The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1900-02-09
GEN. BUTLER SILENT.
British War Office Has No Advices
of His Advance.
Fifteen Transports VIII he Dis
patched 60 south Africa within "a
Week-Milner Thinks the War
By No Means over.

By No Means over.
London. Feb. 6.-This city Monday
was permitted TO receive few words
Of news from South Africa. They
stated that Gen. Butler was advancing
to the relief of Eadysmith; that the
garrison in the beleagured town could
hear his guns. and that they were
in good spirits, ready TO repel an as
sault or cooperate with the rescu-
ing force. While anxiety is again be-
coming intense. the feeling is now
more hopeful than on the eve OF Gen.
Buffers previous engagements. The
British force on the Tugela has been
reinforced with men and guns, but
Gen. Joubert and his 10000 men can
call in DO new regiments. for the
Beers have need of all their men TO
defend the borders of the Free state.
II was Just one week ago Monday that
gen. Butler announced that he would
be in Ladysmith in week. He has
not kept his word.
No news at all has been received
from the armies operating in Cape
Colony, and there is much specula-
ton in London rs 10 the plans of Lord
Roberts and the mysterious move
ments of Lord Kitchener.
London, Feb. 6.-Nnlitary opinion
in London continues 10 assume, from
very slender materials, that Gen. Bull
Ter is again throwing his army against
the Boer works A retired general,
Sir William Henry Green, whose dis
tinguished career gives weight 20 his
opinion, thinks that Gen. Butler, with
25. 600 men. is making a wide detour TO
the west and north in order 20 avoid
the toughest part of thee onntry. AS
Gen. Butler must have some thousands
of wagons, Sir William Green points
out that the advance would neces-
sarily be slow
No authentic word is at hand, save
that the war Office reaffirmed orally
to newspaper inquirers that il could
not confirm the reported advance.
There the Natal situation rests.
IL is from the western field that
more definite statements come. Large
operations are apparently about 10
begin. Gen. French, who has now re-
turned 10 Rensburg from his confer
ence with Lord Roberts. has sent what
is described as Overwhelming force of
infantry 10 seize Norvars Point. This
is where the railroad. before il was
destroyed. crossed the Orange river
and connected with the Free State
trunk line 20 Bloemfontein.
Norvars Point is 10 miles north Of
Colesbury and p miles from Gen.
French's headquarters at Rensburg.
The Beers az Colesberg have been in
danger of being surrounded by the
largely reinforced and extending lines
of the British. An occupation of Nor
vars Point in force would presumably
render Colesberg untenable.
The Beers are showing great activ-
ity in the Naauwpoort and Colesberg
districts. Many of the guns hitherto
facing LORD Methuen are believed 20
have gone to Norval's Point. The
British, therefore. may find formida-
BILE bodies of Beers there.
The war office announces that IS
transports will be dispatched between
now and Monday with 1900 troops,
including the 4th cavalry brigade, mi
litia battalions and $4,000 yeomanry,
with 25s horses and 8 guns. These
$4,000 are not encluded in the 10000
due TO be in South Africa on Febru-
airy Is.
Sir Alfred Miner, in a letter written
three weeks ago 10 the former lord
mayor of Belfast, said the war would
last three or four months longer.
Sir Alfred Miner has sent most
hopeful and encouraging reports TO
the government regarding the pros
poets of the campaign and IL Is under
stood his views are shared by Lord
Roberts.
The censorship seems to have COM
pletely shut down the correspondents
at Spearman's Camp. No dispatch
from that point appears in this morn
ing's papers. and nothing has been al
lowed to issue since Sunday evening.
a dispatch 10 theTimes from Queens
town, Cape Colony, dated Monday,
says: Gen. Brabant, while address
ing one of the regiments of the CO.
loniai division on parade, said they
were leaving the next day for the
front, not 10 return, he hoped, until
the task entrusted 10 him by Lord
Roberts had been successfully accom-
plished. lie could not disclose the
plan of operations, but II his inten-
tions were carried out, the greatest
glutton OF fighting among them would
have his fill"
Lourenzo Marques, Delagoa Bay,
Feb. 6.-Webster Davis. United States
assistant secretary of the interior,
accompanied by party of friends,
is at the head lager of the Beers at
Iadysmith, and is closely inspecting
the camps and positions around the
besieged town. The German consul
at Pretoria, Herr Bierman. Is accom-
panying Mr.. Davis on his trip to the
Boer head lager.
Neck Possibly Broken.