Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1900-01-16
Former Resident Director Hears
ss That Butler Has Lost 4
Again.
General Opinion in London That
a Battle Is at Least
~.-4- --, Due.
Some Momentous Changes in Dis
position of Boer. Forces
Imminent.

Newport, Wales, says Rutherford Har-
ris, formerly resident director in South
Africa of the British South Africa
company, has received cablegram to
the effect that General Butler has suf-
fered another reverse.
The war Office has no information to
enable it to confirm or deny the dis.
patch said to have been received by
Mr. Rutherford Harris.
LONDON. Jan. 16-Up to the present,
the reported crossing of the Tugela
river by General Warren's division re-
mains but rumor. Nevertheless, the
whole tenor of such news as has drib-
bled in from South Africa during the
last AZ hours indicates that mbined
forward movement of a comprehensive
character is proceeding. It is not nec-
essary to believe the unconfrmed sto-
ries Of the Beers being in full retreat
from Colenso because it has been
learned that column is proceeding via
Weenan to Helpmaakar to cut off their
retreat. But at the same time credible
information from many sources indis-
putably points to momentous changes
in the disposition of the Republican
forces. Advices from Pietermaritz-
burg, dated Saturday, Jan. .13, say that
since their defeat on Jan. 6, the Beers
have been removing their guns from
the positions south of Ladysmith. The
same dispatch confirms the report that
the Thirteenth Hussars reached Grob-
1er's Kloof without meeting the Beers.
As the. trenches Of Grobler's Kloof were
perhaps the strongest position held by
the burghers, their vacation had con-
siderably astonished the British.
They Want the jam.
Merchants at Pieterm aritzburg have
received messages from Ladysmith say
ing Bring up JAM" etc., indicating
that their Ladysmith's agents antici-
pated an immediate opening of commu-
nication, while Ladysmith also hello
graphed the belief prevalent there Jan.
13, that the Beers were moving and
concentrating their forces elsewhere.
AS corroberative of the British activity
in the direction of the relief of Lady
smith, a dispatch has been received in
London from General Butler to the
effect that he expected all the DISPOSE
tions for synchronous movement Of
the various columns against the besieg-
ers would be completed Monday morn
ing. Under these circumstances, it is
considered quite probable that the ad-
vance on the beleagured town has COM
menced and that fighting is progress
ing. Optimists go SO far as to say that
it is expected that Ladysmith will be
relieved by night if all goes we'll. The
military men are, divided in opinion as
to whether General Butler is at Spring.
field or personally directing the flank
movement from Weenen. The officials
are inclined to credit the report that
the British have crossed the Tugela
river in that direction, although there
is no confirmation of the information.
and altogether there is more hopeful
feeling in official circles.
There is little news of Importance
|: from elsewhere. General French's
forces have succeeded in dragging 15-
FOUNDER to the summit of the steep.
rocky Coleskopf, 1000 feet above the
surrounding plain and Jan. IL, they
successfully routed a Boer camp on the
plain three miles away from Storm
stroom.
An interesting item of news is that
800 Boers escorting q party of reapers,
have successfully garnered all the crops
within two miles Of the colonial camp
at Birds river, the British force being
too weak to interfere.