Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1900-05-02
BRITISH MOVE
The Advance Northward Has
at Last Begun
BoERS ARE ACTIVE
Will Oppose Lord Roberts
Advance and Attack
His Rear.

London, May "A despatch from
Thabanchu, dated Tuesday, says:
Gen. Hamilton's division was engaged
yesterday and today in forcing pas
sage northward. At Houthey the
Beers in front held line of hills
commanding the sides of Mex. The
Canadians and Gordons attacked the
hill on the left; the Shropshires and
Marshall'S horse with battery on the
right. The enemy finally fled, leav-
ing many wounded. The passage was
finally cleared. The Beers have three
guns on a hill eastward of this place,
but outside the range of the British
guns. Their shells do no damage.
Gen. Hamilton, by reaching Houthey,
has secured the Thabanchu and
BloemfOntein road.
London, May 2.-The following dis
patch has been received at the war Office
from Lord Roberts:
"Blocmfontein, April 3O.-The Beers
made very persistent attacks round Tha-
banchu Saturday and Sunday, but the
position which the Eighth Rundle's divi-
sion) holds is very strong, and they had
the assistance of Gordon's and Dickson's :
brigadcs, the cavalry under French, and
Smith Dorrien's infantry brigade and
body OF mounted infantry under Ian
Hamilton. Pole-Carew's division re-
turned from De Vets dorp yesterday"
Lord Roberts also reports additional
casualties sustained during the fighting
Of April ~ around Thabanchu, consist
ing of Lieutenant Geary and two en-
listed men killed and one officer and three
enlisted men wounded.
A dispatch from Mafeking dated April
20 says:
"'rhe Beers have been busy for several
la!s blowing up the railway southwark.
Their was little firing during the past
week. The town win respond ,p.frrul.'
to Lord Roberts request to hold out for
another month. Fever is rife, but other
wise the health of the garrison is good,
and all are we'll"
Neither the commander in chief nor
the correspondence dispatches throw any
light on the plans being adopted to oust
the Beers from the neighborhood of Tha
banchu, and how long before deter
mined effort will be made to reassert
British superiority is only a matter of
surmise. In the meantime the Beers are
remarkably aggressive, especially in view
Of the large forces opposing them.
Conveys Narrow Escape.
A dispatch from Thabanchu says TINT
hey made daring attempt to cut off
British convoy, which got into broken
ground between Thabanchu and De
Vets dorp. opening fire from the adja-
cent hills. In the nick Of time General
Rrabazon, with strong force of yeo-
nlanry returning from Wepener. arrived
IN the scene and extricated the convoy.
The same special correspondent de-
scribes the dispositions of the forces at
Thabanchu as follows: General Rundle
s covering the advanced camp facing the
Beers positions to the east, where they
ire strongly intrenched. General Ian
Hamilton and General Smith-Dorrien oc-
,upy strong positions Oh the road to the
north."
Another dispatch says that column
nnder General Hamilton located the
Beers to the northwest, and an artillery
luel ensued. without result. All accounts
tell of much artillery firing, with hardly
any casualties. 1t is not likely that two
such forces can much longer patiently
face each other without more stirring
events.
General Brabant's column is expected
to join General French soon. A number
If Beers are reported to have been seen
retiring north. but this is scarcely au-
thoritative. Stringent measures are be-
ing adopted to prevent the Boer guerrillas
from securing supplies from other cen
ters
It is learned that the queen was more
angry than for years over the publication
IF the Spion KOp dispatches.
At the conclusion of visit paid by
General Sir George White to Windsor.
Queen Victoria decorated the defender of
I.adysmith with the cross and star of the
Royal Victoria order. The queen and the
soldier had long conference.
A special dispatch received here from
Cape Town says that Secretary of State
Reitz Of the South African Republic de-
clared to recent visitor at Pretoria
that not only would every Englshman
be cleared out of the State, but also
every American, German or any man of
other nationality who was not prepared
to shoulder Mauser and fight for the
country.