The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-07-27
.BOERS ARE
YET ACTIVE
Encouraged By Chinese
Crisis.
BATTLE AND F0XCHASE
Gen. Roberts is Making Strenuous
Efforts to Pacify the Orange
Free State.

NEW YORK, July IA dispatch TO
the Tribune from London SAYS: Lord
Roberts reports from Pretoria battle
and a foxchase. The battle was
brought on by General Botha. who at
tackled General Pole Carew's position
east of Pretoria while General Hamil-
ton was moving northward and driv-
ing back Delareys commando and
General French was in the center, be-
tween the two wings. This was a
vigorous counter stroke planned when
Lord Roberts had succeeded in cutting
off communications between the two
Boer forces and was pushing back the
weaker column from Waterfall.
The British positions were CALAMITY
defended by the Canadian and the New
Zealand mounted Infantry and the
Irish Fusileers and series of desper-
ate attacks was repulsed.
The losses were balanced on each
side but included two brave Canadian
officers, Lieutenants Borden and Birch,
to whom Lord Roberts pays a fine trib-
ute.
While Lord Roberts army is virtual
ly on the defensive within a few miles
of Pretoria, he has sent Lord Methuen
and General Smith-Dorrien from Kru-
7 gersdorp to Rustenberg, to clear the
western district, where recent success
ses have caused a renewal of the bad
feeling against the British. The fox
/ hunt had begun i'm the Orange river
colony. where Generals Hunter and
. Rumble were slowly but surely closing
4 toe
\ The fox has suddenly started across
( country toward Lindley, with the
mounted forces of Colonel Broadwood
! and Ridley in hot pursuit. The Boer
force does not exceed 1900 men. with
I five guns and the pursuers, If their
horses are i'm good condition, may sue
coed in running II down. If this can
/ be done. the pacification of the Orange
river colony ought TO be effected
rapidly as the remaining commanders
cannot keep up the fight in the noun
talns If Van Reenah's pass and Har-
/ rismith have. been taken from Lady
smith. but the hare must first be
/ caught.
The renewal of the Beers activity is
probably due to the effect of the crisis
in China. Mr. Kruger and Mr.. Steyr
/ have perceived in the Far East diver
sion in their favor which they pre-
\ viously expected either from European
diplomacy or from American politics.
A BRITISH DISASTER.
LONDON. July 12-Lord Roberts re-
ports to the War Office under date OF
Pretoria, July 18th. as follows: The
enemy. having failed in their attack
upon our right rear. as mentioned IN
my telegram of July 9th, made a de-
/ termined attack upon our right flank
Yesterday. and. 1 regret TO say. sue
ceeded in capturing Nitrals Mex, which
was garrisOned by a squadron of the
Scots Greys with two guns of A Bat
terry of the Royal Artillery and five
companies Of the Lincolnshire regi
ment The enemy attacked in superior
numbers at dawn, and. sei.:Ing the hills
commanding the mex. brought a heav!
gun fire to bear upon the small gar
risOn.
"NitaIs Mex is about eighteen miles
from here. near where the road crosse
the Crocodile river. 1t was held by u
in order to mainta n road and tele
graphic communication with Rusten
b DtTks ne nEuAlHE idSlths "
less. throughout the day. and irume
diate1y on receiving information thi
morning of the eremy's strength / dis
patched re-enforrements from here un
der Colonel Godfrey of the Kings Ow
Scottish Borderers. Before. however
they reached the spot the garrison ha
been overpowered. the guns and
greater portion of the squadron of tn
, Grays had been captured. owing
the horses being shot, also about nine
ty men Of the Lincoln Regiment. A lis
of the casualties has not been received
but I fear they are heavy.
simultaneously an attack was mad
on our outposts near Durdepoor
north of the town, in which the Sew
enth Dragons were e-gaged. The reg
ment was handled with considerab
skill by Lieutenant Colonel Low. an
kept the enemy in check until they re
tired on their supports. and woul
probably have suffered but slight 10:
had not our troops mistaken SON
Beers in the bushes for our men.
"Smith-Dorrien had small engag,
ment with the enemy yesterday nes
Krugersdorp and inflicted heavy 10:
on them.
. Butler reports that the Beers WI
were destroying his line vf railws
near Paardekraal were driven off we
terday after a short action.
. Hart reports from Hendeburg tn
no 81 ff1cr Of Zoo. I'D