The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1900-04-19
NEWS IS SCARCE
From South Africa Concerning The
Movements Of the Armies.
ROBERTS TO MOVE BACKWARD.
Sir William 0atacre's Sudden Re.
movai Crestes q Good Deal Of Talk,
Straight Of II.

London, By CaDle-There is little
fresh intelligence from the seat Of war
in South Africa. 1t looks as thclgh
Lord Roberts may be preparing to
take a strong force to clear the Beers
from behind him. A Cape Town dis
patch says he will not move for an
other week. owing to the necessity Of
gathering stores and supplies. Sir Will
liam Catacre's sudden removal Is the
thome Of much speculation. The curt
manner in which 1t Is announced
causes much comment. The general
impression is that it is connected with
the Reddersburg affair, although there
are many who consider that there
must be something more serious. as
other generals in South Africa have
been retained in command after blum
ders more formidable than Gatacre'c.
The War office has received no news
of the death of Colonel Baden-Powell
and utterly discredits the 1umor The
operations in Natal have not yet been
fully explained. There appears to
have been an attempt to outfiank the
British at Elandsiaagte and to sever
them from their base at Ladysmith.
The Duke of Marlboro has arrived at
Bloemfontein. There are now Is
grandsons of the Duchess of Abercorn
serving with the British forces. 1t is
announced from Bloemfontein that
Colonel lingo Jones has been appointed
to the command of the Guards Bril-
gade, Colonel Maxwell to the COM
mand of the Fourteenth Brigade. Col
onel Knox to the command Of the
Twenty-third Brigade, and Major BrI-
| zierCreagh, of the Indian staff corps,
to the command of Roberts Horse
The Bloemfontein correspondent of
| The Times, telegraphing Wednesday,
| says: 1T is announced in general or
| ders that General Sir Herbert Chem
side has been appointed to the COM
mand Of the Third Division, vice Gen
eral Sir William Gatacre, ordered
home to England.
{ General Brabant's force is confident
| of being able to hold out The Beers,
| after showing considerable dash, have
wavered on reaching the final issue
and have struck at least the vital
point, where they are greatly handl-
capped by their proximity to the Basu-
to border.
"Owing to the strategical concentra-
tioRs since the enemy's movements be-
came defined there need be little
/ anxiety as to the safety Of the Cape
border. No organized invasion of
Cape Colony is now possible under ex-
treme risks, which Commandant OIL.
vier is not likely to take, especially
as his horses are reported to be great
ly exhausted"
The Bloemfontein correspondent o!
The Morning Post, telegraphing Tues
day, says: The Beers to the South.
west are exhibiting indecision of move
ment, possibly in consequence of oul
occupation of the railroad. Bodies O.
the enemy are still moving from Win.
burg southwark through Thaba N'Chu
Their destination has not been ascer
tanned. The Beers in the neighbor
hood of Paardeberg show no disposi
tion to interrupt our communication
with Kimberley, from which poin
civil conveys are still arriving"
The Bloemfontein correspondent o
The Daily Telegraph, in a dispatcl
says: "The permanent defences ar
nearing completion, so that the tow
can be held by relatively small gar
rison. A British scout who has Wis
tied the Bloemfontein water-works re
ports that the machinery and dams ar
intact. Only few Beers remain Fl
the neighbOrhood. The enemy hav
trekked six miles north and formed
laager near Waterfall. News fro.
General Brabant at Wepener show
that all is going satisfactorily ther,
: The troops are getting new khaki serg
uniforms and boots"
The Lorenzo Marques corresponder
: Of The Times, telegraphing Wednes
day, says: Epler, an Austrian finar
cier, who is acting as captain of tn
, Rand mines police, in order to frus
trate the destruction of the mine
sent a remonstrance to Pretori
against boring, with the result ths
State Engineer Munniks order for bo
g ing was cancelled"