The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-02-15
british ACROSS
MODDER RIVER {
French Forced a Passage
at C1op Drift.
4 BRILLIANT 1. FEAT
Occupied HiIIsNorth Of the River and
Captured Laagers.
TWO OTHER DRIFTS SEIZED
TWO OTHER DRIFTS SEIZED !.E:
By General Gordon, Together With
Two More Laagers-o,vin$ TO the
Rapidity OF His Movements
French Net With bus Slight
Opposition and Ills Los
ses Were Small.

LONDON, Feb. H.-S:a0 p. M.-It IS
officially announced that the British cav
airy division under General French. Mon
day. February eth, seized the crossing OF
tine Riet river at Dekie5s Drift, on the
east bank of which the sixth and seventh
divisions are now canlped.
LORD ROBERTS MESSAGE.
LONDON, Feb. 1L-11:s5 E. M.-The
War Office has issued the following
further message from Lord Roberts, re-
ceived this evening:
DEEEE,l.S DRIFrr. Feb, 14-s:1O a. NJ.
I General French left this point at u:30
yesterday morning wtth three brisides OF
cavalry, horse artillery and mounteu IN
fantry, including several Coioni@l contin-
gents TO seize cross OF the Alodder us-
tant about twenty-five miles. He reports
by dispatch dated 5:35 p. NJ. that he has
forced a passas. OF Clip Drift and occu-
pied the hills north of the river, eapeur-
ing three OF the enemy's laaSers WITH
their supplies. while General Gordon. OF
the Fifteenth Epussars, with his orisaue.
who had made feint at Rondeval DRIFT,
four miles west, has seized 1T and Sec
ond drift between that and CLIP Drtft'
together With two more lasgers.
General French's performance Is orfi-
liant considering the excessive heat ana
a binding dust storm which ragged dur
ing the latter part of thes,day.
owing to the rapidity Of his move
ments, General French met with but
slight opposition, and his losses were
sualf Lieutenant Johnson. of the Innis-
l1lIl1ns tDragoons is the only officers re-
por,eo severely wounded.
1.-THE Sixth Division was last night on
the north bank OF the Riet at Watervai
Drlrr, and Is moving to support the cav
airy. The Seventh Division Is here. and
WILL go on this Afternoon.
..rour officers and tifty-three men had
to De sent last evening in the returning
ox-wagons tor the railroad finc, pros
rratec by heat and exhaustion.
SLIGHT ENGAGEMENT.
LONDON, Feb. 14.-s:29 P. M.-The fol-
lowing dispatch has been received at the
War Office from General Roberts:
..Riet River, Tuesday Feb 18th.
Colonel Hannay, in command of bri-
gade OF mounted infantry, marching from
Orange River to Ramah, had slight
engagement February 11th Sunday with
the Beers holding the hills and threat
ening his right flank. With n detached
part of his force Colonel Hannay held
the enemy while he pushed his bagssse
and main body through to Ranah. The
ob]ect OF the march was successfully
carried out. Four men were killed. twen-5
ty-IWo were W0dnded ana thirteen are
missing.
NEW TRENCHES
LONDON, Fec. i5.-Ths Daily Tele-
Graph has received the following. dated
Tuesday, from it's special correspondent
at Egere:
'.On Sunday the Boers advanced down
the Laiysynith read toward Potsieters
Three hundred men horseback. with
others. proceeded to a point where they
I began to construct new rows OF trenches
at right angles to the road. This was
! about two nsiies north of the Drift.
"a party OF Beers also crossed the
Tusela, unw very low, about six miles
teiow Potgie.er-s Drift. where they
sniued the South African Light Horse,
who repulsed them.
.SsyeraI other skirnishes have taken
place. and the Beers are evidently INK
fo,is about their positions. They have bten
throwing up defensive works from
Trichardts Drift and the Spton ko,
range eastward to the Hsanswana and
Monte Crfsto Hills. both on this s.t'r5
OF the TugeIa. They have also two. u
not three, wooden bridges spanning the
TuSela In the bend and wire rope
apparatus fo>- the conveyance OF food
and ammunition across the river.
LADY SARA WILSON WOUNDED ss
LONDON. Feb. 15.-The Daily Chronicle
publishes the following dispatch from
AIafeking dated January 18th:
THE Beers shelIed the women's laaser
| for two hours on Saturday. January 18th.
Boer women. warned by spies evidently.
1