Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-05-12

LONDON, May 11.-Lord Roberts
| telegraphs to the war Office from Riet
| Spruit, under date of May 10, evening,
as follows:
Eve have ad successful day and
have driven the enemy from point to
| point. French, with Porter's and Dick
sons brigades of cavalry and Hutton's
| mounted infantry, crossed the Zand at
| Vermentens Kraal and then worked
around in northeasterly direction to
Maatschaphy, being opposed continu
ously by the enemy. Pole-Carew's d.
vision and Gordon's cavalry brigade,
augmented by ] battery and Gordon's
artillery, and by Henrys and ROSES
mounted infantry, crossed the river by
drift near the railway bridge. My
| quarters accompanied this force. With
| the infantry portion we are eight miles
| north of the river. The cavalry and
mounted infantry are at Ventersburg
| road station, and fuckers division is
at Bellfonteinnord. Ian Hamilton's
| force and Broadwood's cavalry brigade
was making for the cross roads near
| Ventersburg when l last heard from
! them. Hamiltons column met with
! stubborn resistance, and Smith-Door-
lens brigade was engaged for some
| hours in protecting the rear and flank
Of his force.
"The only casualties reported are:
Killed. rank and file, four; wounded,
| five. No returns yet received from the
| cavalry nor Hamilton's force"
So quickly has Lord Roberts advance
ed that his cavalry is only 70 miles
| from Kroonstad, while the main army
is only II miles behind them. Hence
in about a day the British will be
within striking distance of the Orange
Free State headquarters. The critics
differ widely in opinions as to whether
any determined stand will be made
there by the Beers.
The presence of 10000 Beers in the
reighborhood of Thaba N'Chu is con-
frmed. They are holding a line 20
miles north to southeast of Thaba
N'Chu. A Boer patrol was sighted
Thursday at Thabapatehoa A de-
tachment of Brabant's Horse pursued
| the burghers, who retired after some
| fighting. The Brabants then took up
position on hill, which they are
now holding. There were few casual
ties on the British side. The Boer
headquarters are at Eden. More fight
ing is expected.
The South African Review asserts
that a member of the legislature of
Cape Colony offered money to a man
to shoot Sir Alfred Miner, the British
| high commissioner. Affdavits on the
subject are said to be in the hands of
the attorney general. The Review de-
mands the arrest of the legislator. who
is described as a prominent Bonds
man from Piquetberg.
The Daily Express, in its second
edition this morning, publishes a dis
patch dated Riet Spruit, May 10, morn
ing, describing the crossing of the
Zand river by the British. It says:
| The rear guard of the Beers, with
| their guns, resisted the advance. The
mounted infantry, two batteries and
| pompoms cleared the way and the
Third cavalry brigade acted as a
| screen before the main column. Gen.
French was on the left and Gen Ham
| ilton on the right The Beers had de-
stroyed all the bridges during their re-
treat 1t is impossible to ascertain
the Boer losses, but they are thought
| to be heavy. Those of the British,
considering the important advance
made, are considered light"
A dispatch from Riet Spruit, dated
May 10, describing yesterdays opera
| tions, says; General Hamiltons scout
had on two previous days aseertained
the Beers whereabouts. On Wednes-
day night the Cheshire regiment cross
ed the river, entrenched themselves
and prepared to hold the passage for
the regiments following them. At
daybreak on Thursday the main body
crossed at two or three points. The
mounted infantry were then in action,
driving off the advance Beers prepar
atory 10 a general forward movement.
The Boer right first gave way, but
| Tucker and Hamilton had a tougher
task on the left. The Beers had six
guns and served them well. working
with great determination, but the
British walked up closer and closer,
their guns meanwhile firing inces-
| sanity.
THE East Lancashire and Essex
regiments by IL o'clock had worked
we'll to the front The order was
| given, and like fash the two regi-
ments sprang forward simultaneously