The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1900-02-10
BUSY GUESSING.
Buller's Retreat Across the
Tugels Explained In
Many Ways.
MAY BE A DEMONSTRATION
Roberts Has Probably Gone
to the Modder River.
[By Gable to The Associated Press.1

By Cable to The Associated Press
3 LONDON. Feb. 10, 1900, P. M.-General
Butler is once more south of the Tugela
River, General Macdonald is back at the
Modder River and apparently the Beers
have lost none of the ascendancy they
have held SO long. Yet todays news by
no means causes the acute disappointment
attendant on the other failures to relieve
Ladysmith. This can be attributed to
three causes-first, there is a strong belief
that General Buffers last attempt was
only demonstration on a large scale;
second, the wiser critics had warned the
public not to expect the immediate relief
of General White; third, the nation has
settled down to the realization that the
war will last long time and they are not
swayed as at first by minor reverses and
victories.
The second and third reasons are self
explaining. The first requires consider-
held by Mr.. Spencer Wilkinson, the mill
tary critic of the Morning POST that
General Butler did not intend Immediately
pushing on to Ladysmith there is over
whelming evidence to show Field Marshal
Lord Roberts ordered systematic activity
upon the part of all the forces On this
basis General Buffers move may only be
a repetition of General Macdonald'S and
General F'rench's "Reminiscences.
Mr.. A. ]. Balfour's ambiguous state
ment about awaiting the completion Of
plans is another reason for believing Gen
eral Butler never intended to make the
main advance via Vaal Krantz, but was
acting under the orders of Lord Roberts.
1t is also curious that the news of General
Buffers retirement first came from the
Boer Hoad Laager near Iadysmith and
that he British correspondents were free
ly allowed to send dispatches before any
thing from General Butler was published.
Fr- T II
leigh war correspondent of the London
Daily Telegraph" asking the public to
suspend judgment and rely on General
Butler also has considerable significance.
On the other hand, General Buffers recent
speech to his troops in which he said he
hoped to be in Ladysmith within a week,
tend, some people claim, to throw doubt
on the belief that he has only been
demonstrating in force.
The latest news from the Moder River
shows that General Macdonald's retire
ment from Koodossberg was effected in
complete order. The most reasonable eX-
PLANTATION of his movement is that it was
undertaken more to restore the confidence
of the Highland Brigade, still nervous
from their terrible experience at Magers-
fontein, than to gain any important OBJ
jective. With this important unit Genebal
Methuen's force is rehabilitated for a
vigorous attack on General Cronje and
an attempt to relieve Kimberley may be
looked for, more than likely superintend-
ed by Lord Roberts, while the Seventh
Division and part of General French S
cavalry are occupied in a turning move
ment east of Jacobsdal.
A despatch from Rensberg, dated Fri
day, February 9, reports much aggressive
activity against all the British recon
noitering and declares the Boers are in nc
sense surrounded at ColeSburg, but are
simply held in check by a series of camps
forming a semi-circle from east to west
The Boers, it is added, are still in full
possession of their lines of communica-
ton with the Free State and hold strong
positions around Colesberg.
During the morning of February 8 a
bombardment with lyddite occurred at
Rensberg and the Beers Maxim Vickers
guns are believed TO have been silenced.
A dozen dead Beers were foulnd on the
kopje.
Lord Roberts has addressed another let
ter to Presidents Kruger and Steyn, COM
planning of the wanton destruction of
property in Natal. The fact that the
news of Lord Roberts message to Presi-
dents Kruger and Steyn came from the
Modder River is taken as an additional
indication that the Chief
has gone there.
A despatch to the London '@rimes" from
Springfield Bridge, dated Friday. Febru-
iOur force at vaal Krantz entrenched
itself as well as possible, but nevertheless
we continued to lose men and no advance
necessarily and as Wednesday proceeded
it was increasingly apparent that al
though the infantry might, by very de-
termined assault force its way through
the centre OF the Boer position, 1t would
become impossible during subsequent op-
erations to maintain the security OF the
lines of communication and the evacuation
was decided upon.
The retirement commence& at nine
o'clock at night, the pontoon-bridge be-
ing moved after General Hildyard's force
had crossed this morning. The whole
force retired beyond the range of the
Boer guns, which continued shelling.
An extra Cabinet Council was held this
afternoon, in response to summonses is
sued yesterday evening. The Council last
ed over two hours, several members of
the Defence Committee were present and
Lord Salisbury presided. The Premier
held a supplementary consultation after
the departure of the majority of his col
leagues.
The Queens keen interest in General
Macdonal and the Highland Brigade was
evidenced by the great concern she show
ed at the news of Macdonals retirement
from Koodoosberg. Her Majesty sent
special inquiries to the War Office, but as
the officials had no knowledge of the
movement up to midnight the Queen made
her Secretary telegrah twice to Reuters
News Agency, asking for the most min
ute details, whence the news came and
VIII osent it, and requesting the earliest
notification of any explanation receiced.
A special despatch dated Spearman'S s
Camp, Friday, Feb. g. says that General
Buffers retirement was merely tempo
rary owing to a. determination to change
tactics. The force, it is added, will soon