The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-02-09
No FURTHER WORDOF
bUuER'S ADVANCE.

UULLLu u uUIIuvUL.
News Stops Short With
Tuesdays Fighting.
ALL ELSE coNJEcTURAL.
No Doubt Fighting Has Contin-
ued Since That Time.
Butler Must Have Either Advanced
or Retired, but which Has Not
Been Permitted 10 Escape the
Censor-London's Interest IL Now
Centcred on the Operations on
the Northern boundary of Cape
Colony, which. IL Is Believed.
PresaRes Roberts Invasion of the
Free state in a short Time.
LONDON, Feb. 9, 4 a. m.-Ail the mes
sages from the observers with Gen. Bull
Ter throw in a phrase or two about the
strength OF the Boer positions and the
difficulties of Gen. Buffers work" but
day evening.
Little New IL Learned.
Their last slender narratives leave the
British advance on vaalkrantz in the CEN
ter OF semcircle. where the troops are
exposed TO the Bocr artillery on both
sides and in the center. The lighting con-
tinued until 8 o'clock Tuesday evening.
and almost without doubt continued
Wednesday. as the Beers certainly would
not leave this wedge into their lines un-
molested. II is also inferred that Gen.
Butler must either continue his advance
or retire.
Heavy Fighting Tuesday.
The heaviest lighting appears 20 have
been on Tuesday. Gen. Buffers g33 cas-
ualties are mentioned AS having occurred
before noon Tuesday. Large lists are
consequently expected for the rest OF the
day. The casualties already reported
bring the total British losses during the
war TO 1924 killed. wounded and cap
tured
Natal Fighting Mtnimtssd.
The disposition here Is rather to mini
mize the importancs OF the fighting In
Natal and to suggest that this IS only an
incident anyway. placing hope upon the
expected decisive engagements in north
ern Cape Colony and upon the invasion OF
the Free State ~ Lord Roberts. At all
events. this is the official view.
sharp Anxiety for News.
The public does not like these new
waits. and there is sharp anxiety for
further news.
Boers Taking the Offensive.
In Cape Colony Gen. Macdonald has
had a skirmish with thousand Beers at
Koodooborg. This was on Monday. The
Beers have been taking the offensive
against Gen. French near Rensburs. as
well as against Gen. Gatscrs In the
Stormberg hills.
Naval Defects Apparent.
Since the war has strained the resources
of the military system, England has been
troubled by the possibility that sea fghting
would show naval defects which would
weaken the first line OF defense In which
the country has placed such complete trust.
1'his apprehension has suddenly found ek-
preston. During the last two or three
days. IN half the newspapers In England the
attention has been specially
directed 10 the nuzzls-loading guns Even
public men have been painfully surprised
to learn that sixteen battleShips and eight
armored cruisers depend upon nuzxie-load-
ers This means that smsilee but faster
ships. with modern guns would be sble to
stay 100 or 2.coo yards out OF range and
to disable in Ieisurely fashion about one
third OF the vessels which appear in the
naval lis; as "arsi class"
The admiralty is understood TO be pre-
pairing to remedy this defect and - pro-
pose also considerable additions that viii
preserve the present ratio OF Great Hri-
taln's naval strength 70 that OF France and
Germany.
Tho supplementary army estimate TO
March 81. was laid pro f1rna before The
house Of commons yesterday. bat was not
made public.
It ls reported that the oaE Il for Eso son foD
"a hich would make the cost Of the war up
10 mat date E0nso.Q"e
- sa.as a.