THE WAR OPERATIONSJN NATAL.

Evening Post, Volume LIX, Issue 11, 13 January 1900, Page 5

THE WAR OPERATIONSJN NATAL.

BOERS EAST OF COLENSO. [PBESS ASSOCIATION.] DURBAN, 12th January. A strong force of Boers is now reported to be laagered five miles east of Colenso. [If the force is due east of Colenso it Will be south of the Tugela River, and will probably be an advance post thrown out from Inhlawe Mountain, on which the enemy was at a recent date strongly entrenched.] GENERAL BULLER ADVANCING. SPRINGFIELD OCCUPIED IN FORCE. (Received January 13, 10.25 a.m.) LONDON, 12th January. News is to hand that General Buller advanced in force on Thursday and occupied the village of Springfield, twenty miles west of Colenso. His troops lined the south tank of the Tugela, and seized Potgieter's drift (crossing), and a bridge in its neighbourhpod. The river is in a state of flood. The Boers are strongly entrenched four miles north of General Buller's present position. [Springfield is not on the Tugela proper, but on the northern Lank of a southern .branch known as the Little Tugela. It is some twenty-five miles south-west of Ladysmith, from which it is separated by rough country. But it seems to be implied that General Jiuller pushed on to the southern bank of the Tugela proper, which would bring' him several miles nearer to Ladysmith, the distance varying according to the point at which he would strike the main river.]