The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-01-23
BRITISH STEADILY ADVANCING.
Buffers Guns Heard at Ladysmith-His
Advance Guard I'm Twelve Miles of
That City-DfmcuIties of the March.
The Hills on His Front Reported
Filled With Beers Buffers Forces
Steadily Increasing A Demonstra-
ton by General Methuen.


of L~adysmith, was, seen trekking to-
wards the northwestward of the Brit
ish position. A balloon did good SER
vice in observing that Lyttonton's force
made a demonstration in the direction
of the Brakefontein kopjes, four miles
north of he British position under
cover of a heavy artillery fire, to which
the Beers did not respond. On the left
General Warren's troops remained in
possession of two prominent kopjes,
behind Spion kop. There was some
Boer shipping, but it was ineffective.
The Graafrienet Beers evacuated
Prieska January 18th and returned
northward across the river.
London, January 19.-General Butler
telegraphs from Spearman's camp,
January 18th: Lord Dundonald, with
a body of mounted troops, came into
action this afternoon with a force of
Beers west of Acton Homes. After a
fight he occupied several kopjes, which
he is still holding. Field Cornet He'll
blum was killed. Twenty burghers
were killed or wounded and fifteen
prisoners taken. Two British soldiers
were killed and two wounded"
METHUEN IN GOOD HEALTH.
Modder River, Cape Colony, January
1S.-General Methuen, who is in robust
health, personally directed another
strong reconnaissance yesterday. The
Highlanders succeeded in driving the
Beers from the brush river bank by
long range volleys. The Boer fire was
ineffective.
London, January 19.-The war office
has made public dispatches from Field
Marshal Lord Roberts dated today, re-
cordlng the scouting movements in
Cape Colony and adding: "a Boer de-
serter states that the enemy suffered
severely in attacking French's adj
vanced post January 18th. Seventy
Beers are still u~naccounted for.
London, January 20.-Boer accounts
of the passage of the Tugela river are
given in the following dispatches from
C~ommandant Viljoen's camp on the
upper Tugela, via Lorenzo, Marques,
January 18th: January 16-Buller's
second was a reconnaissance in
force with an armored train and a
large body, supported by cannon, to-
ward ColenSo last night. A heavy
b~ombardment ensued and thereupon
the British returned, having wounded
one of our men. Nc reply was made.
This move was a feint to cover extern
sive movements up the river. KaffirS
on this side of the Tugela have been
warned by the British to leave their
hhAoiSt 90 IN hSAN wan
shortly"
FRIGHTFUL COMMANDMENTS.
The second dispatch runs thus:
January 17th-The night was unbrok-
en-, save for slight rifle encounters be-
tween outposts, which led to nothing.
AT daybreak the enemy was located as
before. He had not brought a single
u across the river, but from the
ridges of Swartzkop a battery and a
half of siege guns opened on our posi-.
ton at 5 o'clock a. m. The lombard
ment vas probably h most frightful
ever witnessed on land. Frequently
five heavy naval guns fired Simultane-
ously at n entrenchment."
BUTLER GAINING STRENGTH.
Every hour that General Butler de-
lays his combined attack makes his
position stronger. Transports on
tinue to arrive at Durham and fresh
troops are being sent up the line to
reinforce those in front of ColensO. 1t
appears that General Buffers troops
north of the Tugela number at least
1000 and possibly %, 600, with fifty
guns His total forces forming a great
outer curve south and west of Lady
smith, probably number 100000.
While Buffers forward operations,
which began on January 10th, develop
rather leisurly, the Beers appear to be
fully aware that they must meet a
strenuous assault. Balloon observers
have roughly estimated that 10, 200
Beers are using spade and pick in ar
officially strengthening positions which
nature has rendered easy Of defense.
Military critics in touch with the
war office think that news that general
fighting has begun may be expected at
any hour. 1t is not thought that one
days fighting will settle fate of Lady
smith, but rather that there will be
two or three days of continuous fight
ing.
DIFFICULTIES OF THE ADVANCE.
A dispatch to The Daily Telegraph
dated Thursday from Spearman's camp
describes the difficulties of the march,
owing to the unwieldy baggage column,
including all the tents and sheep, over
bad roads in wet weather. The CORE
spondent then goes on to say: Some
10, 900 Beers arrived in h vicinity of
Potgieters Drift on Thursday n Fri
day OF last week n began the cree
ton of extensive and formidable lines
of trenches, for the position apparently
could only be turned from the west by
assailing the high ridges of the Sproen
kop.
"A b%alloonist today reported that
guns were visible in the enemy'S works,
but hat there was a large Boer camp
in the direction of Breakfontein. a
brown ridge four miles from Potgiet-
tiers Drift.
Beers arrived in large numbers to-
day from Colenso and Ladysmith. They
have certainly run branches of the rail-
way from Modder spruit around Mount
Bulwaya. Nearly all the Beers have
| gone to attempt to check Genera War
| ren's advance; but he made no sign
today"
EASY ENTRANCE TO LADYSMITH.
A dispatch to The Daily Telegraph
from Spearman's farm, or camp, as the
! correspondents now describe it, dealing
with Lord Dundonald's movement to
the west of General Warren'S force
I already cabled, says: His success
: gives Us control Of an easy entrance
to Ladysmith. Our gum continue tc
lombard the Boer lines, the Beers re
plying, but feebly. General Warren i:
advancing steadily"
The Times has the following dispatch
from Pietermaritzburg, dated Thurs
day: General Buffers wagon trair
is nineteen miles in length n EN-.
braces 400 wagons and 5000 animals