The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1900-04-11
Boer Army Under DeWet
Administer Terrible
Blow to English.

News prints the following:
Pretoria, April Sit is officially
announced that battle has been
fought to the south Of Brandfort.
! Six hundred British troops were
killed and wounded and eight hun.
bred taken prisoners.
Roberts is declared to be finding
the want of water, owing to the
capture of the waterworks, great
difficulty.
London, Wednesday, April IL
The Paris Herald's correspondent,
wiring from Pretoria on Sun lay,
| confirms the story of De Vets de.
| feat OF the English, adding that
what was left Of the British column
retreated towards Bloemfontein and
| asserting within a week that De-
Vets tlving column has defeated
the British thrice, captured a total
of 1900 prisoners, seven guns and
extensive booty.
Still another confirmatory dis
patch comes from Lorenzo Marques
bearing Tuesdays date. No Of
fetal dispatches have been issued,
however. bearing on the matter.
As to the scene of the alleged
| battle there's Meerk atstonteln
eight and half miles southeast Of
Kroonstad, near the source CT a
spruit rising in Wonder kop and
running into the Valsch River. AS
kroonstad is 40 miles north of
Bloemfontein it is hardly possible
that this can be the place if report
prove true.
London, Wednesday, April IL
The sensation OF this morning S
war news is contained in dispatches
to the New York Herald and the
Daily Mail from their CORE spond-
ents at Pretoria to the effect that
a third very serious defeat has
been inflicted upon the British
forces in the Free State.
! The War Office has not made
public any dispatches indicating
that such an engagement took place
nor had any press telegrams been
received from correspondents with
the British, though many have
come which bear latter date than
Saturday, but have not contained a
hint of this disaster. But censor
ship is very active at present and
could easily prevent such news
from reaching England until after
Roberts had reported on it.
| I,,,+,H, 1f Ala.rl! At = nn tlI II
where the battle is said to have
been fought. is uncertain. One
dispatch says it is to the south oil
Bloemfontein, apparently in the
neighborhood of Reddcrsburg. II
this be the case the British force
that was cut up might be the col.
umn of Gatacre sent to Redders-
burg, but which arrived after the
surrender there and retired to
Bethunie. Another Pretoria dis
patch locates the battlefield to the
south of Brandiort and north OF
Bloemlonlein, III which case il
might be column OF Tucker $ d.
vision which has been lying il
Karrce siding since the battle o
the Three Kopjes.
That Roberts realizes the ser
lousness OF present conditions il
the Free State is shown by the FAC
OF General Rumble, OF the Eight
Division being ordered 10 Spring
iontcin. This puts 10000 NOR
men On duty to guard the railway
and clear the Beers away from
British lines OF communication.
The Beers have again crossed
the Orange River and are stirring
up new rebellion among the DutcI
in the north OF Cape Colony They
are greatest in lortc near Allwa
North at Odenlaalstroom, east c
Bethu!c and south OF Smlthileld
They have ,.cotroy ed the pont owe
the river. Until the Beers ar
seriously threatened from the soull
it looks moral CERTAIN that the It
lief OF MaIcknG cdnnut be etlecte
by the Khodeslan volunteers, an
: weeks must necessarily lapse be
lore they can possibly be reinforce
by any troops from kbodes'a b
way Of Eeira or Salisbury.
MalekiEg and its heroic defender
have weeks OF weary waiting We
before them. IN tn5 the unGNpecte
happens.
LonGon, April 1o.-Gencral Brf
, bant's torccs at Wcpeucr, Orang
Free State, who Tor some day
have been becoming more and NOR
involved by Beers closing in o
! them. have been attacked and fc
two DAYS the battle has ragged wit
, unknoNn result,
! The news comes in dispatc he
from Aliwal North, Cape Colony
saying. under date OF April 10:
An engagement began yesterda
at Wcpcuer. The Beers Wicker
! MuxinI did considerable execute
al FIRST, but the British guns 500
a got the range and did great havo
{ "'i'he fighting was severe an
n lasted all day long, and it was r
" sumed this mornin. in heayi'
fashion.
9 The casualties are heavy {
both sides.
= 1.-The result is not yet know her
$ ~ hrec Commands are attac
!: ing the town and another is a
yancing towards Wepcner from d
t Vets Drop. The Rockville cor
II mando has gone to Wepener.