The Iola register., 1900-02-09

E lola REGISTER FRII
ish guns at Colenso, writes: 81 never
saw Boer all day and / do not think
anyone else did. Thousands of bull
let's pattered and shells burst all over
the place, but the Beers were invis-
| ible."
The Transyaal special war tax of
two shillings and sixpence per acre
affects 100000 acres of English
owned land, a part of which is not
worth more than the tax.
what Spencer wiIkinson Says
London, Feb. I'm the absence of
war news this morning, Spencer Will
l<inson, in the Morning Post, discusses
the problem of arming the nation at
home. He says: "There is now such
intense and Widespread interest in
the army and its management that
the nation has itself to thank If the
solving of the problem should not
he the history of the next few
months" lie proceeds to argue that
transcription would be valueless un-
| ltNN llf 8flt'lNl Va NlN
army was first remodeled." On this
point he says: "a war Office that for
so years has not known what to do
with the volunteers would not know
what to do with half a million con-
scripts"
Yesterdays REPORT
London, Feb. S.-The British col
umns are putting themselves in mo-
ton in all parts of the South African
war field. A combined attack upon
the Beers appears to be in progress.
Gen. Butler has gained a footing on
the plateau north of the Tugela, after
two days hard fighting. On the far
western border Lord Nlethuen has
| begun turning movement against
the Boer right, while Gen. Macdonald
threatens the Boer flank, thus reliev-
ing the pressure on Lord Methuens
| front. Lord Roberts, who, according
| to an informant in close touch with
the war office, is in the middle of the
theater of war, has begun to march on
! Bloemfontein. The Beers have taken
the initiative against Gen. Gatacre,
attacking two of his positions at
! Sterkstroom.
II really looks as though the gen
eral forward movement SO long talked
of were in progress. Gen. Buller's
third attempt at relieving Ladysmith
absorbs attention. Telegrams of from
100 to 200 words, from n dozen corre-
spondents, have been passed by the
censor, who has apparently rcdated
messages written Monday or Tuesday
to Wednesday. From these it is clear
that Gen. Butler, up to Tuesday even
ing. had taken one hill, had repulEssl
a l}oer counter attack and was hold
ing the position against an enflading
fire from Spion kop and Doorm kloof.
His losses, as mentioned by one CORE
sDondent, are $50.
The only kilograms from Boer
sources assert that one of Gen. Bull
ler's attempts to seize the fords failed,
but they admit that he has lodged
forces on one kopie.
Three thousand more militia have
been ordered to prepare for embarka-
ton. The obsolete guns at the various
coast defenses are being replaced with
modern naval guns. The government
is preparing a plan to be submitted
to parliament for the conversion of
the yeomanry, volunteers and militia
into a well-organized and properly
equipped army for home defense.
The Standards Dispatch.
London, Feb. S.-The Standard has
the following from Spearman's camp
dated February Z: "rhe force under
Gen. Butler is again advancing to the
relief of Ladysmith, and after two
days of severe fighting it may fairly
be said to have made good first steI
on the road to the beseiged town. The
movement was begun at an hour on
Monday morning by way of Potgiet'
er'G drift. The Eleventh brigade
forming "A part of the Fifth division
under Gen. Warren, made feint at.
tack upon the kopies Immediately on
our front. The assault was delivered
at the outset under cover of nava
guns on Mount Alice and subsequent
ly under that of field batteries. The
infantry advanced steadily toward tho
Boer entrenched position at Brakfon
tein and kept the enemy busily EN-
! ployed. While this diversion was be
ing made the remainder of the in
fantry told off for the attack, who
had biyouaclled Sunday night under
Mount Alice, moved along at the foot
of Iwarts kop in the direction of oul
right
"A pontoon bridge was thrown
across the Tugela by the engineers
under the fire of the enemy. IN,
first battalion to move across in the
forenoon was the Durham light in
fartry of Gen. Lyttleton's brigade
They advanced against Vaal krantz
which lies on the most direct road tC
Ladysmith, and after two hours
splendid work they got within charg