, 1900-02-02
AFRICAN WAR
RuMOR CURRENT THAT ANOTHER
BATTLE IS RAGING ACROSS
THE TUGELA.
General Butler Reported to Have
Crossed the River in Three Places
London is Filled With Rumors-
Startling Figures Presented as to
Number of British Troops in Action

were circulating in London yesterday
but the acutal news from the seat Of
war there was little. In the house Of
commons end elsewhere it was report.
ed that General Butler had crossed the
Tugela river at three places and that
a hot engagement was proceeding.
The afternoon pepper, which so far
has not distinguished itself by its en-
terprise in collecting war news, was
first to announce the report. 1t spread
rapidly but neither the war office MOI
the newspapers with special CORE,
spondents at the front had received
anything confirmatory up to 2 o'clock
this morning.
Some color was given to the posi-
bility of a rumor from several trust
worthy sources of a report that Cen
eral Butler. did say to his troops on
Sunday that he hoped to reach Lady
smith within a week. The val office,
however, as will be remembered, denied
having any knowledge of General Bull
Ter making any such statement.
The latest intelligence from Spear
mans camp says that on Tuesday Cen
eral Butler, after reading to the troops
yesterday a dispatch received from the
queen, said that he trusted that he
would be with them all in Ladysmith
within the course of a week. Enthusi-
asm prevails among the men, and the
health of all is reported good.
Today a strong cavalry reconnois-
sance proceeded toward the west, in
vicinity of Holger's spruit. Slight
cannonading occurred both here and
at Ladysmith today.
During the last week Of fighting
around Spion kop a weak part Of the
Boer position may have been discover
ed and Sir Redyers having %concentrat-
ed his troops to the southwark may be-
lieve that an attack from that direc-
ton delivered in force will succeed
where an assault. from two sides on
Spion kop failed.
From the other seats Of war little
important news comes. General KEEL.
ly-Kenny, in Cape Colony, is preparing
for an advance by repairing the rail,
way bridge at Thebus. The Beers al
Stormberg are busy building a redoubt
commanding the line from ~Steynsberg
along which General Kelly-Kenny will
probably advance, if he and General
Gatacre make Simultaneous moves
Reports of Mafeking being relieved
are growing in number. There seems
to be a belief in some wefl-informed
circles that Colonel Baden-Powell and
Colonel Plumer have Joined hands and
that the reports which anne some time
ago through Pretoria were true.
AS to the work Of parliament it is
but rejecting the general sentiment OF
its course has caused the greatest dis
satisfaction, 1t is an %undoubted fact
that its futile debates have made a
worse impression in financial circles
than all the Boer victories combined.
Men are asking in amazement why par
Lament was called together il the gov
eminent was not to propose a policy
worthy of the occasion and to obtain
with the least possible delay authori,
ty and means to carry it out.
A few days more of such talk as is
now going on at Westminster is likely
to raise a revolt among the govern
ment's W supporters. Already the
idea has been suggested of asking the
lord mayor to call a meeting of citi,
zens.
At a late hour this morning the wal
office, which had earlier stated that II
possessed no information on the sub,
ject of the alleged movement of Bull.
Ter, declared that it had received nc
news for publication. Whether this Is
an equivocal statement and indicates
that important news but not for pub.
LEGATION has been received the future
alone can tell.
Mr.. Wyndham's remarkable declara,
ton in the house Of commons that
Great Britain will have In a fortnigh,
180, 900 regulars in South Africa, 1000
Canadians and Australians and 26,0Ot
South African volunteers, is received
with wonderment. OF this total Of
213 900 troops, with 452 guns, all are
now there, with the exception Of about
5000 that are afoat. Beyond COM
parison this is the largest force Great
Britain has aver put into the field. At
the end OF the Crimean war she had
scraped together $4,000 men. yelling
ton at Waterloo had q, 900.
Mr.. Wyndham's speech was the
strongest defense the government has
yet put forth as to what has been done
and is being done. The general tone
of the morning papers is that his fig
ures will astonish the country. Roughly
speaking. only 10000 men are at the
front. Ten thousand others have been
lost and 10000 are shut up at Lady
smith.
Excluding these, there are 70,OOt
troops who have not yet been In action
In edition to those on the sea. Why
20 many electives have not yet beer