The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-02-16

WITH great anxiety.
Elsewhere the Times takes heart
from the fact that General Butler is
playing his part in the general scheme
being co-ordinated by Lord Roberts"
1t says on this point: The British pub
lie is still kept in ignorance of the
whereabouts of some $4,000 troops, add
great developments may be expected.
It is difficult to believe that the Bobrs
are equally ignorant of the disposition
of the British forces. The great game
of war will, however, shortly be Begin,
and we may confidently hope that the
period of reverses is drawing TO IAN
end
Boer Raid in Zululand.
DURHAM, Feb. S.--A large force of
Beers attacked Nordweni, Zululandlde
stroyed the public buildings and took
numerous prisoners. A force of volln-
teers. with artillery, has been dispatch
ed thither to support the scouts and to
oppose further advance by the Beers.
Afternoon Service Dispatches.
BoER HEAD LAGER, Ladyslnith,
Feb. S.-(Afternoon Service. The
British, who were in possession of the
kopje at Molens Drift, abandoned it
after bombardment by Boer cannon
this morning and retired across the
Tugela river to their former position
A desultory cannonade is proceeding
at the Tugela this morning, but 9TH
erwise everything is quiet.
LONDON, Feb. 9, $40 D. m.-+Up to
the present time the War Office has
evidently heard nothing of General
Buffers retreat as described in the
dispatch from the Boer head laager, La
dysmith, February 8. When shown
the Boer dispatch the officials appear
ed utterly dumbfounded Apparently
they had not the least suspicion of the
possibility of such an outcomei of the
operations.
The Fighting Only Begun.
LONDON, Feb. 9.-(Afternbon Ser
ce.)-The London newspapers fully
realize that General Buffers fight to
rescue Ladysmith has only begun
that he is not much better off than he
was when he captured Spion Kop, and
that there will be further long lists OF
dead and wounded, whether General
Butler fails or succeeds. Nothing has
been published as to General Buffers
movements on Thursday. If he was
able to hold his ground at Wal
KrantZ and bring up more troops and
artillery, the critics will be- satisfied
1t is not known in London how impor-
tant Vaal Krantz is, and it is pretty
well understood that the Beers intend
tn f10hf ~ l+hn
There is no strategy involved in Gen.
mering his way through the Beers by
means of artillery. He lis moving
straight toward Ladysmith and seek
ing to split Joubert's army.
Pretoria dispatches continue to de-
scribe the Boer losses as trivial and
the British advantages of the position
as delusiye.
The success of the British movement
appears to be an artillery problem
Vaal Krantz is exposed to a long range
enfilading fire from Spion Kop on tht
west and Doom Kloof on the east. The
British are on lower kopjes and the
Beers have mounted heavy guns or
higher SUBMITS, which command Vaa
KrantZ.
l ne oIlllSn IuCluoClNCs1 nave nld0SCl
their heavy guns on Mount Alice ant
Zwart Kop on the southern bank o
the river, and have brought their fielt
effect Continued occupation of tn,
kopjes and the advan &c of Butler
troops to Ladysmith depend upon tn
Ipower of the British artillery to silenc
the enfilading guns. This is the viey
taken in official circlesI and there is
buoyant feeling of confidence.
Much confidence is felt in Lord Rob
Ierts campaign against the Free Stat
from Cape Colony. It'll is not yet clea
whether General MacDonald's move
lment to the west of General Methuen'
lcamp is anything more than a recon
Inoissance in force to protect a fres
ladvance from Belmont to Douglas, an
the skirmishing still i'm progress is in
decisive. General Gatacre has strength
Tened his outposts north and west @
Sterkstrom, which were threatene
with attack, but has not massed hi
forces for an advance toward the o.
Iange river. General French was BON
harding the enemy's position vigorous
ly yesterday near Colesberg, but hi
Imaneuvers have not yet been crowne
with success. The Dutch in that quar-
ter have been heavily reinforced an
are no longer acting on the defensive
but are taking up new positions bt
, tween Colesberg and Phillipstown,
!; the direction of De Aar, the chief Bril-
, ish depot of military supplies.
There is no definite information re
: specting the distribution of the 20,0C
achievements with which Gener;
Roberts is opening the campaign o
| the southern or western frontier {
the Free State.
No News Of Butler.
: LONDON, Feb. 9, 2:35 p. m.-(Af
ernoon Service )-There is still I
news of General Buffers doings tods
! or yesterday. A dispatch dated Free
. Camp, Thursday, February 8, but pro
ably written with the advanced lin
= of Wednesday, February z, and sci
! to Frere by runner, says:
THE forces of the enemy are {
! both our TANKS and continue to rend
: our position extremely difficult
maintain
9 Beyond the fact that General Bull
! devoted Wednesday to bringing mo
artillery and troops across the Tugel