The Portland daily press., 1900-05-17
Beers State Relief Column Has Been
Defeated
Lord Roberts Continues
at Kroonstad.
Destruction Of Mines Discussed
in Raad.

London. May II, a.s0 O. m.-The British
relief column fought the Bosrs ct Kraai
Pan, 30 miles south Of Mafeking, on
Tuesday according to telegram received
Wednesday night at Loursnoo Marques
from Molopo, one hundred miles north
Of Mafeking.
This intelligence is accepted here with
some reserve because 1t 10 dif1iculs 10 un-
dsrstand how the news could have been
20 quickly put on the wire from . place
is2 miles from the scene Of the engage
ment
A correspondent Of the Morning Post,
presumably Mr.. John Stuart, IL reported
captured BY the Beers at Kraai Pan. The
British public IL kesnly expsotant Of the
announosment that Matching has been
believed. In army orioles the opinion
seems TO prevail that this has already
been accomplished although two hours
after midnight the war office asserted that
news Of the relief had not been received.
The steadfast courage Of the hunger
bitten garrison has produced deep Inn
prsssion, and the news OF suooor Ia
awaited with moro n-xisty than has been
felt regarding any other event Of the
war. MIR. Douglas story, the Daily Mail
correspondent at Pretoria, wires;
"Ths Boer government IL holding back
some big news. Feverish activity pre-
walls here. President Kruger II working
day and night. The latest Beer official
bulletin is that the relief column has
been defeated with great loss.''
Lord Roberts continues passive at
Krooustad. His cavalry are stretching
like Q semi circular screen many miles In
lsngth with overlapping banka The
railway viii probably be complsted to-
day. The Kroonstad osn sor permits the
passage Of long dsspatohs dealing with
Incidents prior to the occupation.
Il seems that Gen sral Brench's cavalry
had one lively nghs after crossing the
z md river. A naked squadron. cam-
posed Of the Scots Grsys, the InniskiI-
iings, CArbineers and Australian horss,
took o kopis and dismounted. The
Beers suddenly fred from . concealed
position, killing many horses and stam-
psding the rest. The Beers then ad-
yAnced In overwhelming numbers and
drove the % uadron. capturing some. The
Beers robbed the dead and looted the
saddles. Finally brigade OF cavalry
drove them of.
Farther north the Hussars charged the
Bosrs, killing and woanding many strag-
-a.-~ .-ath heaa and MI
Lord Roberts infantry marched 100
miles In seven days. General Srenon
marched thirty miles In one day. The
Beers when rstirin g, dragssd thirty-two
guns through Kroonstad. General Buiier
IL moving toward Newcastle. He appear 9
20 be using %, 0oO men against 5.OO0 or
6. COO. His operations will almost certain
y result In his forcing his way into the
Transvaal, possibly In time 70 cooper
ate with Lord Roberts advance, although
General Butler is now 2b2 miles from
Johannesburg, or twenty-five days
march.
A Dane who was captured By the South
African horse, says that there are i've
huudrsd Erenohmen with the Beers
who are opposing General Buiisr, togsth.
or with many Germans ana other foreign
srs. The Ladysmith correspondent OF the
Daily Telegraph says that only one Boss
was shot in the movement which result
ed In the taking Of Hsipmakaar. Gener-
al Rundls 10 sweeping through the
Northeast Of the Free State. The Beers
are dissolving before him and soms ara
surrepdsring. Their main force Is Assem-
bIed betwsen Ficksburg and winhurg
but 1t Ia without close organization.
Todsy's instalment Of the war story
from svsry part Of the field, 10 therefore,
sssmingly q narrative Of British sue
cessss; but. with the Bosrs preparing for
. last desperate ding further In the ints.
rior and with Boer guerilla parties leotine
houses and stores In the northwest sec
tion Of Cape Colony. 1t is mot all roses foi
the British. The Upington district ID tbs
locality where the gueril IL tactics OF ths
beers are last now most In evidence.
The PROPOSED congress Of the Afzikand
sr bund hs been called to meet ae Paarls
June ID.
A Canadian battery Of i6-poundsrs ar