Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1900-06-14
THE war NOT over.
The Beers Tear Up 81 Miles Of
Roberts Vital Railroad.
Cen. BUTLER IN BOER TERRITORY.


London, June 1.-THE Beers hav,
torn up 81 miles Of Lord Roberts
vital line of railway between America
siding and Rockville. 1t is q bolt
raid and vexatious, but 1t does moi
disquiet the military authorities q,
yet, for they expect Kelly-Kenny te
drive off the marauders and to re-
open the line.
The rapidity Of the advance of Lord
Roberts cannot have permitted him
to accumulate large reserves of stores
Therefore an interruption of the rail.
way even for week must embarrass
the army and may bring the forward
operations to standstill.
Nothing has been heard from Lord
Roberts for three days. This raid on
the railway, the strenuous opposi-
ton to Gen. Rumble, aud the nimble
escape of Commandant General
Botha's division have forced the war
office observers to the reluctant con-
clusion that war is not yet over, al
though even the occasional civilian
Boer sympathizer cannot see how the
Beers will be able to do anything to
change the result.
Gen. Butler is in Boer territory.
Dispatches Of correspondents with
him, filed yesterday at sunset, de-
scribe the corps as camping at Gan.
soloi, close to the point where the
frontiers of the Free State, the Trans
vaal and Natal meet. "The British
marched eight miles yesterday" says
a Reuter- correspondent, "before en-
countering any opposition. The
Beers, who had one gun, withdrew
under heavy ordnance fire to ridge
just ahead Of the camp"
This long range running skirmish
will doubtless be renewed this MORN
ing. Gen. Butler is expected to make
rapid progress now, and to throw the
weight of 10000 men into Lord Rob-
erts' Transvaal combinations.
The fighting on June 8, in which
there were fewer than 20 casualties.
was kept up all day long by musketry
and artillery. The British attacking
line, three miles in length, made its
way amid the precipitous hills. A
Boer gun on Spitz kop fired shrapnel
rapidly, at range of 400 yards, at
the British right flank, but every shell
was buried in the ground before
bursting. The defensive power of
modern weapons seems less effective
in rough country than upon levels,
where wide spaces can be covered with
flat trajectories.
Gen, Rundle's and Gen. Brabant's
divisions are still at llammonia, in the
Ficksburg district. The latest intel
ligence from their headquarters is
that the Beers are determined to fight
to the bitter end, They are concen-
tra'lng 1000 men around Bethlehem.
The country between them and Gen.
Rumble is mountainous, and resembles
northern Natal in being exceedingly
difficult for military operations. Gen.
bundles present care is to prevent the
Beers getting past him southwark. |
Maj. Wood, Of Rundle's staff, rode to
Il Boer outpost on June and an
nounced that Pretoria had been oc-
cupied by the British. How the Beers
received this news is not recorded. |
Altogether 600 Beers have surren.
dered to Gen. Rumble. Gen. Hunters
advance has occupied Ventersdorp. 100
miles southwest of Pretoria. This
took place on June 7.
Gen. Plumer's column is on the
Glands river, northwest of Pretoria.
The British are sending detachments
right and left to accept the surren-
ders of commanders, horses, cattle
and forage, and to overawe the sparse
ly settled country. Thus far only one
small commando has been heard of,
a commando at Tail Basch.
Gen. Hunters immediate objective
Is Potchefstroom. The town and
Rustenburg are the largest towns
west of Johannesburg. 1t is reported
that Potschefstroom is ready to SUBJ
NIT Gen. Hunter has warned all
burghers that If the telegraph is cut
behind him he will send back and
burn the houses near the line.