The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-04-26
EIGHT MILES IN LENGTH.
Is the Circuit Of Boer Defenses
Around Pretoria.
TO MAKE VIGOROUS DEFENSE.
Brabant in Fight-Battle at Bush
mans Kop All Dny-2O,0OO British
Soldiers En- Route-Boers Have $4,000
Men-Gen. De Wet Reported Killed.

London, April 24.-The most serious
news is the evidence from Boer sources
that formidable preparations have been
made to resist the advance of Gen.
Roberts army. The Beers are vaguely
reported to have mounted sixty-nine
guns at Kroonstad and to have con-
structed circuit of defenses eight
miles long around Pretoria. 1t is a
foregone conclusion that Pretoria will
be vigorously defended, but the ex-
perts are not prepared to accept evil
dence from Boer source that Kroon-
stad has been strongly fortified. al
though the wisest among them hope
that the news is true. kroonstad offers
strong advantages for defense, but Gen.
Roberts, with his vastly superior force,
can turn the position by either flank
and compel it's evacuation, with good
chance of infiicting decisive defeat
which will greatly impair the Boer re-
sources for repelling an attack upon
Pretoria. The Beers are reported as
mastering every man capable of car
rying rifle and as taking their am
bulance corps into the fighting line.
They need all these resources in order
to justify current estimates of their
available force. They are alleged to
have from 5000 to 10000 men in the
district between De Vets Dorp and
Wepener. where heavy fighting was re-
ported Friday and Saturday. They are
also described as occupying line ten
miles long in upper Natal and as she'll
ing the British positions at Glands
laagte on Saturday with undated
spirit.
The Lourenco Marques correspondent
of the Times says:
Information received from respon-
sible sources shows that at one time
the two republics had 100000 men in
the field, including the colonial rebels.
According to the same informant they
still can muster $4,000, of whom $4,000
are in the Free State, 10000 are in
the Biggarsberg district and $4,000 in
the districts O. Fourteen Streams and
Klerks Dorp. 1t is now believed that
before the war the burgher lists were
deliberately falsified in order to de-
ceive the British intelligence depart
ment." The Daily News has the fol-
lowing from Lourenco Marques:
cit is reported here that Gen. De
Wet has been killed. Other European
ambulance corps besides the Irish.
Americans are taking up arms in be-
half of the Beers. The latter are I'M
able to obtain smokeless powder"
Walkerstrom, near De Vets Dorp,
Saturday, April 21.-Fighting was
continued mainly by the artillery. The
yeomanry and mounted infantry
pushed forward on the right flank and
subjected t. slslli9g and heavy
rifle fire. The Royal British Rifles
captured Free State flag. The Beers
are we'll intrenched and hold their
ground tenaciously. The British
casualties have been light.
Maseru, Basutoland, April 23.-Gen.
Brabants advance guard has reached
Bushman's kop. The Beers held
strong position there, with two guns.
The engagement opened at sunrise
with heavy rifle firing. At G::3O a. m.
cannonading began and continued for
several hours. Gen. Brabant's forces
are on the plain and have fairly open
country all the way to Wepener. Evil
IDENTIFY the Beers reattacked Col. Dali
getty. Col. Dalgety photographs: "All
WELL Beers fired 900 shells yesterday
without doing much damage