The Saint Paul globe., 1900-03-18

reis With His Officers.
/ Correspondence of the Associated Press
LONDON March 10.-"LoId Roberts
plan has been magnificent. He seems to
! have solved in one all the knotty prob
lens which puzzled other generals. He
! has rendered the mobility of the Beers
Useless; he has overcome the difficulty of
/ transport; he has proved that the Beers
can be outhanked; he has shown that
secrets can be maintained: he has used
the resources of the country in the shape
/ of rivers for providing water; he has
! opened the eyes of the enemy to the fact
! that we can move when away from our
| railway.
This is the first uncensored comment
| upon the active operations of Gen. Rob
erts that has been published in England
1t Is contained in the 4etter of the Daily
| News correspondent and Is dated Jacobs
dal, Fob. Il. lie continues:
"in the brief space of seven days Lord
Roberts has cleared British soil of the
| invaders. ana has occupied position of
the Free State larger than that which
the Boers occupied Of the British.
''On Thursday JacobsdaI was occupied
by the Seventh division, after some fight
ing wherein We had two killed and tWen-
~ wounded.
"ln the meanwhile the cavalry under
Gen. French feft Drieput Thursday
morning and marched directly on Kim
berey. Beers were encountered four
miles outside, but they were already leav-
ing. a sharp fight took place, the Beers
retired, and Kimberley was relieved.
Every one that night al DTieput was
eiatCG a our successes, but the full sig
ntiicarCe OF all our rapid movements was
only realized the fofOwing morning.
"At break of day d great cloud of dust
was seen six miles from camp. moving in
an easterly direction, and extending some
eight miles in length The Beers were
trekkng. 1t came ON all as surprise
that this should have been accomplished
by a force of 10000 mounted men, While
one division was twenty odd miles from
Kimberley, another al Jacobsdai, and
| third further off still. But the Beers were
seized with a wholesome fear of our 10000
mobile cavalry. They had heard of our in
fantry coming up and feared, and they
rightly feared, being caught in a trap.
PURSUIT OF BOERS.
"SoSn our mounted infantry patrols, out
to the east, came and reported that they
had been driven IN by the enemy's adj
vance guard. They also reported that
there was Il convoy of nearly l,OOO wagons
| being escorted along the north bank OF
the Modder Gen KnOX's brigade was
Immediately ordered out with the Eighty
first and Seventh-siXth field batteries.
The convoy had however for the mo-
meut slipped through, and were iNe or SIX
miles on. The main body of the enemy,
however, vas attacked The Beers made
gallant stand to give their transport
/ time to get through. They TOOK UP
strong position north of the Modder, on
some kol4jes. with their sides facing
south. cast and west. From the eastern
end The road followed the course Of the
river, protected by a slight deciiVlty IN
The ground AZ distances OF about oVO
yards other kOpjos arose, which gave the
Beers coed position as they fell back
and acted as stepping stones IN thelr me
OF retreat
,yThe main position WAS occupied the
whole day by the bulk OF the enemy, who
| yvara covering the rest of their force as
they retired Our shrapnel played on 1t
hour after hour, and the enemy deserve
the greatest admiration for the manner
in ,wlich they maintained their poslton,
Thcir efforts however, were NOT deSlllleu
to he crowned with success. Four thou
sand Of our mounted infantry, moving III
eohclou. cot round their left, or, rather
cut off their line Of retreat, as We were
fighting in parallel lines.
Their oxen having come from Kim
bariev were exhausted and before nlght-
fan they had to be outspanued ten miles
from their main position. fhe seventy
sixth battery was quickly up there, ana
r,lI,Iasslv piaved on the transport until
dark. The enemy seemed very determined
to get through to kOffyiontem.
LORD METHUENS QUARRELS.
The Outlook publishes under the head
ing Lord Methuen and his colonels'
case for inquiry" what appears to be
tba first authoritative statement of the
! internal friction which occurred at Mod
der river in the early part of the cam
| paie-n and was responsible for the ire
| uuently circulated rumor that Methueh
/ was TO be recalled. The account IS
| furnished to the Outlook by an uhhaneu
! correspondent, who writes:
Nov that the military stress and an
/ xietv of two months ago have been in
| measure removed, ii may be as well TO
| give a precise idea of what passed be-
! tween Lord Methuen and Col. Bloom
! field Cough after the first engagement In
! which they both took part, and also
! to refer to the subsequent disagreement
| between Lord Methuen and Col. Arthur
! Paget.
when the horses of the Ninth lancers
were iaded and the men completely eX-
hausted, after many hours fighting, Lord
Methuen expected them to charge an aD-
sOlutely impregnabie position, Col. Cough
! sent a respectful refusal. Lord Me-
! tluen then relulDSu 10 liG IlCdu VI ms
] regiment and severely rebuked him. Col
| Cough again pointed out the impossible
ity of executing the order, and Lord
/ Methuen left the regiment after utter
ing remarks which made the ears Of
every man sting Early next morning, it
is said. Lord Methuen sent note to Col
Cough to this effect
% My Dear Colonel: Please come over
to my quarters as quickly as you can.
] wish you to spend the day with me-
"Col Cough was able to perceive the
sun at MONDAY. He answered:
My Dear General: I quite see your
| meaning and as l must decline to leave
my regiment please let me know wheth~
er you wish to put me under arrest or
whether you would prefer that l should
return to England
Lord Methuen replied, thanking my
dear colonel for his perspicacity' and in
dicating that Col. Cough had better re-
! turn home.
col. Cough returned to England, NOM
inauy on sick leave He at once sought
the authorities at the war office. laid the
facts before them and demanded a court
martial This had to be refused be-
cause OF the impossibility of recalling
Lord Methuen for the purpose of giving
| evidence
'Three days after his dispute with Col.
Cough Lord Methuen gave an order to
| the Scots guard, which their commanding
officer, Col Arthur Paget. declared it was
| impossible to execute. He absolutely re-
! fused needlessly to sacrifice his men in a
! vain effort to take an imDregnable kODie