The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-02-27
FOOD STILL PLENTIFU UL
AMMUNITION, HOWEVER, IS
SAID TO BE SHORT.
AND SOME ARE C0uNSELlNG SURRENDER
Buffers Advance on Ladysmith IS Marked by
Heavy Fighting. GrobIer'S KIoof Hor-
nets Nest Beers Army Assembling
Near Bio inf nten.
Near Bio inf ntein.

london, Feb. 27.--(4:2O a. m.)--The
Beers are assembling an army near
Bloemfontein. with which TO dispute the
invasion of Lord Roberts This intelli-
gence comes from Pretoria by way of
Lourenzo Marques. The commanders
are described as Fastening from all
quarters of the two republics"
No estimate is made of their numbers,
but the withdrawal of the Beers from
most of the places where they have been
I'M contact with the British, except the
district near Ladysmith may raise the
resisting force to 10000 men. This
figure assumes that the Beers have be-
tween G0.0C0 and 10000 men in the field.
The gathering of this army across the
path of Lord Roberts gives significance
10 General Cronje's steadfast defense.
He has engaged the corps of Lord Rob
erts for ten days now, and, whether he
is relieved or not, he has given time for
the dispersed Boer factions to get to-
gether and to prepare positions to re-
ceive the British advance when Cronie
is overcome and Lord Roberts moves
forward.
1t is difficult 10 conceive that the
Beers are strong enough to take the
OHHESINe AIlU~i rescue NTtIltIdI 0IOiJc
from his precarious situation.
The War Office has nothing after
midnight to indicate his collapse, and he
may hold out for a few days. The cor
respondents seem to have no exact in
formation respecting his resources.
Some say he has plenty of food but is
short of ammunition. Others assert that
he abandoned his food supplies, but kept
r.f rCrac
General Butler on Saturday faced the
last ard strongest positions cf the Beers
who bar his way to Ladysmith. The
strenuous fighting indicates battle be
tween armies rather than rear guarC
action protecting retreat.
On Thursday and Friday he los
forty-three officers killed and wounded
representing probably a total loss o
from four hundred to five hundred.
General Whites guns worked on Sat
urday upon the Boer positions and ;
heiogram frcm Ladysmith reported tha
the Beers were retreating and tha
larger rau'OrS were being issued in view
of the fact that relief seemed at hand.
Nothing has been heard from Mafe
king since February 18th. The move
ment on the veIdt away from the rail
way is becoming increasingly difficul
for large bodies of troops as the gras
is burned up. Genral French has L
wagon forage for his horses and ever
t.le infantry find long marches harde
than before as forage for the transpor
animals must be carried. This require
the formation of garrisoned dcrots
The ordinary campaigning season i
over, and the sickly season for both mel
r,I hos in
Technical military writers take thes
things into consideration in forecastin'
events.
The Daily Chronicle says it learns
from private letters that British rifle
ana ammunition have been landed on th'
southern coast of Cape Colony, presuma
bly, for the Dutch color'sts.
Lord Roberts has recently received {:
additional pieces Of artillery. Nbethe
all have been sent TO Paardeberg is no
known.
Probably the f ghth division will leave
England next Monday.