Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1900-05-30
SOUTH AFRICAN WAR
FIELD OF OPERATIONS FAST
NARROWING DOWN.
Lord Roberts Gradually crowding the
Beers Into Their Last Ditch-Burgh-
err Leaders Declare They Will Fight
to the Death.

The relief of Mafeking. effected by the
British. is the most important feature OF
the South African war since the siege OF
Ladysmith was raised The RELIEF II The
town arrows down the field of opei a
tons TO great extent. The British from
ali sides are now closing in on the Beers,
johannesburg and Pretoria being the OBJ
jective poinF Gen Roberts in moving
north from lAroonstadt is practically COW
ering a front Of forty miles. Including
the column of Methuen on his LETT and
that of Brodhead and Rumble on his
right, he is covering a front or more
than hundred miles. Methuen IS pfoba-
bly, advancing from Hoopstad along the
Vaal so as to keep in touch with French
on the Rhenoster river, and at the same
time threaten klerksdorp. Occupying
this long front, Roberts is moving to-
ward three crossings of the Vaal river,
his center marching along the railroad
toward the crossing at Nereeniging on
the direct road to Johannesburg. his right
toward Yilliersdorp. and his left toward
ReitZburg.
With this formidable force in front
overlapping their tanks and pressing
them relentltssly back, the small Boer
army is threatened by the movement
from upper Natnl as we'll as by the move
ment from Mafeking on the west. Under
such conditions the only course left open
to the republican army is an orderly re-
treat TO point of concentration like Jo-
hannesburg or Pretoria. From strictly
military standpoint a battle at either
place is in the nature of a useless sacri
fee Any other nation, even though It
had the strength of Germany or France,
would make peace at the frontier. But
the Beers are not like any other nation.
They are fighting for their institutions
and their country. and they are not con-
trolled by the views that obtain among
military men OF statesmen of Europe.
The conditions of battle on the Trans
vaal frontier, it must be remembered, are
not like those that have prevailed in
any other great war. Where armies are
of about the same strength, and where
the field of operations is large, an enemy.
may be attacked aud defeated in detail.
There is little chance for this in the Or
ange Free State. There will be less in
the Transvaal The circumstances, the
narrowing field of activity, the great
strength and mobility of the British army
compel the Beers to strictly defensive
campaign. They cannot dctaeh com
mands,, as could the generals in our civil
war, to surprise an enemy on the hank
or to crush an isolated division,
Practically. there are no isolated divis-
ions in the British army, Gen. Roberts
is moving his several army corps on con
verging lines on positions of vital i'm
portance to the Beers The latter can
not exhaust themselves in fruitless en-
deavors to stay the march: they cannot
permit themselves to be diverted by Il
threatening movement in one quarter
while their lines are broken in another
Under the circumstances they are follow
ing military precedent, and acting on APP
proved principles of strategy in retiring
to a position where to give battle will be
to advance their own cause and not to
weaken it,
1t is not known where the Beers will
make their stand against Lord Roberts
nor how strenuously they will defend Pre-
toria Their leaders say that when Pre-
toria falls the Beers will retreat to the
mountains and continue to fight while
life lasts. The Boer ENJOYS in this eoun-
try having failed in their mission to in
duce the United States TO intervene in
behalf of the republics. the Beers have
now only two alternatives, that of sur
render or Of fighting to the last ditch. Ac-
cording to the ENJOYS the latter will be
their choice. The ENJOYS were told by
Secretary Of State Hay that this Gov
eminent could not intervene in behalf
of the republics.