North Park union., 1900-04-13

London. April 2.-The war once has
received the following Dispatch from
Lord Roberts, dated Bsoemfontein,
April LIST:
II received news late yesterday
evening from Colonel BroadwoOd, who
was at Thaban Chu, thirty-eight miles
east Of here, that Information had
reached him ttnt the enemy was ap-
preaching In two forces, from the
north and the east. He stated that II
the report proved true, he would retire
towards the water works, seventeen
miles nearer Bloemfontein, where We
have hada detachment Of mounted In
fantry for the protection Of the works.
General Roberts gave orders that
brigade Of infantry should march at
daylight to-day to support him, and
that IL he considers 1t necessary he
should retire from the water works.
He moved there during the night and
bivosacked. At dawn to-day he was
shelied by the enemy. who attacked on
three sides. He Immediately dis
patched two horse artillery batteries
and his baggage toward BloemfOntein,
covering some of them with his cav
airy.
. "Some two miles from the water
works the road crosses deep nullah,
or spruIt, In which. during the night,
Q force OF BOefa had concealed them
selves. So well were they hidden that
our leading scouts passed over the drift
without discovering them, and It was
not until the wagons and guns were
entering the drift that the Beers show
ed themselves and opened fire. Many
Of the drivers Of the artillery horses
were Immediately shot down at short
range. and several Of the guns were
captured. The remainder gnlloped
away. covered by Roberts Horse,
which suffered heavily.
meanwhile Lieutenant Chestermas-
ters Of Remington's Scouts found a
passage across the spruit unOccupied
by the enemy. by which the remainder
OF Broadwood's force crossed. They
reformed with great steadiness, not
witllstandlng all that had previously
occurred.
''BroadwOOd's report, which has just
reached ME, and which contains no de-
tails, stated that he had lost seven
guns and all his baggage. He estimates
NIL his casualties at about $50, includ-
ing 200 missing.
ION hearing this morning that Broad
wood was hard pressed Immediately
ordered General French with two re-
maining cavalry brigades to follow in
support Of the Ninth division. The lat
ter, after a magnificent march. arrived
on the scene Of action shortly after
2 p. IN.
"Broadwood's force consisted of the
Royal Household cavalry. the Tenth
Hussars, the Q and U batteries of the
Royal Horse artillery and Pitchers
battalion Of mounted Infantry.
u<r 80 G..
mated at from 5000 to 10000, with
guns. the number of which Ia not yet
reported"
Lord Methuen's difficulties nre nppar-
emily increasing. He has Boer laagers
or guerrilla bands on three sides of
him, and he will be obliged to watch
carefully his communication with
Orange river. The activity Of u strong
Boer force In the vicinity of Puarde-
berg has already interrupted direct
eOszf~ssnia,AtioA between Lord Roberts
and Kimberley. But for the over
whelming numbers at the disposal of
Lord Roberts, the situation would lust
ly cause Great Britain greater anxiety.
Az II Ia, the nation IL beginning to real
ize from the nature of the guerrilla
warfare that 1t Ia liable to embarrass
the future movements Of the British
troops.
Ladysmith. April 2.-The Beers are
becoming daringly bold and are ap-
proaching within sight of Ladysmith,
while Buller's ariny lies apparently mo-
tionless. After the relief OF LadysmIth
the Roers fell back to the mountain
passes. but finding they were not pur-
sued they have gradually drawn near
the town. north, east and west, and a
strong column came within eleven miles
of the town on Sunday. Their patrols
scour the country on all sides.
London. April "A special dispatch
from Bloemfontein this morning re-
ports that the water supply of the
place has been cut OF. This In the nat.
ural sequence Of the Boer success at
the water works.
To lose guns has always been consld-
cred In military circles disgrace. In
the present war the British have been
particularly unfortunate I'm this re-
spect, their losses in guns having been
heavier thnn In any similar period of
their military history since the Ameri-
cnn Revolution.
The losses Of guns up to date are:
Nicholson's Mex, four: Stormberg, two;
COlenso. ten: near BloemfonteIn. sev-
en-; total. twenty-three. In exchange
they have captured only seven guns,
five taken with General Cronje ut
Pnardeberg and two surrendered In the
Free State. This is not very satis-
factory exchange for great military
power to make.
What makes this loss of men and
guns more unpalntnble to Englishmen
IL the evident fact that 1t was due to
lack of precaution such as any officer
liz naturally expected to take. The
scouts moving In advance OF Colonel
Broadwood's convoy and the guns did
not think that any danger could possi-
bly, lurk In front of them. and did not
search the banks OF the Menlie spr,lit
MS they should have done. The lesson
of the first battle of Colenso, of the
Stormberg route and OF half dozen
other engagements had been forgotten.
1t is stated In Lord Rollers report that
the Beers We're so well hidden that the
leading British scouts passed over the
drift without discovering them.
This seems n sad commentary on
their intelligence, or on the superior
cunning OF the Beers, which carries
with 1t its own mornl.