The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-02-08
BOERS ATTACK GATACRE.
Battle Begun at Sterkstroom. Anxiety
of the British Public.

London. Feb. 7.-While the suspense
is on regarding General Buffers move
mentS and the operations affecting the
fate of l4adysmith. there comes from
other quarters interesting news ID the
announcement that Field Marshal Lord
Roberts the ommander-in7 chief of the
British forces in South Africa and his
chief of staff, Major General Lord
Kitchener have left for the front. As
his information was held up for several
hours l,y the censor. il seems to indicate
that an important movement is on foot.
A dispatch from Sterkstroom dated
This morning announced that the Beers
are attacking General Gatacre from two
directions. Firing was then proceeding
ottS,r@a the outroSts. \ delayed Sterk-
stroem dispatch. dated Monday, Febru-
ary 9th. saws that a body of troops left
the camp February 3rd and that import
ant Developments We're expected. 1t is
quite probable that this explains Lord
Roberts departure and that the com
mander-in-chief wishes either to be
present at or supervise the long intended
movement by General Gatacre TO join
forces with General Kelly-Kenny, and
thence strongly reinforce General
French. completing the latter's work ut
Colesberg and establishing without fear
Of serious opposition the advanced po-
sitiOn. for the main movement This,
however, does not indicate that the main
advance has begun. The commanders
VIII probably he back at Cape Town
within Il short time 1t is pointed out
thar the term going 10 the front must
not be interpreted into the idea that a
great movement upon Pretoria, by way
of Bloemfontein. has seriously COM
menced. 1t will be a month or perhaps
much longer. before this can be brought
about In the meanwhile, the prelimin-
AIRY steps are likely TO enliven the cam
paign with sharp fighting, and news
from Sterkstroom, Thebus and Coles
berg is eagerly awaited.
When the dispatch announcing the
fighting on the upper Tugela was pub
lished there was the usual scene of ex-
citement ON the streets. The big pla-
cards attracted newspaper buyers, and
the news was eagerly discussed in all
quarters. There was notable excitement
in the House of Commons, where, in ad-
dition to the War Office announcement
that General Butler had crossed the
Tugela Monday and was advancing
upon Ladysmith. news agency tele-
gram was posted saying that one hundred
additional ambulance stretchers had been
sent to the front from Durham.
The War Office at present is only able
to add. regarding General Buffers ad
vance The operations are still in prog
ress but we have no information regard
ing the result"
The available maps do not show the
drifts mentioned in the Boer dispatch
The rush in the direction of the War
Office when il was learned that contirma
tion had been received there of the re-
port that General Butler was again adj
vancing evidenced the anxiety of the
public to obtain the latest details.
The War Office message as given out
furnishes no clue as to where the Tugeta
was crossed. nor the numbers supporting
General Buffers movements; but 1t is
presumed this third attempt will he a
supreme effort on the part of General
Butler 70 cut his way through. and that
in it he will employ every available man.
The expression in the official dispatch.
lis now advancing upon LadySmith it
is pointed out. must not be taken to
mean that he had cut down I'll opposi
ton. but merely that he is headed in
the direction of the besieged town, and
the public therefore is naturally on tender
hooks in regard TO the next news.
BRITISH WAVE STAYED.
London. Feb. S.-(Thursday)-A spe-
cial dispatch from SIearman's Camp,
dated Wednesday. February 7th. says:
Our further advance is at the mo-
ment prevented. as the Beers eniilade
us from their positions on Spion kop
and Doorm Kloof. Our casualties, al
though estimated at go are trihing. con
sidering the great Importance of tie,
movement just concluded"
THE STANDARDS STORY.
London. Feb. S.-2rhe Standard has
CONTINUED on Second Page)