The Worthington advance., 1900-04-20
PROBABLY PREMATURE. II Z;
Rumor OF = Crushing Defeat Of Beers
r. BY Gen. Brabant II Discred-
ited in London.

" London, April 16.-The Cape Town
correspondent of the Daily Telegraph,
telegraphing Sunday. says: An un-
confirmed report is in circulation here
that Gen. Brabant has inflicted "a
crushing defeat upon the Beers at
Wepener,. capturing guns and taking
prisoners.
London, April 16.-The war Office
had nothing to communicate to the
public Sunday. 1t may be taken for
granted that the rumor of Gen. Bra
bant's victory at Wepener is prema-
ture. With the remainder of his force
he left Aliwal North Saturday for
Rockville, and there has scarcely been
time for an engagement.
Aliwal North, April 16.-It is off,
cially reported that the British losses
at Wepener in four days fighting were
1s men killed and 1872 wounded.
London, April 16.-There is .practi-
cally no fresh news this morning. All
the Bloemfontein dispatches, however.
breathe confident tone. There seems
to be heavy demand on the railway,
for so large an army leaves the popu-
lace bare of everything save the abso-
lutte necessities of life. The fact that
the censors allowed Winston Churchill's
dispatch on the subject of remounts
to pass speaks volumes for the condi-
tlon of that question, and concerning
the prospect of any immediate advance
toward Pretoria. The utmost Lord
Roberts will be able to do for some
time to come will be in the direction of
clearing the Beers from the southern
part of the Free State.
The dispatches announce the ap-
proach of winter. The first pinch of
frost has been felt at .Bloemfontein,
where considerable rain has fallen.
London, April 16.-Winston Church.
i'll telegraphs to the Morning Post
from Bloemfontein, under Saturdays
date, reiterating his opinion that the
war is bound to prove an extremely
expensive business. He says:
1.-TWO hundred and fifty thousand men
will be needed before the end is attained.
The question of remounts will continue
one of vital Importance. Great numbers
are now arriving, but owing to the fact
time is given them to recover from the
effects of the voyage. their condition is
low and the death rate among them high
Thousands, therefore. will be wanted in
addition to those now here or on the way,
and great resting depots must be formed,
together with an ample staff to nurse
and exercise them. If that is done, then,
about four or five months hence, you will
be able to give your cavalry a new lease
of life and strength"
St. Helena, April 16.-Gen. Cronje,
h-s wife and three of his staff of the
former Boer commando. who with
other Boer prisoners arrived here on
the Niobe and Wilkes April 10, were
landed Saturday, accompanied by Col.
Reefe. They were met by the gov
ernor and commander in chief of St.
Helena, his excellency Robert Stern
dale, and Mrs. Sterndale, at the castle,
where the party remained for an hour,
afterwards proceeding to the Kent
building. Gen. Cronje looks we'll and
appears cheerful.
London, April 16.-A special from
Pretoria, dated the 18th, says: Mrs.
Kruger, on being interviewed, said
that she trusted God would soon stop
the merciless bloodshed, but that the
republic would be vigorously defend
ed, even if Pretoria were finally taken.
She added that she had in the field 33
grandsons, two of whom were killed
four sons, six sons-in-law and numer-
GUS other relatives.