The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1900-02-14
British Again Defeated.


news OF the day Is the enforced retire
ment Of the British from the Colesburg
district under heavy Boer pressure and
probably after brisk fighting. Thus, at
a time when Lord Roberts Is apparently
able 10 push an army into the Free
State, the Beers make counter stroke
IN unknown but seeminly great force,
sOt far from the vital line or railway,
connecting Deaar and Orange river.
Military observers do not regard this
as more uhan a menace. Nevertheless
the news produces an unpleasant impress
sion here. General French had manou-
yered % get Beers out of Rcnsberg In De-
cember On January 1 1t was reported
that he could take Colesburg in TWO days
with reinforcement These were sent.
but the Beers we,e also reinforced. Since
then the British lines have been extend
cd east and west, so that the opening Of
this week they constituted a great horse
shoe twenty-five miles in length. The
lines were not continuous, but all the
strong positions were held.
General French, when he Joined Lord
Roberts presumably took most Of MS
cavalry. General Clements was left with
the infantry to hold bhe Beers In check,
but Commandant Delaney, with a double
turning movement, has compelled the
British to concentrate at Rensburg, be-
side threatening Lord Roberts communi-
cations
The Boer mastery Of the district has
caused a spread OF the insuruecNon, but
this no doubt, will promptly be suppress
Ola. D. lin
NOT far away
The Indications as to General Buffers
immediate intentions are contradictory.
one informant who has intimate rela-
tions with the war office predicts a
m0vemenr within the next day or two.
A number Of correspondents who have
been with General Butler. however. have
gone to Durham for few days rest, un-
der the impression that nothing is to be
done Immediately.
The war office has directed the Eigth
division of 1000 men TO prepare to go
out.
WILKINSON OPTOMISTIC.
LONDON, FEB. H.-Spencer Wtkisson
an the Morning Post, discussing the news
from Rensburg. says:
paid for blow elsewhere. The concen-
Sra;don at Modder river is apparently
accompanied by a weakening OF the force
at Colcsburg, and OF this the Beers have
taken advantage to assume the offensive.
Meanwhile It looks as though The ene-
my had withdrawn their forces from
Btagerfonteln TO reinforce those at Coles
burg. where a Boer victory would threat
en- the communications between Cape
town and the Modder iissr.
Reviewing the whole campaign, Mr..
Wilkinson says that the type OF the COM
ing operations recalls that Of the Ameri-
can civil war
Developing this thought he remarks:
"Brltish strategy must be to crush
succession each OF the three principal
Boer forces near Kimberley, Colesbure
ana stromsberg by bring against them
great superior numbers Much depends
on what happens IN Natal. General
Joubert Is not likely 10 abandon his pres
ent enterprise against I.adysmith until
disaster 10 he Boer army compels HIM.
The opinion that the invasion of the
Free state will suffice to bring the Free
State troops out oe Natal and will induce
the Free staters to submit is not based
on a true estimate of the nature OF the
Boer The two republics are lighting .oi
national existence and they will stand oI
fall together
"Ths war Will not be ended by stratss
fcal manoeuvering or by the occupation
Of geographical points, but by the de-
struction Of the Boer army, taking th'
word destruction I'm it's military sense o.
decisive defeat involving dispersion Of al
army as an organized fighting force"
FIGHTING FOR TWO DAYS.
LONDON. FEB. 14-A dispatch to tn,
Daily Mail from Rensburg, dated yes
terday says
There has been hard hghting for tw'
days near Colesburg the Beers makln'
strenuous efforts 10 outhank the Brihsl
left. The enemy occupies strong posi-
lions from Achtertang, through Potion
tein to point five miles south Of Jas
fontein.
The lighting ~ th2 outpost camps ha
been very severe during the last few day
Yesterday the Beers attacked the posi-
ton OF the WOrcesters. 10 the southeals
OF Colcsburg. Fighting continued al
day and after dark II was considered nee
essary 10 withdraw 10 Ronsburg. GU
losses are not yet known. on the left th
West Australians WlHshires ana Berk
shires had hot dhting but held their 20
sltions against long odds. The Boe
losses were considerable.