The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-05-04

a stand at Ladybrand to Retard His
The johannesburg ExpIo-
sion Dead Bodies I'm the Ruins.
lowing summary Of the news from
south Africa up to the time of going
to press Monday morning:
Lord oberts is again collecting the
British troops whom he sent skurry-
ing over the southeastern part of the
Orange Free State in an effort to trap
the Boers at Wepener and De Vets
dorp. The divisions of Generals
French, Rumble and Hamilton are
massed at T~habanchu, forty miles
east of Bloemfontein, and other troops
are arriving there. AS a good road
eads from T~habanchu in the direction
of Brandfort and Kroonstad, where
the main BOer army is massed, this
may fOreshadOw that the main Brit
ish advance will be started from Tha-
banchu.
Reports have reached the British
camps that the Beers will not defend
the town of Brandfort itself, but will
oppose Lord Roberts from a line Of
hills north of that town, using the Vet
river to protect their front
The country around Thabanchu is
now clear of Beers. The burghers are
assembling at L~adybrand, father east.
where, it is supposed, they will make
a stand in the hope of retaining the
rich grain district of which L~adybrand
is a center. Before retiring from Tha-
banchu 300 Beers delayed the British
a by fighting at Ejester mex,
or Israel's pOOrt, seven miles west of
the town. The British were forced to
attack an extremely strong position
and lost 20 killed or wounded.
1t is reported that C~Ommandant Oil
vier, the noted BOer general, was
wounded at Wepener.
Messrs. Fischer, WolmaranS and
Vessels, the BOer peace ENJOYS, will
sail from Rotterdam for New York
next Thursday. They are going to
Washington.
CBy Associated ;Press.)
London. April 3O.-Th latest news
received here from the Orange Free
State indicates that though the Beers
have evacuated Thabanchu they have
only done 50 to cup stronger po-
sitiOns. On Sunday, April 18th, Gener-
al De Wet made an effort to turn
French's eastern flank, which was only
fOiled by the cavalry after vigorous
maneuvering. The Beers held the
ridge to the eastward whence they
will probably fall back when the pres
sure of superior numbers increases.
The British ~casualtis sustained in the
Thabanchu fighting were slight.
General French's object, now that
all chance of catching the main bodies
of the burghers has disappeared, is t.
harass the Beers and prevent any we'll
organized retreat.
BRITISH AT BEIRA.
From Beira, Portuguese Cast Africa,
under date of Monday, April %. comes
the news of the arrival there of a Can
adam ~12-pOunder battery. 1t is added
that General Sir Frederick Darlington.
who is TO command the British troops
going to Rhoesia, has been cordially
welcomed by the Portuguese officials
and that he has received the Portu-
guese troops.
Cape Town reports say that DR..
Jameson has recovered from the severe
attack of fever from which he has been
suffering. 1t is added, that he is men
toned as a candidate for n OF the
seats in the Cape parliament repre-
senting Kimberley, in succession to
Sir Frederick Rutherford Harris.
NEWS FROM MAFEKING.
The agent OF Julius We'll, at Mafe-
king, wrote under date of April 18th
most cheerfully, saying everything
was satisfactory. He added that the
Beers were firing heavily into the town
and that a determined attack had
been repulsed without casualties on
the British side.
MANY SICK AND WOUNDED
SOLDIERS.
A conception of the continuous raw
ages of the war can be gathered from
a Cane Town dispatch dated today
briefly announcing the arrival from
Natal of % officers and % men lnVa-
Iided home and the sailing of-the Au'
rama with 400 sick and sol
diers.
Endeayors are being made to remeGy
the remoun question, a Simla dispatcF
announcing that 500 experienced ma
tive hOrSe-keeperS, $50 shoe smiths
and so veterinary officers have beer
drawn from India for service in Soutf
Africa
THE JOHANNESBURG EXPLOSION
Pretoria. April 30.-As a sequel t
the johannesburg exposition the gov
m has ordered British SUBJECTS
with a few exceptions, to leave the re
public within forty-eight hours Near
" $4,000 has been subscribed for Ia
relief of the victims.
Commandant Schatt has been reliev
ed of the military command at Jonah
heSDuIS anu IDS SOuS vi
Ladysmith. April 30.-The -countr!
north of Sundays river. seems com
p~aratively clear of Beers.
London, May l. a dispatch to Tn
Daily News from Lorenzo Marquis
says "Sixty-five bodies nave been eX
tricated from the ruins of iron works
at johannesburg"
The Lourenzo Marques correspon
dent of The Times t~elegraphing Mon
day says: Part of the machinery o
the Begbie iron works has started
again. The federal governments con
tfnue TO buy enormous quantities o
provisions.
GIOriOnS News