New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-03-08
CRONJETO GOTOST. HELEN
Continued from first page.

passage Of the mountains Will be difficult, but
If ii can be forced by artillery the railway will
be open to Harrismith and Bethlehem and the
bulk Of Buffers force Will be available for CO.
operation with Lord Roberts in the invasion Of
the Free State General Roberts's plan of opera
lions. unless all signs fail, includes combined
advance into the Free State from the east, the
south and the west. While General Robertss
main army is massed against General Joubert's
forces and is threatening Bloemfontein with
attack General Butler viii be in position to
force his way through Van Reenens Pass and
10 turn the commanding ridge between Venters-
burg and Seneka. where the strongest Dutch
defence can be made south of the Naal River,
and General Clements and General Gatacre will
be moving across Orange River toward Spring
fcntein. Nearly the entire British army in
this way will be thrown into the Free State
while the Transvaal is reserved for later stage
Of the campaign.
General Roberts's first object after secur-
ing the relief Of Kimberley and Ladysmith
is to overrun the Free State and to sub
jeet it to such tremendous pressure that the
alliance with the Transvaa viii be broken off
II this theory be correct there Will be advance
in force toward either Mafeking Laing's Mex
for the present. and both Kimberley and Lady
smith VIII be converted into bases Of supplies
foi the operations in the Free State Some mill
tary writer's assert that the publicity given to
General Buffers westward movement indicates
that nothing more than a reconnaissance in force
is intended, and forecast that the bulk of his
army viii be transferred by way of Durham to
Cape Colony. 1t IS evident, however, that General
Whites enfeebled battalions are moving toward
the coast for recruitment Of health, and there
no signs that two or more brigades Of
Buffers force following them
General Butler has issued a general order to
his troops which does full justice to the forti-
tude and gallantry Of his own and General
Whites soldiers.
PAINFUL SURPRISE FROM BULLER.
An additional casualty list of 112 killed, $50
wounded and 81 missing a painful surprise
yesterday. Nearly twenty-four hundred officers
and meh were put out Of action during Buffers
ten days Of fighting for the relief of Ladysmith
and about ffty-f1ve hundred during the entire
campaign on the Tugela. The results justified
the high cost of these operations but the facility
with which Lord Roberts succeeds In manoeuv-
ring the enemy out Of strong positions without
running up butchers bill induces reflection
upon the comparative merits of the tactics in
Natal and the Free State
News from other portions of the field of opera
tions is mainly favorable to the British arms.
General Clements is advancing steadily toward
Norvals Pont. The Beers in front Of General
6dldCTe are nOl0lnS temporarily a position
twelve miles north Of stormberg. but clearly
bent upon retreating to Orange River. General
Brabanl's force is approaching Aliwal North.
There has been something like Memorial Day
service over the graves Of the Suffolks near
Colesberg.
The only unfavcrable tidings for the British
are the reports OF a serious rising of colonial
Dutch in Griqualand West. where the Prieska
and Kenhardt borders are patrolled by Beers
and where several thousand Of rebels are report
ed under arms. The causes of this local revolt
not understood.
The Central News publishes an account Of the
invasion Of the Transvaal by the flying column
of rifemen and scouts which has been operating
in Zululand under command Of Major Prender-
CAST. 1t has been skirmishng daily with the
enemy. and is intrenched nine miles beyond
the border The apparent object OF this ma
nVuvre is the prevention of cattle radng.
The Queen will be welcomed TO London by i'm
mense throngs to-day. Her abandonment of her
journey to the Riviera has touched the hearts of
all her subjects. and there viii be an outburst
of loyalty and affection wherever she is seen in
London. l. n. F.