The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1900-06-12
TROOPS To THE RESCUE.
Large Force of British Dis
patched to Danger Point.
SEVERE FIGHTING AT R0ODEVAL
Raidins Party of Beers Defea and Capture
Loss in Killed and Wouuded-Iudefnite
Rumors of Other Engagement. in the
Free state-ColviIle and Methueu Appar.
emily Cut on in Vicinity Of HeiIbron.
SPECIAL CABLgGRAN TO The Posr.

SPECIAL CABLBGRAM TO The POST.
| Copyright, 1900. by Chicago Tribune Company
| London, June PA a. m.-Lord Roberts
and the main body of the British forces in
South Africa are still isolated. and il is
Uncertain when the Beers will be driven
| back and communication with Pretoria
restored.
Mondays dispatches from Cape Town
and BlOemfOntein show that the cutting
Of the railroad at RoodevaI was attended
by severe fighting, which resulted disas-
trously to the British force stationed at
| tirat Doint.
The Fourth Derbyshires, 1t seems, met
a fate similar to that which overlook the
Thirteenth YeOmanry at Lindley last
week. Tie Derbyshires had upward Of
seventy casualties, and the remainder.
several hundred in number, surrendered to
tho enemy
There is no reason to believe that the
Highland Brigade at Hailbror and Lord
Methuen's division, in the same neighbor-
hood. were in action with the Poars Who
seized the railroad The result of the
fighting is not known.
a heavy force Of British is cnncentrat-
ing at Kroonstad. and no apprehension
is felt as to their ability. when they get
ready 10 advance, 10 clear the line and
safeguard it from further Boer raids.
Who BIundered This Time,
Regarding the capture by the Beers of
the Fourth Derbyshirs Regiment, the
Times says in IT'S editorial leader:
AS in the case of the yeomanry week
ago, and as may be remarked Of all such
cases since Reddersburg and Koorn Spru-
lit, no explanation of the mishap is pub
lished. The silence observed on this head
it is only fair to say, may be accounted
for by the fact that such particulars as
we have reach US by the courtesy of the
enemy We can only surmise that. as
usual there happened what ought not to
have happened, and that our troops were
surprised by a superior force in circum-
stances which made further resistance
hopeless. Mishaps of this kind are doubly
regrettab!e from their inevitable tendency
to encourage the spirit of the enemy and
prolonG his resistance"
Fifty Thousand Men Available.
By the Associated Pressl
London June 12-3:30 a. m-Fiftv thou
sand British troops are within half
hundred miles of the marauding Beers
north of Kroonstad, and they are ex-
pected, of course, TO make short work of
them. Nevertheless, outside of the slender
war office kilograms, no one knows what
is going on.
South of Kroonstad there is wide gap.
The railway is only partially defended.
and as Gen. Kelly-Kenny has hurried all
the available troops northward, the as
sumption Is that there is danger of
second raid. The loss of the Derbyshires
Is estimated at from go to 700 men
Reuter- dispatch from Maseru. dated
June II, S:35 p. m, says: Fifteen hun
dre1 Beers surrendered to Gen. Brabant
to-day In the Ficksburg district
Machadorp has been officially proclaimed
the capital Of the Transvaal A I,ourenco
Marquee dispatch says that the village
has swollen into a small city. the ma
jority of the new inhabitants living in
tents.
An official Boer telegram asserts that
the British have been defeated. with con-
siderable loss, at Donkerspoort. in the
southern extremity of the Free State. or
Orange River colony ten miles from
Norvalspont II was thought that this /
district had been cleared of Beers and |
rebels long ago
The Beers. still cling to Laings Mex !
but Gen. Buffers forces are still working |
far around in that direction.
Lord Roberts has wired Cape Town that |
prior to Wednesday he liberated Isl Off |
GERS and $500 OF the rank and file The !
Beers consequently only took off 800 Of the |
British prisoners.
Cape Ministry Disruated.
Mr. Schreiner, the Cape premier. had |
eight supporters out Of forty at a caucus |
called to consider the ministerial pro- |
gramme. J. X. Merriman. treasurer. and |
J. ". Sauer, commissioner of public |
works have resigned from the cabinet:
and Mr. Schreiner's own resignation is be- |
leved TO be imminent. although he NAV |
reconstruct the ministry with the aid of /
the opposition, the British members. The /
Cabinet situation is so interesting that Sir 1
Alfred Miner will postpone his trip north. |
Food is still scarce at Mafeking. but the /
is nearly repaired. Seventy-two !
rebels have been arrested in the Vryburg
and Mafeking districts. Sixty-five were 1
marched into Mafeking by two of their
late prisoners at MOstia.
All of Gen. Harrington's force had |
landed at Beira a week ago. The organ
ization to invade the Transvaal from the !
north is already far advanced.
4 BOer deseTter who arrived at Maseru
yesterday asserts that 900 Beers partici-
pated IN the RoOekrantz enga cement: that
Gen. Oliver was killed. and Gen. De VII
liers mortaIly wounded.
The American young women who are |