The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-03-08
ROBERTS HAS The BOER
ARMY IN FULL RETREAT
Strikes Another Blow at JOubert'S Forces Which
Are Routed at OSf0ntein.
British Troops Enter the TranSyaa COuny-COne to BIZ
Imprisoned on st. Helena Island

/ General Cronje's losses were greater
than ne admitted. Sixty bodies OF
Beers have been found in one grave"
Chaos and Decentralization
The Times publishes the following
dispatch from LOurenZo Marquee. dat
ed Monday, March 3: President Kru-
gers precipftate journey TO Natal was
due to General Joubert's urgent repre-
sensations that the operations Of Lord
Roberts had SO alarmed the Free Stat
ers that they had become uncontroll-
able
There is every Indication Of chaos
and decentralization in the burgher
ranks. The Boer losses IN Natal from
Tuesday to Friday last week were
ffty-two killed and 200 wounded The
Free State raad has been summoned TO
meet in April
A dispatch to the Times from AIodder
river, dated yesterday. says: The
Beers occupy an extensive position be
tween ourselves and both BlOemfonteiu
and Winburg They include the bulk
of the Natal forces and are under Cen
eraI JOubert himself Only sufficient
men have been left behind 10 hold Van
reenan's pass and Laing'S Mex Ex-
tensive desertiOns are reported during
the TreOk.
AN engagement is imminent, which
probably will be decisive as to the
whole war;
Retreat is Disappointing.
Spencer Wilkinson. in the Morning
Post today, says: THE BOer retreat is
disappointing. It reminds me Of a con-
versation L had with Lord Roberts
seven years ago. while his guest on a
tour Of the Punjab. l wanted TO know
all about certain points in the cam
paign in Afghanistan and accordingly
asked him why he almost always sent
a detachment to turn the enemy. I
added some reasons why such an oper-
alton might be dangerous in an Euro
| pean war.
Lord Roberts replied that as regards
an European war he quite agreed with
me, but added, you should always
consider the enemy with whom you
will always go
Until now none of US have classed
/ the Beers with Asiatics, but We know
at last that SO soon as their flank is
menaced they are off. This looks very
much as though recent events had de-
! mOralized them
Yesterdays event is not quite con-
elusive. II cannot be the Boer game
/ 10 be beaten in detail Their only
chance is TO collect the bulk of their
/ forces for a decisive battle. If they
/ have not enough men Of spirit to stand
! up to Lord Roberts, their case is hope
/ less It begins to look, indeed, as if
my original estimate of the strength
/ of the enemy's forceS-abOut $1,000
were not far wrong. In that case the
/ game is up, for they must have lost
| 10000 Of the original $4,000.
] THE escape of the RSer force yester-
/ DAY, however, is most disappointing. A
/ good general is not satisfied with the
J retreat Of his enemy. He wishes TO de-
( stroy them
! Churchill Interviews White.
/ Winston Churchill telegraphs the sub
/ stance of an interview he has had with
Sir George White. who commanded the
/ Ladysmith garrison. General White
said he might have held out until April
/ ,, but this would have involved the
death of most of the natives population
/ by starvation and of the sick from
want Of nOurishment. Then he would
/ have destroyed the stores and ammuni-
ton. and all who were fit to crawl five
miles would have sailed forth to make
| a show Of resistance and to avoid for
nal capitulation.
He declared that he had always beg
ged General Butler not TO hurry the re-
lief operations, adding earnestly:
| II IS not TlSnI 10 charge me with
the great loss Of life they involved"
Mr.. Churchill says General White
spoke bitterly OF home criticisms and
of attempts at the war Office to super
Sede him, attempts which General Bull
Ter prevented from succeeding. In con-
clusion he exclaimed:
Il regret Nicholsonis Mex Perhaps
it was rash, but it was the only chance
Of striking a heavy blow. But 7 regret
nothing else. 1 would do it all over
again"