Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1900-02-08
MAKING A De TOUR
EXPERTS THINK THAT is WHAT
BUTLER Is DOING.
ADVANCE WILL BE SLOW
Believed British Commander Is Seek
ing to Relieve ladysmith from the
Northwest Large Operations APP
parentiy About 20 Begin in the
Western Field,

London, Feb 6.-Miutary opinion
in London continues TO assume from
very slender materials that Gen.
Butler is again throwing his army
against the boer works. The retired
Gen Sir William Henry Green, whose
distinguished career gives weight to
his opinion, thinks Butler With 25,00O
men, is making wide detour to the
west and north in order 10 avoid the
toughest parts OF the country. As
Butler must have some thousands OF
wagons, Sir William Green points out
that advance will necessarily be slow.
No authentic word is at hand, save
that the war Office reathrmed orally to
newspaper inquirers at a late hour
that 1t could not confirm the reported
advance There the Natal situation
rests. 1t is from the western field that
more definite statements come. Large
operations are apparently about to be-
gin Gen French who has now re-
turned to Renshurg from a conference
with Lord Roberts has sent what Is
described as an overwhelming force OF
infantry to seize Norval's point
This is where the railway, before
it was destroyed, crossed the Orange
river and connected with the Free
State trunk line to Bloemfontein.
Noryals point is 10 miles north of
Colesburg and % miles from Gen.
Frenchs headquarters at Rensburg
The beers at Colesburg have been in
danger OF being surrounded by largely
reinforced and extending Ines of Brit
ish rhe occupation of Norvals point
in force would presumably render
Colesburg untenable, The beers are
showing great activity in Naauwpoort
and Colesberg districts. Many guns
hitherto facing Lord Methuen are be-
lieyed to have gone to Norvals Point.
The British therefore, may find formi-
dable bodies of beers there. The war
Office announces that 10 transports VIII
be dispatched between today and next
Monday with 10000 troops, including a
fourth cavalry brigade, militia bat
talions and three of good yeomanry
The transport Pufnea, from India, has
arrived and landed battery of artil-
lery at Durham 4 more hopeful fee
ing prevails there
Sir Alfred Miner, in letter written
three weeks ago to the former lord
mayor of Belfast, said the war would
last three or -four months longer. Mil
ner has sent the most hopeful and en-
couraging reports to the government
regarding the prospects of the cam
paign and it is understood his views
are shared by Lord Roberts. The
censorship seems to have completely
shut down on correspondents at Spear
mans camp No dispatch from that
point appears in the papers, nothing
having been allowed issue since Fri
day evening. A dispatch To the Times,
from Queenstown, Cape Colony dated
Monday says. Gen Brabant while
addressing one of the regiments of the
colonial division on parade Sunday
said they were leaving next morning
for the front, not TO return he hoped,
until the task entrusted to him by
i4Olu ltDbeIlS UdH befu SA''''9l NllN
accomplished He could not disclose
his plan of operations, but if his in
tentons were carried out the greatest
glntton of fighting among them would
have his fiji
Davis lnspects Boer Lager
Lourenzo Marques, Feb e. Webster
Davis, United States assistant secre-
tary of the interior, accompanied by a
party Of friends, is at the head Of a
laager Of beers at ladysmith, closely
inspecting the camps and positions
around the besieged town. Ihe Ger
man consul at Pretoria, Herr Bier
mann. is accompanying Mr. Davis on
his trip to the boer head lager.
Fresh News Scare
London. Feb 6-lhe war Office an
nounces that it has received no fresh
news from the sat of war for publica-
ton