(By AN EX-M-MttEß OF THE INTELLIGSNOB Buaxch, SotTH Ajpkica.) Major-General lan Hamilton, who was last reported to be at Pienaar's river to the north of Pretoria, on the Petersburg rail way, has been ordered to assist General Buller to flank the enemy's position. To reach. Lydenburg, General Hamilton will have to march a, distance of not less than 170 miles. This will take not less than seven days' heavy marching, as the country over which he would have to pass is of the heaviest description. It may "be, however, that General Hamilton continued his march to the east, and did not stop in the vicinity of tlie Petersburg railway, and that ib is only at this late day that we hear of an order which may have been delivered several ■days ago. " Probably the reason General Hamilton has been ordered from the-west to the east, will be found in the fact that General French's cavalry has been sent to the east ward towaids Nelspruit,to engage the enemy that were laagered at that point, and to en deavour to capture Kruger and Steyn, who are reported to be occupying n railway car riage at that station, covered by the Red Cross flag. It is also probable that a por portion of the infantry forces have gone to the eastward, and that Geceral Buller's forces are not in sufficient strength, without strong reinforcements, to cop© with the enemy* and capture Lydenburg, as the diffi culties in his front are*of a serious character, on. account of tho impassibility of the coun try for mounted forces, save by clearly de fined roads along which the'fire of the Boer artillery can play continuously. Even for infantry, a passage from the low country on to the ridges will be a difficult matter, on account of the swamny nature of"the country; and the thick scrub of wait-a-bit thorn, which is to be found in all the fiat countrv-in the Lydenbunr district. Evidently. General Botha intends to try and hold Lvdenburg, where it is supposed great nuarititles of food and ammunition ar.e storpd, »nd if this rdace should fall into the liands of General lTuller, there h no doubt whatever that the btckbone of the Boer re sistance will be broken, as on tlie supr-lies at Lydenburg the Boers depend for the main tenance of their forces in the field. 