The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1900-02-16

true the lsncr statement that Gen.
| Butler has failed again. These state
mcnts pass the British censor at Alden
| and are read in connection with Mr..
| Balfour's statement that Gen. Butler
is not pressing forward. Mr.. Winston
Churchill says that retention of Vaal
krantZ was not practicable and that
| further guns were needed to support
the advance. His cablegram leaves
Gen. Butler pressing forward Il brig
! ade to relieve the tired holders Of
Vaal Klantz.
The descriptive writer's with Gen.
Butler were allowed Il rather free hand
again in explaining the ugly position
which the British held and the natural
Obstacles which had to be overcome.
| So it is easy to infer that with Bocr
riflemcn and artillery defending these
hills, ravines and jungles. have not
been overcome, land thus the public is
prepared in advance for bad news.
! Heliograms from I4adyslnith, dated
Monday. describe the effect Gen. Bull
er's cannonad had on the worn garri-
son. Hope ran high that the long pcr.
cd of inactivity and tedium was grow
ing to close. The crash of guns was
almost continuous for fourteen hours,
and at times it seemed us if as many
as Twenty shells burst il, minute.
The Beers, preparing always for the
Possibility of Defeat
We're driving herds and sending long
wagon trains toward the DraEensberg
passes. Intense darkness and silence
followed, broken only 10y frogs croak-
ing and the occasional burst of stray
shells fired at searchliyhtS surround
ing the town with wall of light to
prevent the unobscrved approach Of
the enemy. \ series Of British mines,
laid for tho Beers exploded accidental
| ly, shaking and alarming the city and
camp.
Gen. MacDonald's retirement puz-
ZleS military comnentprS. The theory
4 of the reconnaissance is that it was
ordered by Lord Roberts ana that
Gen. MarDonald's operations We're by
the direction Of the comrmnder-in,
chief in order to occupy the Beers at
widely separated points SO they may
be unable TO send amy portion OF their
force to oppose the proposed central
advance.
Mr.. Charles Williams. Il military
writer who is understood 70 be i'll con-
fidcntial relations with Lord Wolseley
says that beyond doubt the best au
thoriiy in London regards it as certain
that an endeavor VIII be made to force
the line at the Orange river by
a dispatch from Spcarlnan's Camp
1 y Il I,,;.1 fn 1,,
Bocr cross-tire and the jmpcssibiity of
intrcnchlng Wall kran.z. Gen. Buffers
force will withdraw. The Financial
News, which publishes this dispatch.
suggests that Gen. Butler has Rot yet
actually crossed the I'll, :,la.
Abandoned by British.
Bocr Head Laagnr, I.adysmith, Feb.
1O.--Ihe British who were in posses
sion Of the kopje at Molen's drift,
abandoned it after a boMbardment by
Eoer clEnon Thursday morning. and
retired across the Tugcll river to their
former position. \ aesultory cannon
ado is proceeding ut the Tug?la this
lncrning, but otherwise everything is
quiet.
! Az Long ns Ammunition ;laltls Ont.
London. Feb. 1O.--l)r. I.cyds has is.
1
lication in England denying purportel
interviews in which he is represented
as predicting the intervention Of the
powers III the event of the British ill.,
vading the Free State. He says he is
convinced the war will continue as
long as the two republics have anlnu-
milton. When their present amnluni.
| ton is exhausted. he said they would
fall back upon Martini-Henry rifles.
for which they have Il supply Of am
! munition to last some time.
| Hay ut Pretoria.
Washington. Feb. 10. - Secretary
Hay received a cablegram from Abel.
bert Hay. United States consul at Pre-
tcr.a, stating that lie had received his
exequatur Wednesday. and that mat
ters were very satisfactory. This ef-
fectually disooscs Of the apprehension
that existed III some quarters that the
Hoer government might decline to re-
| oo.vn IN TJnx. of rl,, fn ;l,,ro