Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1900-04-06
cred to prejudice the military plans of

fered to prejudice the military plans of
Lord Roberts"
1t is announced from Springfontein
that the censorship has again curtailed
the dispatches. Therefore important
Developments must bseippendigg.
The British public is reluctant to be-
ieTe that an American led the Boer
forces which attacked the convoy.
There is little news from other
points. Mafeking was Still besieged on
March 20, and there are rumors that
Gen. Butler is preparing to advance.
Fuller Details of Disaster.
London, April 4.-Fuller news of the
disaster to the British army in the
neighborhood of Sannas Post does not
tend to improve matters from Brit
ish point of view, but with the dis
patches so mystifying it is impossi-
BILE to accurately portray the pres
emit situation or to foretell the ulti-
mate issue of Lord Roberts attempt
to retrieve the defeat
The war Office has posted dis
patch from Lord Roberts reading as
follows:
"Bloemfontein, April I'm continuation
of my telegram of March 81, there has
been considerable delay in getting accurate
returns of the casualties, as the action took
place % miles hence, the telegraph cable
has been interrupted several times cloudy
weather has interfered with signaling and
although there has been no engagement
since, the force is continually in touch
with the enemy.
.'There were many acts of conspicuous
Eallantry displayed during the day. O.
In a a
1000 yards, for some hours, the officers
serving the guns as the casualties reduced
the attachments. Several gallant attempts
were made to bring in two guns, the teams
of which had been killed, but at each at
tempt the horses were shot
1.-THE Essex, Munster, Shropshire and
Northumberland mounted infantry and
Roberts horse covered the retirement Of
the guns from that position to the crossing
Of the drift found by the cavalry two miles
further south and withstood the deter
mined attacks of the enemy. who. in some
cases, advanced within 100 yards. u bat
terry, of the Royal horse artillery, was sud-
denly surrounded in the drift and the OFF,
GERS and men We're all made prisoners with
out shot being fired. But Maj Taylor and
a sergeant major succeeded in escaping in
the confusion. Five guns were captured
at the same time. Further details to-mor-
row."
Guns Not Recovered.
Lord Roberts dispatch seems to
finally dispose of the earlier report
of the recovery of the guns, and the
fact that the Beers remain in occupa-
ton of the waterworks is taken as an
indication that they intend to make
a stand sufficiently long to cover the
withdrawal of the guns and wagons to
place of safety, although the absence
of definite information regarding the
movements of Gen. French's cavalry
makes it difficult to estimate their
chances of adding this browning sue
cess to the blow already inflicted
Only Terms of Peace.
Cape Town, April AT mass meet
persons were present a resolution was
passed amid scenes of great enthusi-
asm declaring the solemn conviction of
those assembled that the incorpora-
ton of the South African republic and
the Orange Free State into the queens
dominlons alone would secure peace,
prosperity and public freedom in
South Africa. The national anthem
was then sung.
Prisoners Off for st. Helena.
Cape Town, April 4.-Gen Cronie,
Col Shiel and 1000 Boer prisoners
sailed for st. Helena Tuesday night.
Death of n Pioneer.
San Francisco, April 4.-David j.
Staples. pioneer of California and for
80 years president of the Fireman,s
Fund Insurance company. died Tues
day, aged 76. He was a native of Med
way, Mass. In 1860 he was delegate
to the national convention that nomi.
mated Abraham LincSln for f,rusidast