The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-05-28

4 base when IL was stopped by an oppos-
ing force OF Beers, then allowed TO go
on until, at Modder River, IL lost more
than 500 men, and was obliged to stay
there at the Beers pleasure.
General Butler had intended TO assail
the Free State. but he was alarmed at
the reports from Ladysmith and gave
the command OF the army OF invasion
over TO Gatacre, himself going TO the
relief OF General White. But General
Gatacre walked right into a Boer trap
at Stormberg. and for long time it
was feared that his whole force would
either be captured or destroyed. AS for
Butler. all the world knows what hap
pened to him: in brief. - was what
happened TO all the others--he was out
Yallowed TO fight whenever the Beers had
him at disadvantage and could
slaughter his men without overexpos-
ing themselves.
During the first two months OF the
war the Beers had round half dozen
OF the British generals bottled up"
and there they were kept until the ar
rival of overwhelming re-enforcements
under Lords Roberts and Kitchener.
With the coming of Little Bobs"
things took on more roseate hue. BY
the skillful use of the enormous forces
at his command he fianked that re-
doubtable old lion Cronje out of his
lair and eventually caused his surren-
der. with several thousand OF his men.
Another great loss to the Beers about
this time was the death by disease of
General Joubert and the capture OF sew
eral foreign auxiliaries who were serv-
ing i'm the federal army. All the be-
leaguered points were relieved but
Mafeking. one after another. the Beers
sullenly retreating toward their great
central base in the direction of Pretoria.
This withdrawal, however, can hardly
be called'a a retreat, since IL had been
anticipated IN the Boer scheme of op-
erations and was expected by them in
case the British came upon them in
overwhelming numbers. But they con-
tinued to harass the British lines OF
communication by sudden dashes at ex-
posed points and by gathering in small
detached bodies of infantry or cavalry.
and whenever the van OF the English
columns came up with the rear guard
of their enemies they discovered that
the snarling boar had teeth which Il
used TO good advantage upon the too
sanguine foe.
After the inevitable capture of the
Free State capital Bloemfontein. Rob-
erts halted awhile TO rest and recuper-
ate--to perfect his line of communica-
tion with the Cape, nearly 700 miles in
length: TO replenish his exhausted
stores. and 20 fill the gaps i'm the caval-
ry ranks.
Up TO this point the respective losses
were all OF two 10 one against the Brit
ish. and the number OF prisoners, ag-
gregating over 1000. have become a Sc
we're tax upon the hospitality OF the
Beers. Notwithstanding the vast
amounts OF provisions OF all kinds they
have been accommodating for years.
Great Britain now has 100000 men in
the field. commanded by the greatest
OF her generals and supported at an ex-
pense which the British taxpayer may
we'll regard with dismay. At last but
only after having II hammered into her
by repeated thrashlngs. she has taken
the real measure OF her antagonist and
has come Co the conclusion that he IL
mot 50 easy" after all.
But the kernel OF the matter is this: