The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-02-16
FIERCE WORK
ON TUGELA
Gen. Butler Wins a Boer
Position.
LATEST NEWS UNPLEASANT
Plague Precautions = Prince Henry
Robbed = Shipping Laws
For Hawaii.

OF EAhMAN D CAMP, Wednesday
Feb. Z. 6 p. m.-General Butler COM
menced the advance for the relief Of
Ladysmith Monday. The naval guns
opened at in the morning and feint
attack was mode on the front of our
position. Three battalions advanced
toward the Brakfontein with six hat
teries.
AT IL O'Clock the Beers opened with
artillery fire and sent several shells
among the British infantry, who re-
tired one hour later Meanwhile a
vigorous attack was made on the ex-
treme right, where the engineers expe-
ditiously constructed a position. Sew
eral pieces of cannon, hidden among
the trees on Zwartskop, bombarded
heavily. The British infantry adva &C.
ed and the Beers were entirely sur
prised.
AT 4 o'clock high hill, a continue
ton of the Brakfontein, had been Ia
ken. The operations were excellently
planned. The name of the hill taken
is Krantzkioof.
The bombardment of the Boer posi-
ton was resumed this yesterday
morning. The Beers worked a disap-
peariDg cannon from the high Doorm
hloof range on the right of the hill
captured, but the British shells ex-
pioded its magazine and the gun was
put out of action until late in the day.
Musketry fire was intermittent un-
til the afternoon, when the Beers
made determined effort to retake the
hill. Reinforcements rushed up cheer
ing, the Beers were repulsed and the
British advanced along the ridge.
The Advance Checked.
LONDON, Feb. S.--A special dis
patch from Spearman's Camp dated
Wednesday. February 7th, says: Our
further advance is at the moment pre-
vented, as the Beers enfiladed us from
their positions on Spion Kop and
Doorm Kloof. Our casualties, al
though estimated at $50, are trifiing,
considering the great Importance of
the movement just concluded"
Details from Correspondents.
LONDON, Feb. S.-The Standard has
the following from Spearman's Camp,
dated February 7th:
The force under General Butler is
again advancing to the relief of Lady
smith, and, after two days Of severe
fighting, it may fairly be said to have
made good first step on the road to
the besieged town.
The movement was begun at an
early hour on Monday morning by way
Of Potgieter's Drift. The Eleventh
Brigade, forming part of the Fifth
Division under General Warren, made
a feint attack upon the kopjes imme-
diately on our front. The assault was
delivered at the outset under cover of
the naval guns on Mount Alice and
subsequently under that of field bat
teries.
The infantry advanced steadily to-
ward the Boer intrenched position at
Brakfontein and kept the enemy busily
employed. While this diversion was
being made the remainder of the in
fantry told off for the attack, who had
bivouacked Sunday night under
Mount Alice, moved along at the foot
Of Zewartis Kop in the direction of
our right.
"A pontoon bridge was thrown
across the Tugela by the engineers un-
der the fire Of the enemy. The first
battalion to move across in the fore
noon was the Durham Light Infantry
of General Lyttelton's infantry. They
advanced against Vaal KrantZ, which
lies on the most direct road to Lady
smith, and after two hours splendid
work they got within charging dis
tance of the Beers.
THE first of the kopjes was carried
by them at the point of the bayonet,
by the utmost gallantry. Almost sim
the battalion rife brigade
cleared the second kopja and after
moving across the long ridge, they biv-
ouacked on the spot
The feint attack at Potgieter's hav-
ing served its purpose in preventing
the concentration of the enemy al the
crucial point, the Eleventh Brigade
fel back to the river In the course
Of the oDeration both the infantry and
the artillery had been subjected 20
severe shell fire
Yesterday (Tuesday) at O'Clock in