Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1900-02-08
WILL TAKE A MONTH
The British Forces Expect to Con-
oentrate and Move Together In
a Few Weeks.
BULLER HOLDS A HILL TOP
But Will Have Hard Job Getting Across
Kopjes to Relieve Ladysmith England
Is Hopeful, But saddened By the
List Of Casualties.

London, February S.-General Butler
has cabled the war Office that the ap-
proximate British casualties in the
fighting at Potgieter's drift up to noon
Tuesday We're; Officers, two killed, If
teen wounded; commissioned off,
GERS -"ssi,d men, ZIG killed afi w uns d.
The officers killed were Major johnson
Smythe and Lieutenant Shafte, both of
the Durham light infantry. The officers
wounded include Colonel Fitzgerald, of
the Durham light infantry; Col. A. J.
Montgomery, of the royal artillery, and
Lieut.. Sir T. A. A. Cunninghame.
Rensberg, February S.-The Boer po-
sltion w1as vigorously shelled with lyd-
dite for an hour this morning, eastward
from Slingerfontein and westward from
Coleskop. A 15-pounder shrapnel gun
paid special attention to the sites of the
Beers guns, which have been unusually
active lately. The Beers held position
halfway on direct road between Rens-
berg and Colesberg. They shelled Por-
ters hill yesterday ineffectually.
Modder River, February S.-General
Macdonald maintains his position at
the Koedoesberg drift. His movement
evidently disconnected the Beers, and
at the same time safeguards the posi-
tion of a portion of the Belmont garrt
son in the direction Of Douglass, where
there are still a few Beers. The ninth
lancers made several attempts to draw
out the Beers, but were unsuccessful.
The British hold the highest portion on
the kopje, the Beers position being the
lowest portion. Owing to the steepness
of the southern slope Of the kopje 1t Is
impossible to mount artillery. The
usual daily shelling here continues. The
outposts report the Beers making ad-
vanced trenches on the open plain in
front of the Magersfontein drift, pre-
sumably to prevent the British horse
field artillery from approaching Within
range of their positions.
London, February S.-Presumably
General Butler is fighting again to-day
in the third attempt to relieve Lady
smith, and news of the greatest import
may arrive at any moment. Yet here
there is much more doubt than exulta-
tion, for the list of casualties published
to-day is sufficient reminder of the
tremendous difficulties Of his task. His
occupation Of Vaal Krantz to the lower
ridges, while praiseworthy and gal
liant achievement, by no means signifies
that General White will inevitably Join
hands with him. Before Butler are sew
eral days of hard fighting, and any at
tempt to forecast the result would be
valueless The British troops, who
are snrarting under defeat, will un-
doubtedly be nerved to more desperate
efforts than ever before, and If furious
gallantry can carry Butler over the
kopJes that face him, Ladysmith will
be relieved Within week 1t is more
than likely that General Barton, at
Chieveley, MAY be strong enough to ad-
vance on the Tugela and render val
liable assistance from the southeast,
while the beleaguered garrison itself
should be able to create a potential d.
version when Butler has overcome the