New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-01-17
ONLY RUNORS CURRENT.
SITUATION ON THE TUGELA IN DOUBT
METHUEN'S RECALL.
FcopyTight' 1900: BY The New-YorIz Trfbune.J
IBY CABLE TO THE TRIBUNE.I


[BT CABLE TO THE TRIBUNEI
London, Jan. IT. 1 a. m-There was a subsi
oenca Of the flood OF rumors from the Tugela
yesterday, but at midnight there was no fording
place where any bewildered expert could find his
way across in the darkness, nor single CLEAN
Of light from the War Office. The most proba BILE
explanation is that General Buffers strategical
combination was westward movement of Cen
eral Warren's flying column, with delay for
two nights in forcing the passage of the river at
Potgieter's or adjacent drift and battle with
the enemy before Ladysmth could be relieved.
General Butler, according to this view, started
with General Warren, and sent dispatch on
Thursday night from Springfield after the pont
had been seized and the south bank occupied
The alternative theory pointed to an eastward
march of the flying column and a preconcerted
attempt to turn both ends of the enemy's line,
with an ultimate concentration upon Ladysmith,
but there authentic confirmation of any
rumors of the passage of the river beyond
weenen.
There was also extremely optimistic view
that the Dutch forces had been broken up by dis
sension after the severe repulse at Ladysmith,
and had begun to retire from the Tugela taking
their guns with them; that the Free Staters
were moving westward and the Beers north
ward, and that General Butler, discovering from
empty, had set General Warren's column in
motion with a long wagon train for the imme-
diate relief Of Ladysmith.
This theory failed to account either for the
inscrutabe silence maintained since Thursday
or for the complete abandonment by the Dutch
Of a defensive line of great strength, with the
Tugela in flood and few drifts where a passage
could be effected, and for the fact that every
burgher had been ordered out.
FEARS OF A SERIOUS CONFLICT.
While military men declined to be drawn into
any attempt TO explain what was going on in
Natal, they smiled grimy when it was suggest
ed that the Dutch might be in full retreat and
that General Warren might enter Ladysmith
without serious fighting. They asserted that the
resources Of the Dutch defensive line of re-
markable mobility had not yet been exhausted,
and that ii remained to be proved whether the
British forces could either turn or break
through it, 1t was probable they added that
the Dutch centre had been weakened, and that
concentrations had been effected at one or at
both ends TO meet an attack and that the line
would be extended from kopje to kopje TO pre-
vent the success of any turning movement
General Butler might have turned the original
position held by the enemy by sending the f1y-
ing column TO the right or to the left but Il
was another thing TO turn a new position in
definitely run out east or west after a fresh
concentration.
While Durham and Cape Town are filled with
rumors Of desperate fighting on the TugeIa. the
actual scene Of operations is shut off from view
py the censorship. All messages from the front
are stopped, and the impatient public here is
met hour by hour with the uncompronisine
sign over the War Office doors: mo news Sir
Redvers Butler viii have the exclusive nriviIeea
OF electrifying England with the story of a vic
tory or Of startling the public with the tidings
Of failure and disaster.
Meanwhile rumors from the coast do NOT re-
quire serious discussion, and the Boer accounts
OF the sore straits to which Ladysmitb "a re-
ouced and the trivial list Of losses sustained In
sixteen hours battle may be received with re-
serve.
MOVEMENTS FROM OTHER CAMPS
Dispatches in this mornings papers viii In
clude the details Of several manoeuvres 10 .r,,,-
ial Importance and one stiff bit of fighting con-
eral Gatacre on learning that the Dutch in
tended TO make a second attack upon Molteno
sent out on Monday a strong force of infantrv
and cavalry under Colonel Smith Dorrien. with
two batteries, and the reconnaissance was con-