The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-04-03
BRITISH REVERSE
INVITES CRITICISM.


by the enemy who attacked him on three
sides. He Immediately dispatched two
horse artillery batteries and his baggage
toward Bloemfontein. covering some Of
them with his cavalry. Some two miles
from the water works the road crosses a
deep nullah, or spruit, in which during the
night force of Beers had concealed them
selves. So well were they hidden that our
leading scouts passed over the drift with
out discovering them, and II was not until
the wagons and guns were entering the
drift that the Beers showed themselves and
opened fire.
Many Of the drivers Of the artillery
horses were Immediately shot down at short
range and several guns captured. The
remainder galloped away. covered by Rob
erts' horse, which suffered heavily.
Meanwhile Lieut.. Chester Masters, Of
Remingtons scouts found passage across
the spruit unoccupied by the enemy. by
which the remainder of Broadwood's force
crossed. They reformed with great stead
mess notwithstanding what had previously
occurred.
''Broadwood's report. which has Just
reached me, contains no details, but states
he had lost seven guns and all his bag
gage. He estimates all his casualties at
about $50 including 200 missing
"On hearing this morning that Broad
wood was hard pressed I Immediately or
dered Gen. French with the two remaining
cavalry brisades to follow in support Of
the Ninth division. The latter, after
magnificent march, arrived on the scene OF
action shortly after 2 p. m.
"Broadwoods force consisted of the
Royal Household cavalry the Tenth nus
sars, the Q and T. batteries OF the Royal
Horse artillery and Pitchers battalion OF
mounted infantry. The strength OF the
enemy is estimated Mt from 5000 to lo.@o
lth ~ which iS
reported"
List of the Casualties.
The war Office has received another dis
patch from Lord Roberts. dated Bloemfon'
TEN. Sunday. Sis p. m. in which, after
referring to his previous telegram. he gives
a partial list of missing British officers
or Q battery four officers were wounded
two of whom are missing. One gunner
was killed and forty noncommissioned Of
GERS and men are wounded or missing. Rob
erts then continues
I'm U battery all are missing except Maj.
Taylor and the sergeant major. The two
cavalry regiments did not suffer so much.
a report has lust come in that the enemy
has retired toward Ladybrand, leaving
twelve wounded officers and some seventy
men at the water works We are now
sending an ambulance for them
1t will be noticed that In the foregoing
advices Lord Roberts says nothing In re-
gard TO the British guns recaptured.
The Queen starts for Ireland.
LONDON. April 3. 1910 n m,--Queen
Victoria left Windsor at half-past last
evening. en- route for ireland. Her ma
iesty is accompanied by Princess Christian
and Princess Henry of Battenberg. and is
attended by the Countess OF Antrim. Hon.
Harriet Phipps. Sir Arthur Biggs, Private
secretary to the queen; Sir Fleetwood Ed
wards, keeper Of her majesty's private
purse and Capt. Ponsonby.
The pilot engine named Prince OF
Wales" ran quarter Of an hour ahead of
the royal train. and after It's passage all
tracks we're kept absolutely clear.
The royal train was drawn by two loco
motives. with expert engineers, and COM
plete staff of railway experts and cleo
trIcians accompanied the train for imme-
date action in case anything should go
wrong,
Beers Active Along the VaaI.
KIMBERLEY. April There is great
Boer activity along the vaal river. About
COCO burghers have assembled at various
points between Fourteen Streams and
Christiana. About 700 men are occupy
ing Wirand, north of Klipdam, and 400
men are laagered at Bootsap.