Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1900-06-12
The Situation I'm south Africa

LonuCn, June lz.-deutThl oulleI
continues his advance in Natal and
has almost turned the Beers position
at LaiDg's mex. The following from
Butler, dated June IL, is issued by the
war office: "We forced Almonds mex
today, which is the last defle to
Charlestown fate. The position was
carried by the bsyOnet. The enemy
attacked our right heavily. Our casual
ties were about one hundred" Charles
town is q station on the railroad just
beyond Laing's mex. Apart from Gen.
eral Buffers operations the situation in
the field has suddenly darkened. Fol.
lowing rapidly on the news of the re-
verse at Roodeval, come startling re-
ports of Boer aggressiveness in the
former Free State and the Transvaal.
The Beers are reported to have re- &C.
cupied Bloemfonl eiD; thirteen thousand
burghers, under Dewet, are said to be
marching on Johannesburg and the
British are reported to have been So
verely defeated at ElandsfoDteiD, just
outside CT johann esburg. The report
that Boemfontein has been re.occuDied
comes from Lourenzo Marquee. As to
todsy's staI Ting rumors concerning
Bloemfontein and Ella ldsfontein, they
are literally discounted, being regard
ed ss the inevitable accompaniment OF
the revival of Boer activity. Mean
while the restoration OF Roberts's COM
munications southwark, seems further
of than ever which makes Buffers sue
cess thing of more Importance 10 that
i; will open fresh and shorter line Of
communication with Pretoria via
Laing's mex and Durham.
Maseru, Basutoland, June IL. Fiji
teen hundred Beers have surrendered
10 General Brsbant in the Ficksburg
district OF the Orange River Colony. A
deserter from the Boer ranks states
that there are 1000 Beers 10 the Beth
lehem district. He also asserts that
General Olivier was killed and General
De Villiers was MORALLY wounded In
an engagement at RooikrantZ.
London, June 12.-This evening the
war Office gave out q second dispatch
from General Kelly Kenny, dated
Bloemfontein today, as follows: "Our
troops from the north ere now at Hon
ing spruit station, having defeated the
enemy. They will be at America sid
ing tomorrow. Knox is moving from
Kroonstsdt to intercept the enemy.
Particulars later"
London, June 12.-The War Office
posts the following, received today from
Gen. Forester Walker at Cspe;owD:
*Kelly.Kenny (at BloemfonteiD) re-
ports no communication from Methuen
since June 7th. He was fighting June
b north OF Vechtkop. Steyn is near
Reilz. 10 the east of the Orange Colony.
rne British prisoners have been sent to
Vrede and are being wsll treated"
Vrede is the present seat of the Free
State government in the northeastern
part of the Orange Colony. Assuming
that Kelly-Kenny's latest report was
filed not earlier than yesterday, its re-
ceipt explodes the report that the Beers
had retsken Bloemfontein.
The news concerning Methuen is not
satisfactory. 1t ia no clearer than the
dispatches concerning him yesterday
were. Reading between the lines
Methuen has his hands full. Kelly
Kenny said yesterday that be was
fighting on June 9Th the greater part Of
mis- division being engaged. He had
ample provisions for himself and Col
vile. Colville with the Highlanders
was reported at Hebron toward which
place Methuen is fighting. Colville is
probably surrounded.
The ragged dispatches from Kelly
Kenny indicate a deplor .ble condition
OF the commu oica,ions north of Bloom.
lontain