Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-04-30
b0ERS IN DANGER
WHEN BRITISH ADVANCE BAsU-
T0S WILL FIGHT.
BoER RANKS ARE THINNING
Will Not Make Desperate Stand Until
They Reach Pretoria-Eng-
land Impatient.

London, April so, 5 a. m. The only dis
patch from Lord Roberts published yes
terday was the usual death list and Sfck-
ness. HI flood of newspaper dispatches
today describing the recent operations
throws no light whatever upon the pres
ent conditions of affairs or upon the
great question as to when the'm main ad-
vance is to begin The Standards an
nouncement hat General French's cav
airy are returning to Bloemfontein is
clear proof that there is no further hope
of catching the retreating Beers. and the
London papers are beginning to display
impatience at the practical failure of the
elaborate OPERATIONS of last week
Without a doubt these operations have
been of a very ~eXhaustinE nature n
will entail further delay. The Bloenl-
fontein correspondent of the Times, writ
ing on March 8. after the Pardeebergi af-
fair describes Lord Roberts army as a
wreck, because it was without horses and
without transports.
Bloemfontein. April s.-The recent
operations have tended to clear the mill
tary situation. Genera Pole-Carew in
passing through the country has brought
home to the Free Skaters the fact that
the policy of leniency has been abandon
ed. Besides seiziing the stock Of farmers
who, after having given their submission
were found fighting, he commandered all
the available forage, giving receipts for
the same and this will prevent the Beers
using the of the country.
The Beers are now evidently retiring
in order to concentrate for opposing the
British advance. Now that Thaba N
Chu, as well. as the approaches is strongly
held, Ladybrand with the u%nfriendly
Basutos lining III border is rendered
a position of extreme danger for the
Beers, the gravity of which will be accen-
tuated from the moment that the British
advance begins.
London, April 2S.-The Bloemfontein
correspondent of the Morning Post. tele-
graphing Friday, says
From a Boer official in the commits
sariat I have been told some interesting
details. The Beers had in December 6O.-
600 men. In March they had barely 2S.-
600, having lost 5000 in killed or wound
ed and $500 captured. The Others are
not accounted for, but have probably re-
turned to their farms. The official who
gave me the information predicts that
the approach Of winter will produce fur
Their wholesale shrinkage.
H said the Beers were short OF
wagons, wheat and smokeless powder.
but they had plenty of other stores and
rifle ammunition. They are not likely,
however, to offer serious resistance, as
they possess no positions this side of Pre-
toria that are not capable Of being
turned by the British army. Moreover,
the Vaal liver offers no protection, be-
sides it is fordable every dozen miles or
so. The official thinks a determined ad-
vance of the British will lead the Beers
to destroy the Johannesburg mines.
Their cleverest general. he says, is De-
larey. although BOtha is q mar of great
ability. None of the Boer commanders.
in his opinion. can be compared with the
late General Joubert."
London, April 3O.-The Bloemfontein
correspondent of the Standard, tele-
graphing Sunday, says:
1.-THE Beers have taken every advan-
tage of the mountainous nature of the
country which marks the line of their
retreat to Ladybrand. The task of driv-
ing them is difficult, and it is doubtful
whether they can be reduced to submits
sion in a district so favorable to their
tactics.
Il have visited a British outpost. the
n nearest Brandfort. The Beers show
the deepest anxiety to learn the prob
able line of our advance, and they de-
clare that they will not fire a shot from
Brandfort, as they wish to save the town
from bombardment.
THE enemy are entrenched in the hills
south of Brandfort, but they are not
very likely to make any serious stand
until we reach Kroonstad.,'