machadadorp and
French Gets Into Glands
fontein.
NEW YORK, August ga dispatch
IN tho Tribune from I,ondon saws.

NEW YORK, August ga dispatch
to the Tribune from London says:
There Is much inclination to believe
that the operations in which Lord Rob-
erts is now engaged against General
Botha are destined to form the final
stage of the South African war from a
Pretoria report cabled to the effect that
the Beers In the Transvaal capital be-
iieve that Botha will abandon the con-
test il beaten on this occasion and that
Presidents Kruger and Steyn will
then flee to Delagoa Bay. But these
rumors have been repeated and
proved fallacious frequently enough be-
fore and 1t is impossible to pronounce
definitely that the Boer leaders believe
the limit of resistance to have been
reached. The temperance of De Wet
in the Orange Free State and the activ'
ity of the Beers on Buffers communion
ton in Natal, would rather point the
other way. If it had been determined
to stake everything on the result OF
Botha's stand In the eastern Transvaal
1t would hardly seem worth while to
revive the campaign in other quarters
So far the operations between the
Boer and British main armies have
been somewhat indecisive. Movements,
as Lord Roberts says in his dispatch on
Monday eve, are necessarily slow on
account of the great extent and diff
cult nature of the country which forms
the scene of the battles. He, however,
considers his advance going on salts
factorily and regards General Buffers
engagement of the 9th as an important
success. The result Of the days fight
ing was that the Beers withdrew their
line by some two miles, allowing Butler
to capture a strong position within
their outer semi-circle of defenses west
of the Dalmanutha Railway station.
, The question now arises whether the
British will be able to force the fighting
go as to hold the enemy in position and
compel him to accept the defeat which
superior numbers and more powerful
artillery should be able to infiict or Is
the nature of the country such that Gen
Botha, though driven back from one
vantage ground to another, will even
tually be able to retreat in time to save
his guns and transport. If previous eX-
perience Is guide the Beers will delay
the British advance as long as they
can do so safely, but will then retire at
leisure before the invaders can secure
a decisive victory.
Charles williams, the well known
military expert, believes Lord Roberts
has the present intention of returning
to England in the course of October,
so as to be ready to relieve Lord VOL
seley on November LIST, as commander
in-chief of the British army. In such
event General Butler may be asked to
resume command of the forces in South
Africa.
General Warren writes to. the Times
to say that various statements which
have recently appeared in the press
purporting to be views expressed by
him as to recent events in South Afri-
ca have been made entirely without his
authority; that he has not expressed
any opinions with view to publica-
ton and that some of the statements
attributed to him are contrary to fact.
BUTLER IN MACHADODORP.
LONDON. August 29.-Lord Roberts.
under date of Belfast, Aug. 80, tele-
graphs:
Buffers advance occupied Macha-
dodorp this afternoon. The enemy
made poor stand and retired north
ward. followed by Dundonald's mount
ed troops who could not proceed be-
yond Helvetia on account of difficult
nature of the country and the enemy
taking up a position too strong to be
dislodged by the mounted troops. 1t
appears that Buffers casualties were
very few.
French continued the movement to-
day as far as Elandsfontein, from
which he turned the enemy out with no
difficulty. The latter retired, leaving
quantities of good cooked food behind
General Buffers casualties Aug. %
were: Killed-One officer and fifteen
men: wounded, seven officers and fifty
seven men.