The evening times., 1900-01-13
THE TURN AT POTGIETERS DRIFT.

We are without additional news concern
ing the important movement made by Sii
Redvers Butler, in establishing aadetacL-
ment of his army at Potgieter's Drift. ap.
parently beyond the extreme right of the
Boer line on the. Tugela River. AS far as
the war maps illustrate the text of the
| British generals laconic report, the at
tempt TO turn Joubert's defences to the
west has been made identically as We ven
tured to predict, some time ago. The ma
jority OF the London military writers have
favored the idea that Butler would feint
against Springfield and make his real at
tack first on Inhlawe Mountain, and then
on Joubert's left beyond Weenen. Some
of them were, last night, unwilling to be-
lieve that the Potgieter despatch indi-
Gated anything more than a movement Of
! diversion; but such a view is untenable.
| The secrecy which has been preserved in
regard to Sir Charles Warren's division
! for two weeks, its assumed concentration
at Estcourt the direct road from that point
! TO Dewdrop, and many other consdera-
tions have suggested the Boer right as the
| actual and, as we have long thought IT,
the obvious initial objective.
Potgieter's Drift does not appear on any
OF the published maps, and this fact seems
to confuse the English experts. We cannot
be absolutely sure of its exact location; but,
from accounts of the earlier encounters be-
tween Sir George White and the Beers,
west OF Ladysmith, and of the march of
the Free State commandos around that
place by Acton Homes to the Tugela-early
in November. if We remember rightly-we
have identified and treated Potgieter's Drift
as the ford at Zwartskop on the Tugela
midway between Springfield and Dewdrop
The entrenched position four and half
miles north of Potgieter's Drift. in that
case, must be just south of Dewdrop.
If our geography is right, it would seem
TO follow that Butler has been able TO
march around Jouberts right and TO es-
tablish himself in a position OF tactical
advantage. Ii is true that his rear may be
open to attack from the vicinity OF Spring
field. as suggested by one of the London
writer's this morning; but. if Buffers other
preliminary movements have been as
thorough as the one under discussion ap-
pears to have been, probably there is not
great danger from that direction, since we
think il reasonable to assume that while
Warren's division crept around 10 Pot
geter's Drift, Hildyard or Barton prob
ably would support the movement by an
attack east of Colenso, and that
Clery would attack Inhlawe Noun
tain. If cooperation is thorough be-
tween the different divisions of
the Iadysmith relieving column, the sit
uation al Potgister's ought TO be consid-
cred a promising one. a successful at
tack on Dewdrop, would place Butler in
communication with Ladysmith and bring
the garrison into the fight. in support of
the advance. That being accomplished,
Butler could readiust his lines and take
Joubert in reverse; and if that situation
could be arrived at We think the latter
would be compelled to retreat 10 the Neck
of Natal as quickly as possible. Buffers
success in the movement from Potgieter's
means more than simply the relief of La
dysmith. II means the cutting off OF the
Beers and Free Staters from retreat by
Van Reenen's Pass. certainly, and proba !
bly, by Cundycleugh Pass. into the Orange /
Free State. a great campaign advantage |
would thus be gained for with these pass
es in British control the problem Of march /
ing on Bloemfontein would be much sim
plified But perhaps it were as well not /
TO count the British chickens before they |
are hatched.
There is every reason for believing that |
hard fighting at two or three points be-
tween Weenen on the east. and Zunckles
Oh the west of Colenso, is now in progress.
Ia the ordinary course Of events We ought
10 be able to hear something about it to-
Law. but that is bv no means a sure thinc