The age-herald., 1900-02-12
General Joubert Has Assumed
 the Initiative.
EULER wITHDRAWs ALL FORCES
Report from Rensburg Says the Boars Outfanked General Clements, But e- Were Then Beaten Of-Brit-
 ish Position Maintained

London February 12.-4:40 a. m.-The lat est dispatches from the front, showing the real reasons for General Buffers retire ment and his intention to try again, quite destroy the comforting and ingenious the ory that the movement was an elaborate feint to facilitate the main advance of Lord Roberts, a theory which obtained ac- ceptance largely because of MT. Balfour's s misleading statements to parliament.
 These seemingly useless reticences and prevarications on the part of the govern ment and the war office are beginning to be criticised severely. No word yet has ds sued from the war office regarding General Buffers latest attempt although the cor respondents are allowed to telegraph with a fair amount of freedom and thus far only a partial list of casualties has been published The dating of messages from Frere camp may indicate that Butler has withdrawn all his forces there.
 The London newspapers, having become accustomed to checks, maintain a hopeful tone, but the situation is much more threatening than it seemed to be a week ago. Proofs of the terrible strength and mobility of the Boer artillery, together with the rumor that General Joubent is taking the initiative with the object of cutting off General Buffers communica- tion are in no way reassuring.
 Relief of Ladysmith Hopeless
 Even the most sangune persons begin to see that it is quite hopeless to expect the relief of Ladysmith, while it is clear that if it be impossible for Butler to reach Lady, smith, it is equally impossible for the gar xrsc to cut a way out.
 Reports of the Boer advance through Zululand are disquieting. If they should be able to strike at Greytown, General Butler would be compelled to turn his attention to the eastern side of Natal.
 The fact that Lord Roberts arrived at ATodder River Friday seems to show that he has been on round of inspection of the chief commands, and that the main ad vance is not so near as has been supposed. It appears that since January the rations at Kimberley have been for the most part horse flesh, so repugnant to women and children that many refuse to eat. It also appears that the death rate has been heavy, and that the privations of the garrison have been increasing steadily.
 This news is startling because the censor has not allowed it to be cabled. Possibly such conditions explain the presence of Lord Roberts at Modder River, and the apparent preparations for an advance from that point.
 Clements Commanding at Rensburr
 The mention in the dispatch of Lord Roberts to the war office yesterday of General Clements as commanding at Rens- b,,r ic mt cd to cbox hot French, with his cavalry has gone to join Lord Roberts, and that considerable change in the distribution of troops in that dis trict have occurred. The unexpected strength and activity of the Boers at Rensburg,, where they are rather pressing the British than being pressed by them, cause anxiety.
 There is no confirmation of the report of a sortie from Ladysmith. The latest dis patch from there, dated Wednesday last. reports that all was quiet then and that instructions had been issued to beware of the possible approach of Boers in the guise of British relief force
 Today sees the beginning of the fifth month of the war. Charles Williams. the military expert, says
 After all this interval our fine big army, instead of being free to maneuver in the field, is tied by the left leg to Kimberley in order to please Cecil Rhodes, and by the right leg to Ladysmith in order to please Joseph Chamberlain. Yet neither town has the very smallest military value"
 Although the British will soon have 2OO.- 900 men in South Africa, the Daily Mail and other papers are still asking for more troops.
 The stoppage of shipments of gold ana diamonds resulted in exports from Cape Colony last month valued at 9251,1 as against s2,312,114 in January of last year.