The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-06-14
COMMUNICATION IS
OPEN WITH ROBERTS.


! ers from laying down their arms and in
| terfered with the collection OF supplies.
| 1t therefore became necessary 70 attack
/ him. This | did yesterday. He had a
! strong position, practically unassailable IN
/ front, which enabled him TO place the
| main portion of his troops on ms HANKS
which he knew were his vulnerable parts
| | sent French with Porters and DIXON
| cavalry brigades and Huttons mounted
! infantry round by our left; and Ian Ham
| ilton with Broadwood and Gordon's cav
airy brigade Ridley's mounted infantry
and Bruce Hamltons infantry brigade
round by our right Both columns met
with great opposition. At about o'clock
In the afternoon / saw two OF Hamilton
infantry Abattalions advance to what APP
defense on their left flank. This was al,
most done before dark and ordered
the force to bivouack on the ground they
had won. Pole-Carew with his division
occupied our center. as have explained.
He could not attack. but he gradually
advanced 80 as to support Ian Hamilton,
and when / left the field he was on the
line held by the enemys outposts in the
morning. / hurried back to get news or
Methuen's movement.
Kitchener Sent to Aid Metbuen.
ION hearing Free Staters had taken ad-
vantage OF our crossing the Naal 10 IN
terrupt our lines of communication, |
sent Kitchener with such troops as |
could then spare to Vredefort with orders
to push south and communicate with Me-
thuen in the vicinity of Hebron.
Il also dispatched special messenger
to Methuen. instructing him to push on
with all speed to the main line or railway.
Methuen Defeats Dewet.
"These two officers met at Vredefort
road station on the evening OF June ~.
They marched yesterday TO Rhenoster
river. where Methuen gained a complete
victory over Dewet and took possession
of his camp and scattered his troops IN all
directions He and Kitchener marched
today towards Kroonstad.
No Fears for the Army.
Her majesty need have. no apprehen-
sion as to the security of the army in
South Africa The enemy gained slight
success which was unfortunate, which viii
be remeded very shortly, and 1t Will not
take long to repair the damage zone 70
the railway. | am now able to hold the
line between this and Rhenoster IN
strength Methuen will arrange to guard
1t onward no advances
day. He will then move on johannesburg.
We have communicated with Butler. who
will, no doubt. soon make the presence
of his force in the field felt
Losses Not Serious.
"Our losses yesterday were not trust,
serious. but | deplore the death of that
gallant soldier, the Earl OF Airlie. The
only other casualties reported as yet
are Seventeenth lancers- Nal the Hon
Lionel FortesQue and Lieu. the Hon. I.
Cavendish. both killed"
Roberts Dispatch Satisfactory.
Gen. Knox adds that Kroonstad is quiet
and safe Roberts dispatch Is regarded as
eminently satisfactory II ends the period
OF suspense caused by the cutting of his
line of communication and indicates what
a strong grip he has on the situation.
The Killed Onicers.
The Earl of Airie, whose death Roberts
deplores, was one of the most popular
members of the nobility ana comman led
the Twelfth lancors. Lieut.. Cavendish was
the son and heir of Lord Gresham Maj.
Fortesque was formerly aide-de-camp to
Lord Seymour in Canada.
Waiting Further News.
The result of the battle between Lord
Roberts forces and those Of Gen. Botha
IL eagerly awaited here, but II Is be-
lieved tho Boer commander Will com
piete his retirement WHEN he seems to
have already commenced, trough there is
some hope in London that Lord Roberts
will be able to surround him. The decisive
victory scored by Gems. Methuen and
Kitchener is regarded as likely to have
a more far-reaching effect than any re-
cent action in the Orange river colony.
kitchener's Great Forced March.
Gen. Kitchener's operations south must
have almost equaled the records of
all forced marches. His detachment from
headquarters was merely routine pro-
cedure the chief OF stafY is responsible
tor the line OF communications.
Butler Doing Well.
Gen. Butler - rapidly fulfilling Lord
| Roberts hope that he WITH make his forces
I
| der date OF today. announces the continu-
alton of Buffers succt ssfui march, the
occupation Of Nolksrdst without opposi-
ton and the capture of number of pris-
oncrs, while the Boer casualties yesterday
are reported to have been very heavy.
| Roberts Reports Casualties.
The following dispatch has been received
| at the war Office from Roberts:
| 'katsbosch, June Il
| I'm yesterdays engagement Methuen
! had one Killed and cigFteen wounded
| Among the latter Is Lieut.. Ceare of the
| Twelfth battalion Of Yeondnry. on June
! :. the Derhyshire militia lost twenty-six
| Killed and lo+ wounded. all OF whom were
| IN the HeomAnry hospital, which was cap
| turod by Boers and retakea by Methuen'
Beers Destroy Track
A special dispatch from Cape Town re-
| ports Beers recently captured train
| AT smaldeel and destroyed two miles Of
! track. But subsequent dispatches snow
| that Gen. Hunter routed all the Beers in
| tLat neighhorhood.
| ASSOCIATED PRESS LITIGATION