The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-02-14

guns whi,h we're needed to support q
inrtber advance. His cablegram leaves
Gen Butler. on Tuesday night, sending
fresh brigade to relieve the tired
holders Of Vaal Krau,z
The descriptive writer's with Gen
Butler we're allowed rather free hand
again 10 explaining tho ugly position
which the British held and The natural
obstacles which bad to be overcome
SO 1t is easy TO infer that with Boer
r!aemsn sod artillery defending them
these bills. ravines and jupgles have
not been overcome snd thus the public
10 prepared 10 advance for bad nevs.
LADYSMITH'S L HOPE BLIGHTED
Heliogrsms from Lsdysuitb, dated
Monday, describe the effect Gen: Bul
ler's eanoooade bad 90 the worn ,psrri.
soo: Hope rau high that the long
period OF inactivity and tedium was
drawing to . close The crash of quus
was almost continuous for ten hours.
and at times it seemed % if o. maoy 90
t"eosy shells burst 10 u minute The
boers. preparing always for the DOS.
sibility Of defeat. we're driving herds
sod sending long wagon trains toward
The Drakeosberg passes. Iotense
darkosss and silence folio we'd, broken
only BY frogs oroaking aud the ooos.
sional blaze of star sbelIs, surronodioe
the town With circle Of light to pre-.
vent the uuobscrved approach of the
eoemy. A series of British mines.
laid for the Beers, exploded accident
ally. shaking and alarming the city aud
camp.
| MACDONALD'S RETIREMENT.
Gen MacDonald's retirement pussles
the military commensers. The theory
that 6ods acceptance .is that it was
ordered by Lord Roberts aud that both
Gen BulIer's and Geo MacDouald's q
operations we're by the direction of
the commander. chief. 10 order to
OCCUPY the Boers At widely separated
points. 80 they would DO uusbIe to
transfer aoy portion Of their forces to
oppose the projected central advance.
Mr. Charles Williams, . military
writer, who 10 understood to be 10
conideotisl relations with Lord Wolse.
Icy. says that beyond doubt the most
authoritative opinion in London regards
it as probable that 90 endsavor will be
made to force the lios Of the Orange
River before Wednesday next. possibly
BY Monday.
| A dispatch dated Frsre Camp yesser
day. probably written within The
advanced lines Wednesday, says: '"The
forces Of the enemy are 90 both our
dsnks and oontioue to render our
position extremely difficult. to main.
tain
This makes evident, that Gen Buller,
after devotiog Wednesday to bringing
more artillery and troops across The
Tugela. vas badly 10 need of reinforce.
ments 1t 10 stili more rsteut that it ia
impossible for bin to advance uutil the
artillery has been enabled to take 10
forward positions for the purpose Of
subduiog the Boer guns on both lsuks
Upoo the length Of time occupied 10
this operation depends the duration oil
Geo Buller's maintenance of the defep.
sive
Almost oil the critics now poiut on,
that the mere pushing through 20 lady
smith without securing . DECISIVE
victory 90 the way there would only
add danger to What il already . critiosI
situation.
Aoothsr Frere Camp dispatch SAYS q
Boer prisoner ASSERTS that the burg bers
expected Gen Butler to cross ct Skiets
Drift aud that thousands Of Beers we're
being posted at Dooro KIoof to oppose
such q passage, while on the captured
hill there we're only . few hundred
Johsnuesburghers. This touds to
increase the anxiety of those who
believe tbat Gen Butler has scarcely =
beguo the serious part of bis advsusc,
though sncourageuen ent is cleaned from
the news that the heavy naval gun.
after repeated attempts during which
the mules rolled down the bill, have
succeeded. 10 reaehiug the summit OF
Z"arts kop, whence they arc doiog
exceilsnt practice.
Gen Hector MacDonald's retire
ment from Koodoorsbery has created
disappointment. But the operation
was apparently only intended as a
sOrtie and its success or failure could
scarcely have resulted in any
material effect on the campaign.
Military attaches will leave to
morrow. Their destination is not
given, but presumably they will join
Lord Roberts, whose whereabouts
have not yet been made public 1t
was said today that one of the fret
steps to increase the home army will
De the raising of thirty. seven new