The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-09-16
REAL WARFARE SOONOvER.
KRU6EFs FLIGHT A GREAT AID TO
THE british.


hts Capture would Have Bsen Embarrassing
-Gsn. French Captures Large stores Of
Boer Supplies at Enemy Sur
prised : Pols-Csrew Pursains steyn.
Special cab,. Dsspdfeh 10 THE U
LONDON. Sept. is.-The position Of Affairs
In South Africa at present undoubtedly indi-
Gates an approaching end Of anything like
real warfare. Gen. Lord Roberts, dispatches
and Thu SUNS recent Pretoria advices show
that the Boer army Is at present thoroughly
disintegrated, and that the Boer losses re-
Gently have been heavier than In any previous
period Lord Roberts's announcement that
he holds not less than 1900 Of them as pris-
oners-a fact which was not realized here
"a SUFFICIENT 10 account for the disheartened
feeling which Is reported TO prevail In their
ranks. Doubtless a few ireconcilables. such
as De Wet. will hold out to the bitter end. but
with the diminution Of horses. supplies. ammu-
milton and men. not even such commanders
o. he will be able 10 remain long effective.
President Kruger himself has PLAYED the
British game by fleeing from the Transvaal.
He had often declared that he would never
abandon his country and his countrymen. and
beyond a question his departure viii have a
greatly dispiritlng effect when II lie generally
known. 1t ma be argued that tho protection
OF the aged President was a serious handicap
70 Gen. Botha, but President Steyn, who II an
parently a complete invalid. remains, while
Botha himself Is far from we'll.
There can be no doubt that Kruger's last step
has greatly helped the British. Free and In the
Transvaal. he would DO a governmental centre
for exerting a powerful Influence over all
burghers. Captured. he would have been a
source Of the greatest embarrassment to his
captors. But nov under the protection OF the
Portuguese Government at Lorenzo Marques.
1t Ia felt that he In of the stage. poweriess both
for his friends and against his foes.
The Wa once has received the following
from Lord Roberts. dated at Machadodorp.
Sept. IL
French occupied Barberton yesterday with
the cavalry. which crossed the mountain with
slight opposition. The enemy was completely
surprised.
French released twenty-three officers and
500 British prisoners and captured 100 Beers.
forty-three locomotives. some rolling stock.
supplies for three weeks for the men and one
week for the horses. a quantity Of ammunition,
fifty wagons. and large quantities OF cattle
and sheep from the surrounding country.
The iast-named supply Is a great blessing
to the troops. French also intercepted large
VhA1h INV NAeN ~ Wv
used as a depot OF supplies by the Beers in the
southeast.
The bulk Of French's foroe Is thirty-nve
miles behind. They have been detained by
the great difficulty Of getting wagons over the
pass leading into the valley in which Barberton
Is situated.
A despatch from Ksapschehoop. OF yester-
days date. says that place has been occupied
bv Gen. ~Pole-Carew. President Steyn. with
all the Boer artillery. ten guns, retired to
Hectorspruit.
The Wal 0ffce announces that detachments
Of officers and men from each OF the colonial
corps now In South Africa will soon be sent
home by way Of England, where they will be re-
viewed, will receive commemorative medals
and will BE- the guests Of the nation. Thu first
contingent has started for home in the company
Of British troops.