The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-05-04
BRITISH ON DEFENSIVE
VIGOROUSLY ATTACKED BY THE B0ER
REAR GUARDS.
ROBERTS ADVANCE DELAYED
By this Aggressive Attitude OF the
Boers-An Attack on the british at
Thabanchu Expected British out
posts at Methuen's headquarters At
tackled Colonel Piumer Advancing.
All Foreigners Must Fight or GO.
Narrow Escape OF British Convoy.

Narrow Escape OF British Convoy.
London, May .. 4 a m.-Fighting,
heavier than any since Ladysmith,
seems TO De imminent near Thabanchu.
The aispatchs OF Lord Roberts dated
guard. stubbornly resisting his ad-
vance, forced the British on Saturday
and Sunday to act chiefly on the de-
fensive.
General French, who is directing the
operations, has 1t least 1900 men.
Some estimates give him 60, 0OO. The
Beers are estimated to be at least 5000
strong and possibly 10000.
According to a dispatch from Preto-
ria, dated April 2sth, they were ex-
pecting TO give battle, and ave nu-
merous artillery. So long as the Beers
engage the attention of half Of Lord
Roberts force at T~habanchu, his ad-
vance toward Pretoria will be delay
ed. No one here. however, considers
that General Botha will be able TO
stand longer than a few days. The
feeling is that he must be beaten off
by the masses of Lord Roberts
The Beers attacked the British out
posts at Boshof, the headquarters or
Lord Methuen, on April 18th, but
without result. The British guns at
Warrenton shelled the Beers out Of
their half constructed trenches sun
day.
A native runner got through from
to Ootsi, SiXty-one miles north, on
| April 22nd, with dispatches for nearly
III 49, 4-- la;fao That IN tho
Morning Post says: I'VE can stick II
out for two months or more. Nobody
minds"
Colonel Plummer, who appear to
have been reinforced lately by more
| Rhodesians seems to be advancing
again.
London, May, IA dispatch from
Mafeking dated April both says: The
| Beers have beer busy for several days
blowing up the railway to the south
ward. There was little firing during
| the past week. The town will respond
cheerfully to Lord Roberts request to
| hold out for another month. Fever is
rife, but, otherwise, the health of the
| garrison is good and all are WELL"
| B~lomefontein, Monday, April 30
Most of the Beers retreating from
| Wepener and De Vets dorp are going
to Winburg, as the darge British force
at T~habanchu renders a retreat to
B%randfort risky. Reports are current
that Brandfort may be abandoned
without a fight.
BOERS VERY AGGRESSIVE.
London, May 1.-The following dis
| patch has been sent by Lord Roberts
| to the var office:
"Bloemfontein, April 3O.-The Beers
made very persistent attacks round
Thabanchu Saturday and Sunday; but
the position which the Eighth (Run-
| dle's) division holds is very strong
| and he had the assistance of Gordon's
and Dickson's brigades, the cavalry
under French and Smith-Dornien's
ed infantry under General Hamilton.
Pole-Carew's division returned from
De Vets dorp yesterday"
Neither the commandments S
nor the correspondents dispatches
throw any light On the plans being
adopted to GUST the Beers from the
neighborhood of Thabanchu and how
long before a determined effort will
be made to ~re-asSert British superiori-
ty is only a matter of surmise. In
the meantime, the Beers are remarka-
bly, aggressive, especially in view OF
the large forces opposing them.
A special dispatch from Thabanchu.
dated yesterday, says they made a
daring attempt to cut off a British
1 COuNOy "ulCh gu Illo pIOhSA SIouIlO
between Thabanchu n De Vets
dorp, opening fire from the adjacent
hills. In the nick of time, General
Brabason, with a force of yeomanry
returning from WepeneT, arrived on
the scene and extricated the nvo
The same special correspondent de-
scribes the dispositions Of the forces
at Thabanchu as follows: General
Rumble is covering the advanced camp
facing the Beers position to the east
where they are strongly entrenched.
General Hamilton and Genera Smith
Dorrien occupy strong positions on the
road to the north"
Another dispatch says a column un-
der General Hamilton located the
Beers to the northwest and an artil.
lery duel ensued without result.
A PITCHED BATTLE EXPECTED
All tell of much a~rtiller1
firing, with scarcely n casualties. 1
is hardly likely that two such force!
can much longer patiently face eacl
other without more stirring occur
nee
At the conclusion of General ST
Whites visit to Windsor today Queer
Victoria decorated the defender o
Ladysmith with the cross and star o
the Royal Victorian order. Her ma
iesty and the soldier had a length,
conference. 1t is learned that tn
queen was more angry than for year
over the publication of Spion kop dis
patches.
FOREIGNERS MUST FIGHT OR &C
A special dispatch received here fror
Cape Town under today's a say
that Secretary Of State ReitZ, Of tn
South African republic, declared on
recent visit at Pretoria, that not n
YOU every Englishman be cleare
out of the state, but also every Amer
lean, German or any man of other IA
tionality who a not prepared {
shoulder a Mauser and fight for th
country.
OPPOSED BY BOERS IN FORCF
, London, May 1.-The war office Ia
reviewed the following dispatch fror
!, General Roberts:
Bloemfontein, May Liam Hami
. ton marched yesterday in a northerl
. direction from Thabanchu with a bod
: Of mounted infantry and Smitn-Dol
: rien's brigade. At Hautney he four
himself opposed by a strong force CON
manded by General Botha in persol