The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1896-04-30
BRITISH DEFE,AT I7 TED
DESPERATE !E FIGHT WITH MATA-
BELES NEAR BULUWAYO.

English soldires Make an Attack
Upon the Natives, Taking Them
by Surprise and killing Many OF
Them, but Are Finally Compelled
to Retreat-Their Defeat Though
to Have Been Bad one.
Cane Town, April 23.-Capt. Napier,
/ with force of about 200 men, left
B l5llllll yesterday morning, accord
ing 10 q dispatch received here from
Inat place, on a accommodating expe-
dltlon. The Matabeles, it was then
1 DeelleVed, had removed southwark
away from the positions they had oc-
cupled, intending to intercept the re-
llet corps advancing from Mafeking.
But the scouting party were surprised
to ind the Matabeles in great force
about i've miles northeast of Bulu-
WEayo. Napler's command was fired
upon, returned the enemy's fire, and
Then retreated in good order, it being
useless for such a small body Of troop
#ers to engage several thousand Mata-
Dele warriors, apparently well sup
.. f 4
The return of Napier's party, under
the circumstances, cast quite a gloom
over BuluWayo, as it was believed
that the extensive works of defense.
laagers, forts, dynamite mines, ETC..
around Buluwayo had convinced the
Matabeles that the place was imDreg-
nable, and that in consequence they
had shifted camp southwark. 1t now
appears that while it is true that sew
eral thousand Matabeles have struck
camp, there are enough of them re-
naming in the vicinity Of Bulnwayo
to cause the utmost uneasiness. It is
true that the eighteen wagons. loaded
with provisions, have succeeded in
entering the town. but there are many
mouths to feed there. and the relief
corps is still long way off, and NOV
ing slowly on account of the scarcity
OF water and the.
Ravages of the Rfnderpest
among the cattle. It NAV be two
months before the Mafeking relief
corps can reach Buluwayo. and q
great deal may happen in that time.
The officials of the British Chartered
company are doing everything possi-
bic under the circumstances: thew are
paying large bonuses. to transport
riders and volunteers, and are hurry
ing forward supplies as fast as DOS
slble, but here again the deadly rinder-
pest is interfering with the work of
relief. .s.. 4. =. a. -, -
The situation grows darker every
day in spite of the very effective
means taken to defend Buluwayo.
bully 200 persons have been killed by
the Matabeles since the uprising be-
gan, and men OF experience in South
African warfare claim to see in the
tactics Of the natives the guiding hand
OF the leaders Of the Transvaal burgh-
er. They insist that the Beers are
armlng for struggle with the British
for the mastery in South Africa. and
that they are actively encourage and
assisted by Germany. The Beers
have mustered about 1000 men and
several guns, according to report, at
a convenient distance from Mafeking.
and it is believed that they are more
than willing to make common cause
with the Matabeles and strike blow
at the British supremacy. Indeed, ev-
erth1ng is in volcanic state in South
Africa at present, and no person here
can correctly foretell what the result
will be. A good deal depends on Ber-
lin.
Cape Town, April 24-Unless all the
news which reaches this place from
Buluwayo is misleading, an important
enga cement between the British
force defending that town and the
Matabeles besieging it will shortly
take place, or it may have already oc-
CURED. =.
1t is now known that the force of
hostile natives, which assembled
about Buluwayo after the outbreak of
the rebellion, was much greater than
was ut first supposed. The highest
estimate placed the number of the
besieging force at $4,000, but although
a large number Of natives, said to
number about 5000 warriors, is
known to have struck camp and start
ed southwark in the direction which
the relief forces from Marching must
follow, it is estimated that fully 49,
600 hostiles are still in the vicinity of
the beleaguered town. The natives,
when they first took up positions
about Buluwayo, formed a half-circle
northward, but gradually this circle
has been contracted and the Matabele
army is now only about three miles
or easy striking. distance, on dark
night especially, of the 5000 white
people in the town, of whom about
only 600 can be classed as fighting
men. "A
The southern portion of the half
circle is mountainous country, and the
main pass is held by about 300 whites.
It is through this pass that the relief
force and the supply trains must
come. The men holding this pass
have been divided into four bodies.
Cape Town, April photographs
communication with Buluwayo was re-
opened for a time to-day, and then
there was another break, believed,
however, tosbc only temporary inter
ruption. During the time the wire
was working dispatches were received
from several sources in the besieged
town. The news flashed south is
somewhat conflicting, but the main
fact seems well established that the
British have made a sortie in force,
encountered large numbers Of Mata-
beles, inflicted great loss upon them,
suffered in return, were at one time