Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1900-05-05


had just begun. AS the main Boer
forces concentrated upon the proper
lines of defense of the Transvaal after
abandoning the sieges of Ladysmith
and Kimberley the natural strength OF
their positions entered into the problem
of how long they could hold off tho
British and what fighting Lord Roberts
must face before adding another ami
versary to the glories Of England.
According TO dispatches, the Beers
seem to be In force at Bloemhof. on the
Wal river, due west from kroonstad
100 miles. They are aso ON the Big.
gsrsburg mountains In northern Natal,
covering Glencoe and the road to
Lalngsnek and Majuba Hill. the main
pass in that region to the Transvaal.
Winston Churchill has stated that the
Beers have massed 10000 soldiers on
that mountain and that they are well
supplied with heavy guns. The Big
garsburg. then. may be considered the
Roer left and Bloemhof. on the vaal,
the Boer right
From the Bggarsburg the high
mountains extend In northwesterly
direction along the Transvaa border
to the point where the railway from
Bloemfonteln to Pretoria passes
through-that is. north of Kroonstad.
From the Biggarsburg again the Dra-
kenberg range of mountains extends
in southwesterly direction along the
| border of the Orange Free State be-
yond Bloemfontein, The few passes
through this range In the hands of the
Beers form outposts TO the main Boer
line of defense, which, strategetically.
is In t. mountains forming the south
ern border of the Transvaal. The right
Of the Boer line. facing east on the
Drakenberg range is about Ficks-
burg. point TO miles east by north Of
Bloemfontein and 100 miles due south
of Kroonstad. Ficksburg lies in mar
row pass between the Drakenberg
and succession of mountains extend
ug all the way to Kroonstad and pro-
vidlng barrier after barrier to the
march Of the British northward An
unDroken chain reaches from Flcks-
burg northwest to the Vet river, which
carries the liue of defense on to the
Boer right at Bloemhof. Geographical
ly, then. Kroonstad Is just In advance
of the center of the main Boer line Of
defense running between Bloemhof
and Majuba Hill along the Transvaal
border, and Fcksburg Is geographical
ly the center of the outer line, resting
its tanks on the same points, but de.
scribing sharp angle with Its apex
at Ficksburg.
With control of the pass at flcks-
burg Lord Roberts might send strong
force through and get In rear of the
passes of the Drakenberg range, COM
pelling the Beers there to retire and
thus open the way for junction be-
tween his force and that under Butler
north Of Ladysmth. After taking
Bloemfontein Roberts sent ont strong
detachments to threaten the pass ut
Ficksburg. The little affairs at Brand
fort and on the retreat Of the British
,from Thaba Nchu at the close of March
and beginning Of April were the results
covering Ficksburg. Brnndfort, on the
railroad north OF Bloemfouteln. aud
Lady ybrand, so miles east OF Bloemfon.
teln aud at the foot Of the Drnken.
berg range. were the left and right OF
the British outpost facing Ficksburg,
I-adybrand was evacuated at the ap'
proach OF Beers moving north from
Cape Colony toward the rear Of this
outer line
Along a little valley winding among
the mountains southeast of Kroonslud
there Is railway extending to. Van
Reenen's pass In the Biggarsbure
range. and II Roberts could seize It,
which would be feasible after forcing
the pass at Fickshurg, he would have
railway communications with Durham
through Ladysmth, line Of communi
cation 400 miles shorter than thai from
Cape Town and $50 shorter than the
one from Port Elizabeth via Bloem
fontein. II Is plain then that the Boers
by holding on to the passes OF the
Drakenberg and the stretch of noun
tains in the angle of the Orange Free
State south OF Kroonstad prevent {
junction Of forces between Roberts n
Blocmfontein and Butler at Ladyslnith
Moreover they are covering the riches
agricultural region In all the orang,
Free State-that Is. the well watereC
wales between the mountains. IN.
-------.
The Boer right might be turned b.
a British force striking Bloembof b!
way of Kimberley. but In that case
with Roberts nj Bloemfontcin. til,
British line from Buffers right TO Rob
erts left would be $40 miles In length
The activity of the Beers would max,
that dithcuh task. In order to turl
the Boer left the British must fore
the Biggarsburg position and the ditil
cult pass OF I.aingsnek behind It. Il
the eastern Transvanl on the left o
the Boer Ike covering Pretoria, may II
the key to the situation, Once owe
the Biggarsburg and through Laingi
!. nek the British may advance up til
valley to the great plain OF Hooge weld
stretching to the border OF Swazilan
and crossed by rhe railway TO Delago
, Bay and the main resource Of til
j Boers for foreign supplies.
i The railroad from pelagoa Bay
Pretoria Is well situated for Boer d.
fense for 100 miles from the borde
being there sheltered by 2mountai
ranges trending east and west parall
to the road. II, however, runs acros
the vcidt for 100 miles before enteriu