The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-02-18
FIGHTING AGAIN
ON THE TUGELA
Butler Has Reoccupied
Vaal Krantz.
KRONE IN RETREAT
The Beers Fly Before General Kelly
Kenny's Troops.
AN ATTACK ON MOLTEN0.
A Dispatch From Stcrkstroom Says the
Beers With Artillery Commenced
an Attack Oh Troops Command
cd by General Gatacre-Thc =
British Casualties are
Quite Small.
IN ATTACK ON M0LTENo.

LONDON, Feb. 1s.-3 a. M.-The War
Office made ule usual statement at mid
night THAT It had no news but at about
the same time came dispatches from Dur
ban, dated late Saturday evening, giving
reports of the renewed fighting on the
Tugela, where the censor STOPPED all tele-
grams. Arrivals ut Durban from the
Tugela say that important operations are
progressing ard that lighting has occurred
daily since the commencement OF the
week.
In these engagements the British cas-
lraties have been ccmparatVely .ight-
According to these uncontirmed reports
General Butler had re-occupied Vaai
Nrantz and the Beers had retreated III the
| direction Of the Free state
In the meantime wounded officers ana
| men arrive daily at Durham and are
! placed aboard the fotIc hospital silps
there.
DISPATCHES from Zululand received az
Dur5an. say the country is duietIng
down. thanks to a flying column. 'tiae
Beers seem nervous and uncertain ana
have sta2ed their advance
REVIEW OF SITUATION.
LONDON, Feb. 1S.--Spencer WILKINSON
the military expert, reviewing the situa-
ton IN sCuIl -hLilCtt IlL4c 1N''oS''A'-N
Press, at midnight says:S
ord Roberts has begun his cam
paign by striking at the principal Boer
force in the western theatre OF war, thIt
of Conmandant Cronje, covering the
siege OF Kimberley.
In little over three weeks LORD
Roberts had completed the organization
of his force. He then quietly mlssed
some fifty thousand men. four infantry
divisions and 4 cavalry Division, near
| the selected point, reaching Niodder River
| Station on Friday, February 9th lie
! must have put his troops in motion with
the least possible delay, for on Mon
| day the acton began. 1t was an u
! tempt to turn the Eoer position by
! march round it's left or eastern flank.
.On Monday General French cavalry
| seized the passages of the Riet river,
| southeast OF Jacobsdai, and was at once
! followed UP by two infantry DIVISIONS.
! on Tuesday the cavalry moved norm
! and seized the crossings of the Modder
| river. the infantry following at ttle':
! heels. On Thursday, when one division
| NJ infant-- was on the Aiodder and the
| other close behind it between the TWO
rivers the cavalry moved forward toward
| Kimberley, dispersed the besieSers IRON
! the southeastern front and opened con-
| nection with the town.
| ..,,,he same day the troops found the o2d
cayrrp at Nodder ttiEer stttsI1-l. '3'Ii.NS'
| communication with JacobsGai. Whlch
had already been taken Thus Lora
| ROBERTS had u semi-circie around the
F;oer position of Magersfo1tein from Mini
! rarray- m the north to McdaeE tLVef
| sta rson on the south, and poss!oly the
! line vas prolonged from Modder River
| STATION TO the northwest, so that Genecai
| French might hope by passing through
| Kimberley to conpete the circle, and 10
enable Lord Roberts = envelope ana cap
| Iure Cronje's whole force
VIGOROUSLY EXECUTED
"1rhjs was the result hoped for the
! ,,an was brilliantly conceived and Wig
| ormIsIv executed But Cronje has been
| ,h,a ia evade the blow. When French
| re,cl,ed Kimberley 1t was found that
| C,ronie. with the bulk OF his force, nad
moved toward Bloemfontein. aVNfreit.s
| b,- rho Eosho road or by a. shorter route
+ along the north bank of the Aiodder. Inc
| hangers and stores abandoned Ina tl
| convoy captured proves that CrofJe ieit
| in haste, and one of General heiiy NJ
! ny's brigades was taSI setoie et - -
! suing and engaging the Eoer rear-Sna.u-
| General Kitchener is superintendinS tiie
! nrrsr,it. which may be effective
..Or the First and Ninth Divisions no
| mention has been made to the telegfa1IiS
| and the inference is that part OF .t's
! design is as yet undtscloseu- foss-o!s
! their function is to complete the cree
! on the west Perhaps, too, a lorce 's
| making to the eastward, south OF me
,ro,d.- River. to intercept Cronje, though
| as the mounted Beers cover thirty mics
| 6ay no infantry can eaten them y
mart Of the Hoer force may have retreoled
| to the northwest, toward arhies' ii'
| will no doubt De pursued
| ..There can be no doubt that kimoer-
| lev is relieved. and that the ral"as WI
| soon be reopened. This IS a success gu.
| the more valuable resuit-thss oeStt ~
| of A part of the Boer arny-has not ceeh
| secured. It cannot be said in the cir
| cumstances. that this is attribute ole 20
| weakness in the British genesaisaip,
| which seems to have been exce!iehs.
.Taere ara diaIu;eting features in the
| news. The capture by Beers. SAID 70 nave
| come from Cotesoers. OF large bIle.sf
! convoy may diminish the mobility OF tne
! British force, and is a proof of tae 1aaS-
! rnert and energy of the Eoer leaders,
| The vigorous attack OF the Boer leaders
| at Rensburs shows that the boers means
| TO reply to Lord Roberts advance py
! striking at his communications
..Unless the issue of the operations
! around Kimberley is fully known IL IS
| useless to speculate upon the next move
! OF Lord Roberts The fact that kinsoer-
/ ley has been re,!eVed. anu thdL ,foiije
! mad TO make a hasty retreat are to the
/ good side of the account, but the fact
| that Cronje has not, at any rate up -
the date of the latest te!egrauls have
/ seen, been we'll beaten IN hgat. is a
/ Disappointment. The opinion Is wide
/ spread that the invasion OF the Free State
i will bring the Boer army. or at least rae
Free State contingent. out eE Natal Upon
1 this point I am less sanguine than U4ost
IT, yt,J, ~
i whose Judgment most deserves conf
fcnce bu. the news OF Lord Roberts. adj
i vance viii encourage White and his men
| to prolong their defence.
75SI IN FULL RETREAT.
JAC0BSDAI4,y via adodder River. Feb.