The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1900-01-05

patch 100000 additional men to keep
the Du- CHI in order"
Yesterday the admiralty chartered
eight more large transports. When
all the troops destined for South
Africa Join those already there, Lord
Robert, will be in command of about
100000 men. Thirty thousand are
now afoat or ready to embark. Mill
tary observers, in view OF what these
figures mean, cannot see how the
British can fail to crush the Beers by
mere tuice of numbers.
Col. Pli9h-r' q March.
Belmont, Cape Colony, Jan. g.
A dispatch from Dover Farm, dated
January /, says: "The colonial troops.
who have been longing to he allowed
TO meet the Beers, have at last been
given an opportunity 10 do so and
scored brilliant success. The raid
conducted by Gen. Pitcher ives very
difficult, owing to the fact that the
movements of the troops were imme-
diately communicated to the Beers
by natives. In order TO prevent this.
Col. Pitcher, in making his forced
march from Belmont, left British
trooper at every farmhouse, with in
structions not to allow the natives to
leave their huts, the patrols calling
the names of the natives hourly in
order to prevent their escape. in the
Vancouver at Cooks farm, Col. Pill
cher sent mounted patrols east. Lieut..
Ryan reported that the veldt on the
right of the enemy was clear, where
upon Maj. DE Rougemont ordered the
guns to trot. They arrived within
1900 yards of the laagcr, numbered
and planted five shells in as many
minutes within the lager. Imme-
diately the enemy could be seen
streaming over the pie. They were
completely surprised but quickly
opened well-directed fire. A repre-
sentative of the Associated press had
the privilege of carrying an order to
the Toronto company at double quick
into action. The company rushed
forward until within 1000 yards of the
enemy's position, when it opened a
hot fire upon the l<opje and com
pletely subdued the Boer fire The
British artillery shelled the position
with wonderful accuracy, while Lieut..
Ryan, with mounted infantry. worked
round and completely uncovered the
fire of the Beers, who had been en-
sconced in the bushes. Meanwhile
Col. Pitcher. with the Queenslanders,
taking advantage of every cover, made
a direct attack.
During the advance the Roer fire
suddenly ceased Thirty-iive Beers
hoistcd white flag and surrendered.
A portion of the Torontos moved
across the front of the guns and en-
tered the laager. The Beers had fed.
Fourteen tents, three wagons, great
store of rifles, ammunition, forage,
saddles and camp equipment and nu-
merous discriminating papers were
captured"
The British Said to Have Been Defeated.
Pretoria, Jan. Sunday the Brit
ish i'm great force attacked Comman-
dant Schoeman's commando in the
Colcsherg district and tried to storm
the position. They repeated the at
tacl, Monday morning, but were
forced to retreat, the Beers holding
the position. The loss of the British
is not known but it Is reported to
have been heavy.
Col Pitcher Occupies Douglass.
Douglass, Cape Colony, Jan. 3.-Col.
Pitcher has occupied Douglass without
opposi ion and has been received Will
b,tgioc,,, bN tho loNaliCfe
Yesterdays REPORT
London, Jan. 4.-Ihere is com
plete absence of anything new from
the seat of war. The report of the
Boer attack upon Molteno is not vet
confirmed. Apparently Gen. French
holds nothing within five miles of
Colesberg junction. His request for
reinforcements dispels any present
hope that he will be able to seize one
of the crossings of the Orange river
Adyices indicate that the situation
at Colesberg is far from satisfactory
to the British. One dispatch says
that the Beers have retallen their po-
sition; another, that the Beers mys-
teriously decamped after Mondays en-.
gagement, but still hold Colesberg
Still another says that French Monday
night succeeded in occupying "A hill
on the Boer line of retreat by the
Colesberg wagon bridge, and French
is expected to take the town. Gen.
French, in the official report, only
claims to have silenced the Boer guns
and to have cut their line of retreat
all of which does not seem to bear
out yesterdays reports that French
had whipped the Beers and driven
them out of the Colesberg stronghold.
Military experts draw the conclu-
sion from these conflicting stories
that French did advance on Colesberg
and shelled the Boer position vigor-
ously, then rested over Monday night,
expecting to occupy the town Tues
day morning, but the Beers secured
reinforcements over night and
strengthened their position, prevent
ing French from eflecting its cap.
ture.
A dispatch from Dover farm an
tbut ;,,,f DiI..I,,, l,