The Topeka state journal., 1900-02-08
FOUR ARMIES.
CONTINUED from First Page,

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Buller over the kopjes that face him,
Iadysnlith will be relieved within
week. But SO far, British bravery has
been in the main woefully misguided.
1t is more than likely that General
Barton, at Chieveley, may be strong
enough to advance on the Iugeia ana
render valuable assistance from the
southwest while the beleagured garri-
son itself, according to the latest dis
patches, should be able to create po-
tential diversion when General Butler
has overcome the initial difficulties
which lie in the kopjes Immediately
north of the Tugela
Turning from the transcendent inter-
est in Ladysmith, the whole war area
presents a scene of important activity.
The Boer attack on General Gatacress
forces. reported February Z, hzzled out,
the artillery of the burghers after she'll
ing the camp retiring upon the arrival
of British reinforcements The affair
scarcely warrants being called a Sklr-
mish. The British casualties were one
man killed and four men wounded.
The latest advices from Sterkstrem
announce that General Gatacre's cav
airy is in pursuit of the Beers. While
nothing has resulted from this affair. it
indicates that the burghers are fully
alive to the Importance OF the concen-
tration which is on the verge OF oe-
curing between the forces of Generals
Getacre, Kelly-K emmy and French, and
they do not hesitate to take the ag-
gressive against established positions
in an attempt to thwart it, though it
is believed that a sufficiently large
body Of troops will soon be massed at
Colesberg to ensure the unopposed ad-
vance of the invading army when it is
ready to start. That it is not prepared
for this move at present and that all
this activity is merely preliminary to
what is known as Field Marshal Lord
Roberts main movement, is evidenced
by a dispatch from Cape Town, under
date Of February 7, announcing that
the director OF transport was adver-
tising for OK wagons and drivers With
out these it would be hopeless to think
of carry on the invasion, and it must
be a month more before they are ready.
Another preliminary is that General
Roberts has only just sanctioned the
formation OF the new colonial yeo-
manry, consisting of a troop of 100 men
for each district of the colony, to pro-
tect the loyal farmers. This force viii
be officered from among the local yeo-
men.
Opinion is divided as to whether Field
Marshal Lord Roberts and General
Kitchener have gone to the Modder
river or to Sterkstrom. General Mac
Donald's activity in the former locality
combined with the belief that the Coles
berg movement is to draw off a portion
of the Free State force, has given rise
to the hope that General Methuen viii
shortly be enabled to make IL successful
attack, resulting in the relief of kim
berley, while the gradually thinning
forces surrounding Mafeking will alto
gether melt away.
Sir John Gordon Sprigg, the former
premier Of Cape Colony, has cabled to
Mr.. Chamberlain, the colonial secretary,
in behalf of the imperialsts of Cape
Colony, congratulating him on the gov
ernment's. overwhelming majority in
the house of commons, and declaring
the governments policy, if steadfastly
pursued, would secure South Africa un-
der British prosperity.