The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1900-01-16
Former Resident Director Hear
That Butler Has Lost
Again.
General Opinion in London That
a Battle Is at Least
Due.
Some Momentous Changes in Dis.
position of Boer Forces
Imminent.

LONDON, Jan. ia telegram from
Newport, Wales, says Rutherford Har'
ris, formerly resident director in South
Africa of the British South Africa
company, has received a cablesram tc
the effect that General Butler has sui.
fered another reverse.
The war Office has no information to
enable it to confirm or deny the dis.
patch said to have been received by
Mr.. Rutherford Harris.
LONDON, Jan. 16.-Up to the present,
the reported crossing Of the Tugela
river by General Warren's division re.
mains but rumor Nevertheless, the
whole tenor Of such news as has drib.
bled in from South Africa during the
last A hours indicates that a combined
forward movement of a comprehensive
character is proceeding. 1t is not nee.
essary to believe the unconfrmed sto-
RES Of the Beers being in full retreat
from Colenso because i has been
learned that a column is proceeding via
Weenan to Helpmaakar to cut off their
retreat. But at the. same time credible
information from many sources indis.
putably points to momentous changes
in the disposition Of the Republican
forces. Advices from Pietermaritz.
burg, dated Saturday, Jan. 10, say that
since their defeat on Jan. 6, the Beers
have been removing their guns from
the positions south Of Ladysmith. The
same dispatch confirms the report that
the Thirteenth Hussars reached Grob-
ler's Kloof without meeting the Beers.
AS the trenches Of Grobler's Kloof were
perhaps the strongest position held by
the burghers, their vacation had O n
siderably astonished the British.
They Want the jam.
Merchants at Pietermaritzburg have
received messages from Ladysmith say
ing Bring up JAM" etc., indicating
that their Ladysmith's agents antici-
pated an immediate opening of commu.
nication, while L%adysmith also hello.
graphed the belief prevalent there Jan.
10, that the Beers were moving and
concentrating their forces elsewhere.
AS corroberative of the British activity
in the direction of the relief Of Lady.
smith, a dispatch has been received in
effect that he expected all the DISPOSE.
tons for a synchronous movement OF
the various columns against the besieg.
ers would be completed Monday morn.
ing. Under these circumstances, it is
considered quite probable that the ad.
vance on the beleagured town has com
menced and that fighting is progress.
ing. Optimists go SO far as to say that
it is expected that Ladysmith will be
relieved by night if all goes we'll. The
military men are divided in opinion as
to whether General Butler is at Spring.
field or personally directing the flank
movement from Weenen. The officials
are inclined to credit the report that
the British have crossed the Tugela
river in that direction, although there
is no confirmation Of the information,
and altogether there is a more hopeful
feeling in official circles.
There is little news Of importance
from elsewhere. General French:
forces have succeeded in dragging a 10
FOUNDER to the summit of the steep
rocky Coleskopf, 1000 feet above thu
surrounding plain and Jan. IL, they
successfully routed a Boer camp on the
plain three miles away from Storm
strOOm.
An interesting item of news is that
80 Beers escorting a party Of reapers
have successfully garnered all the crop.
within two miles Of the colonial cam1
at Birds river. the British force beint
t." weak to interfere.
y dispatch from Pretoria says thu
feaeral forces RECOMMENDED Don bard
ing Matehing during the morning Of
Friday, Jan. II.