New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-01-16
CONFLICTING WAR RUMORS.
EXPERTS IN THE DARK-MUCH DOUBT
OVER wARREN'S MOVEMENTS.
rc,,vrss+t, 1900: BY The New-York Triounel
T. r.urr 10 TI5F TRIBUNE.

rc,,vrssht; 1900: BY The New-Xork Triounel
rBr CABLE TO THE TRIBUNE-l
ro,so, Ian 16 / a. n.-The military situa-
t,on in Natal remained unntelligible up 10
- ,o,,- last night. One rumor contradicted
4,.o- esozzref Warren had gone east through
weenen and he had gone west through
Springfield and he had crossed the Iugela
River at drifts thirty-fve miles apart ne
had also invested Inhlawe Mountain ana oc-
cupied the trenches at Grobler's Kloof' on the
opposite bank of the Tugela, overlooking the
ruined railway bridge. General Butler was at
sprtngfield and at Potgieter's Drift, and he was
also at weenen and at Chieveley. There were
@asnt attacks at both ends and at the centre
and there were turning movements to the right
and 10 the left Ladysmith was relieved, the
north and south banks OF the Tugela were aban-
doned by the Dutch, and there was fighting all
along the line after the enemy had retreated
from every stronghold.
Bulletins and dispatches relating to these
events as incidents combined with movement
OF the most comprehensive character were dated
from Tuesday TO Saturday. and Lord Roberts
had reported on Sunday night that the situa-
ton was unchanged. The censor had allowed
this Job lot Of fantastic rumors to pass the wires
as an effective means of bewildering everybody
in South Africa, and England's comment upon
this maze of contradictions was idle when no
body outside the small circle Of the War Office
and the Headquarters Staff had any data upon
which to base an opinion. The clubs were
silent Military men declined to discuss the
situation, and were content to wait for mid
night message from the War Office.
BOERs MOVING FROM THE TUGELA.
Two plain facts remained unchalanged. Pot
gieter's Pont had been seized on Thursday
morning, and General Warren, with flying
column of eleven thousand men, with a supply
rain hoE
are added third fact in the messages of to-
day in The Times and other journals from
Ladysn1ith, namely. that the Beers are remov-
ing their guns from the Tugela and concentrat-
ing their forces elsewhere. A large camp has
peen seen hfteen miles west of Ladysmith cor
responding 10 the force which Sir Redvers Bull
Ter reported intrenched four and half miles
north Of Potgieter's Drift. The 18th Hussars
are reported TO be accommodating near GrobIer,s
Aloof without meeting the enemy
Inc Laoysmith garrison has been put on full
iauons' and immediate relief is confidently ex-
pseped- The merchants there are already order
ing Jam ana stores from Pietermaritzberg.
le 'uihors that the Dutch are preparing
10 retreat with their guns in consequences Of de-
feat in their desperate assauI. 49,, To,s,.1,,
may be premature there is Of 1oos+ o,,sa,-
that tbey are weakening their central nosftto,,
al Colenso, and are concentrating their foroas
elsewhere 'ieir iorces
situation is too confused for any inteIIi
gent comment without official information Tho
!" ar once was silent respecting cereraI p,,,Iar
throughout the day. and closed its doore 80 ,,,ts
hlBht without throwing any light unon The ms
Si'ualoh' officials declare that tbev
they know as little about it as the da7ed a,5
bewildered public anu
TIE NEWS FROM OTHER CAN,pc
The news from other sections NJ ,ba .hoo.u
wa was again meagre yesterday Lord Meth
pen's reconnoissances into tbe r. 60
nave not been followed by Increased oc+,,,,+ -
Modder River General French is renorted ~,
VARIOUS correspondents as holdine ,,a,- ,.,4,
"hich We're gained last week but as not vat
having succeeded in cutting OF the retreat os tt
enemy northward OF the Orange p,,,a~ -
ROBERTS confirms this general stateroant -,
Hlohlght bulletin posted at the W. oesoa
Aooihg that two squadrons OF cavalry ard +u,o
companies OF mounted infantry were sent on.
on saturday and had returned after shaI,... 49,
CoIesperg Road bridge There was No &c.
In General Gatacre's front
No intimations received from 6,so ~,
respecting either the destination Of the GO
Division or the general plan of cannaign
The interesting announcement is mad g..
Sir Frederick Darlington has been hastily sur,-
fnoned from Belfast 10 the War ONCE ana tba.