The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-01-15
THE SITUATION IN NATAL.

| contained in the report that the British
still hold Fctgieters Drift, and that, on
! Thursday SIR Charles Warren marched
from Fr-Te Camp to support Buffers ad-
vance. The belief is general in London
| that fighting is in progress at three points,
i and this idea. it may be conjectured. is
based on hints which have leaked from the
! War Office. where a great deal must be
] known that has not been confided to the
! public.
From professional point of view an in
/ teresting feature OF the situation is the
unanimity with which the leading
military writer's in England are
/ sticking 70 the theory they have
| maintained for two weeks. name
ly, that Butler would feint on Joubert-s
right and deliver his main attack on the
Boer left beyond weenen. They argue that
| Buffers presence at Springfield is a ruse to
delude the other side into a belief that
where the commanding general is there also
viii the principal operations occur. On
the basis Of this and lv;r previous reason
ing that the ground asst Of COlensO is bet
ter adapted to the 'nti.h purposes than
that west. the LOndpn writer's today are in
clined to assume teaU Warren has gone
northeast to Weenen. This may be true
and the strategists OF me London dailies
may have been right all along in their
prognosis Of the battle plso. On the other
/ hand. there may have been patriotic in
/ SEPARATION. and a disposition to deceive the
/ enemy behind the unanimity which has
/ ignored the plain suggestions OF war maps,
I and reports OF the disposition Of troops.
/ While II would be foolish 10 write or even
| 10 think dogmaticalIy about the Tugela
/ situation. since all theories al this distance
must be based on data of unknown value,
/ and some OF il perhaps misleading. we are
as yet unable to see any reason for chang
/ ing the view which we have held from the
/ start and in which We have been sup
I ported in part by at least one Of the Brit
/ ish authorities We ae still regarding
! Buffers advance as in tle main a move
ment TO relieve LadysmitG by crushing or
turning Joubert's right beyond Springfield;
/ other operations being in support Of that
purpose.
/ The critics may be correct in their as
sumption that Sir Charles Warrens move
ment from Frere has been to Weenen; but
we cannot make such an opinion consist
with the geography OF topography OF such
| war maps as We are able 10 consult. Il
/ seems to be admitted that the force with
which Butler occupied Potgieter's Drift.
marched up the main road which leads di-
/ rectly from EstcOurt TO ZUnckles. ten
/ miles west OF Springfield. The column
/ may have gene on to Zunckles and march
ed back over an intersecting main road
I 20 Springfield. and so on UP to Potgieter's
/ Drift, or it may have left the first high
way and moved by the crOss-rOad leading
| north TO Springfield much shorter route
II the flying column under Butler was
/ taken from Estcourt as reported the di-
| rect line from the British rear 70 Weenen
! was ignored. because the short cut to
! Weenen is by the main road northeast
from Estoourt- Now. there Is a main road
from Frere. running parallel With the EST
/ court road in the same direction. north
west to Springfield. II the dispatches re-
gsrding the stations and movements OF
troops have been correct. up TO yesterday,
| the logical meaning Of an advance from
| Frere would be- that Warren or whoever
was there in command, had moved 10
| Springfield to engage Joubert's right. while
I Butler should take II in reverse No doubt
I a force as strong as could be spared fas
moved against Inblawe Mountain and the
ford above Weenen; but We are unable 10
! think that the movement from Frere was
eastward. but naturally. il not necessarily.
in the direction or Springfield. And this
seems the more probable since an attack
on the Beer right front would promise
| great assistance 10 Butler in getting in
position for an attack in reverse.
The later morn. ng London news is in 70
sistent that Warren has gone 10 Weenen:
but We are not therefore, satisfied that
he has. or. il he has. that he started from
Frere. Whatever force or general marched
out OF that place is nearly certain 10 be
heard from between COlenso and Spring
field supporting Buffers turn as above
The only remaining crumb OF informa-
troL we have is that a reconnaissance on
the centre shows the Boer trenches at Co.
| Ienso nearly deserted. This may very well
| be. Joubert has a line extending. say. ten
miles each way from Colenso. In antici-
/ patton OF flank attack on his right o.
I his left. the Boer general would be likely
/ 10 place his highly mobile mounted IN
! fantry as largely in reserve as he dared to
/ midway Of each flank. Thus one-half OF
his available force would be within five
miles OF either flank and the whole
/ within the same distance OF the cen
/ tire. were the main attack to be developed
there. So, although the Boer riaemen may
not be in evidence at Colenso il is SUD
possible that they are lot far away.
Since receipt OF the dispatches published
in the morning edition of The Times to-
| day. the conviction is strengthened in
London that great battle is raging at
three points on the Tugela This view is
no doubt derived from private information
which has been given to friends by mir
listers or War ONCE officials When the
! truth Isl known We shall probably learn
that Butler today was battling fercely on
JOuberts right and rear, Warren or some
| other with a division engaging his right
| front. CIery striking at Inhlawe. and the ar
| tillery peppering the heights OF CoIenso.
! Should the operations beyond Springfield
1 prove even temporarily successful Sir
George White and the Ladysmith garrison
ought quickly to get into actIon-possibIy
may have before now.
|
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