The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-02-15
ROBERTS |NVADES
THE FREE STATE
Turns Magersfontein Lines
With $4,000 Men.
MOVE BEGAN SUNDAY
RAPID WORK OF GENERALS
GORDON AND FRENCH.
INFANTRY MOVING TO FRENCA'S SUPPORT
Roberts Telegraphs That Owing to The Rapidity
Of French's Advance He Met With Lit
lie Opposition and That His
losses Were Small.

losses Were Small.
London. Feb. 1.--4:20 a. m.)-Ihe
British army. for the first time since the
war began is inside the Boer frontier.
Lord Roberts with at least 10000 infan-
try 1000 cavalry ard 100 guns, has
turned the Magersfontein lines before
which the British forces have been en-
ca1nped for ten weeks, and, with MALT
Of his corps, he is already operating on
Free Stale Territory.
4 battle has not ySt been fought. but
large tactical advantages have been gain
ed. The relief of Kimberley is within
measurable reach and the way 10
Bloemfontein is app reciably easier.
The dispatches of Lord Roberts
sketch three days work. The forward
movement began on Sunday. When Colo
mel Hannay sat cut with brigade OF
mounted infantry fcg Ramah, olp the
Riet. eight miles from Iacobsdal, one Of
the Boer supply bases.
On Monday Gen raj French with the
cavalry division, seized the crossing cf
the Riet River at u .kjel's Drift, south
Of Jac0tslal and Is miles east Of Honey
Nest Kloof He skirmshed with the
Beers and cleared the way for 10000
infantry VINO followed across.
general French has noNr fixed hinnself
: u General t'ronje's main line OF COM
1nunication with boemfonien. and %,
GOO infantry. with - guns. are being
pushed up no support him there.
Lord Roberts dispatches, wired from
inside the Free State and vn the Reit
River. left him Wednesday morning. His
advance had not b2en opposed by the
Beers in force. Their patrols melted
away as the British moved forward The
= Boer army is likely Ia be felt in day CT
two. ard battle is consequently mn
ninent.
As to what forces Gensra Cronjc has
now at his disposal, and as 10 where he
purposes making a stand against the in
VaderS no one here connected with the
War Office knows anything. The data
fer conceptions are wholly wanting.
The fsrces at the immediate disposal
M Lold Roberts are placed at oO.0tHD
i'll a general way. The incidents at Rels-
burg have ECen seen out CT all proper
ton. Merely skeleton Mes We're lnaln-
tanned there. while troops were helng
secretly and RAPIDLY concentrated On the
Mcdder River. The facility with which
0GG0 men have already been sent be-
ycnd the rail terminus shows that Lord
Kitchener has been fully successful IA
organizing transport. lie T. now sall pos
ed to be down the line. sending f0"-
ward more troops and i'll Getting together
more transport. About iiFe miles Of OK
alad mule wagon trains are estimated
for each division. that Lord Kitchener
who is reputed to have more skin than
n circus manager in handling field trans
port. has immense laborS i'll hand.
LORD ROBERTS DISPATCHES.
London. Feb. 14.-11:35 p m.l-The
War Office has issued the following mes
sage from Lord Roberts, received this
evening:
'.Dekiel's Drift, Feb. 14.-(S:10 a. MI
General French left this point at il 30
Yesterday morning with three brigadeS of
cavalry, horse artillery and amounted i'll
fantry. including several colonial con-
tingeHts. i'll order to seize crossing of
the Modder. distant about % miles. He
reports by dispatch dated 3:33 p. IT.
that he has forced II passage Of Clip
Drift and occupied the hills north of the
river, capturing three Of the enemy $
laagers with their supplies, while Cen
rral Gordon Of the Fifteenth Hussars.
with his brigade who had made 4 fcint.
AT Ronleyal Drift four miles west, has
seized it and a second drift between that
and Clip Drift. together with two more
laagers.
General French's performance Is bril-
| liant. considering the excessive heat and
binding dust storm which ragged dur
| ing the latter part of the day.
Owing 10 the rapidity Of his move
| ments. General French met with but
slight opposition, and his losses We're
small. Lieutenant johnson, of the III
niskilling Dragons. is the only officer
reported severely wounded.
THE Sixth division was last night on
the north hank of the Reit, at Water
val Drift, and is moving 10 support the
| cavalry. The Seventh division is here
| and will go on this afternoon.
-Four officers and fifty three men had
10 be sent last evening IN the returning
OK wagons TO the railway line, prostrat-
ed by heat and exhaustion
HA-NNAY'S MARCH TO RAMAH.
London, Feb. 14.-(6:2S p. NIL nc
| following dispatch has been received at
the War Office from General Roberts:
.Reit River, Tuesday. Feb. 13.--Colo-
nel IIannay in command OF a brigade
of mounted infantry. marching from
| Orange River to Ramah. had a slight en-
| cacement February 11th Sunday with