The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-04-10

LONDON, March 31.-Despite the
almost blind confidence Englishmen
nave in Lord Roberts, there is fear in
London tonight that the Beers are pre-
pairing in the neighborhood of Brand
iort a snare for the English, and that
he latter will fall into it. Lord Rob-
erts cabled today that reports indicate
that the Beers are leaving Brandfort
for the north. On several occasions
3oer forces have been reported as leav-
ing positions, but when the English
have gone confidently forward to oc-
cupy these they have met with a deadly
reception. IL is believed by some here
that the battle at Karee Siding yes
terday had this characteristic, and that
the British did not dream the hills were
so strongly defended until they were in
the midst of fire which finally killed
twenty of them and wounded 160. OF
course, the overpowering re-enforce-
ments rushed forward enabled the Brit
sh to drive the Beers out, but not un-
til the battle which was begun as
skirmish heightened into a six-hour,
iercely fought engagement.
Long Campaign Ahead.
LONDON, April 1.-The War Office is
without fresh news this morning. 1t Is
expected that the Beers will evacuate
Brandfort and that the next resistance
will be offered midway to Kroonstanut,
where the burghers will be reinforced
Dy the Grobelaars and the Lemners
commandos.
There is an unconfrmed rumor that
Commandant Olivier has come in con-
tact with the British in the southeast
ern portion of the Orange Free State.
There are no details regarding this
movement. The Beers are reported in
force in the vicinity of Koodoorsrand.
The Eighth division (Sir Fred Car
rington's) has now been ordered to
| land at Cape Town instead of East
| London, and to proceed Immediately
northward.
| The prospects OF an early ending Of
| the war are not so bright as LIey SEEM
the campaign into African autumn,
| with the prospect of 1t lasting until
mid-winter, has seriously altered the
British plans. No preparations had
been made by the War Office for the
winter campaign, and the cold weather
equipment of the troops is only now
going out.
| The heavy autumn rains have turned
the country into quagmire. The
| horses are exhausted and the heavy
uns have moved scarcely mile daily.
It Is said that Roberts recalled Methuen
from an attempt to relieve Mafeking
and that Baden-Powell has been left
TO work out his own salvation. Nearly
| 100000 men, 1t is computed, will be
necessary TO keep up communication
when the march from Bloemfontein to
Pretoria is undertaken. 1t is now clear
that there is plenty of resistance left
in the Beers. They, in fact, have been
acting on the aggressive for several
| days. II is now accepted as a first
principle by the British commanders
that their troops TO be successful. must
be overwhelmingly superior In numbers
TO the enemy. IL Is obvious, therefore,
that Roberts has no men TO spare for
accomplishment OF his task. although
the total British troops In South Africa
amounts 10 200 nO0, while the Beers
number only 10000.
No unfavorable news comes by cable
from the seat OF war. for the simple
reason that no intenigencDof this nat
ure Is allowed to pass the censors. The
truth is. that the British are still far
from masters Of the situation, and the
most difficult work of the war Is still
to he accomplished.
The Boer forces In the neignborhood
OF Paardeberg are reported to be active
lily engaged in mararding and in at
tempting to capture British horses left
on the veldt owing to their weak con-
dition. Six hundred Barkley refugees
sent back from Cape Town are strand
ed. the Kimberley military authorities
refusing assistance to all of them 10
proceed.
Rumors From the Front.
| LONDON. April Much Kaffir loot