Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-31
Beers DRIVEN AWAY
GEN. ROBERTS CLEARS HIS FRONT
OF THE ENEMY.
With II 900 Men of All Arms He Oc-
cupies the kopjes Previously
Held by Them.

| LONDON. March 31.-The war Office has
issued the following:
From Lord Roberts to the secretary of
war:
"'BLOEMFONTE1N, March 30 2:25 pm
! Owing to the activity of the enemy on our
| immediate front and their hostile action
| toward the burshers who surrendered IN
| der the terms of my proclamation, 1 found
| it necessary to drive them from some
| kop1es they had occupied near the Karee
siding station, few miles south Of Brand
| fort. The operation was successfully car
ried out by the 7th (Tuckers) Division, as
sisted by the LIST and Sd Cavalry Brigades
| under French and LIE Calais regiment of
| mounted infantry. The enemy retreated to
FRANKFORT. and our troops now hold the
kopjes
Our casualties were; Killed. Capt. Go
ing, Scottish Borderers; wounded. Capts. Sell
| lar. Lizard, PEBBLES, Curgenven and Ed
wards, Lieuts. Coulson and French and
about 100 rank and file ~
The Bloemfontein correspondent of the
Morning Post, teegraphing Thursday, says:
Lord Kitchener and his staff crossed the
temporary bridge at Norvars Pont last
night. He had 5000 men under his COM
mand, and he left 200 at Priska He con-
siders the rebellion crushed, although the
fire may sulolder for some time
The Bloemfontein correspondent of the
Daily Chronicle, telegrapbing Thursday,
March %. says: President Kruger's latest
proclamation warns the women and chill
dren to leave Bloemfontein within five days,
as he intends to lombard and destroy the
city and shoot the burghers whom he cap
lures there.
Vigorous measures have been taken by
the British to harass marauding bands Of
Transvaal Beers. The latter are resorting
to guerrilla methods, chiefly against Free
Staters who refuse to join Kruger"
The head of the army Of Lord Roberts
c a hpl fyEo mile Of
Bloemfontein. 1t occupies cluster of hills
Won from the Beers after a stiff fight, in
which the British lost seven officers and
100 men. The Beers had been using these
kopjes base for marauding bands that
have been beating up the country ada
cent to Bloemfontein for supplies. driving
off cattle and forcing nOn-resisting Free
Staters into their ranks again. The enemy
must have been in considerable force.
Lord Roberts sent 5000 infantry and 5000
cavalry against them.
Lord Roberts progress to Pretoria will
proba bly, consist of a series of such forward
movements. in which Boer positions will be
attacked by a portion of the army advanc-
ing rapidly with wheel transport, the main
army coming up as the railway Is repaired.
Lord Roberts is stripping the forces in the
minor spheres CT operations of their wa
CONS and transport animals, In order to
hasten the advance. This is understood to
Methuen from Barkly West to Kimberley
Lord Roberts had to have Methuen's trans
port.
The reason why a hot chase was not made
after Commandant Olivier is that Lord
Roberts did not wish to wear out the cav
airy transport. Gen. French lost 5000
horses in the relief of Kimberley and the
pursuit of Gen. Cronje Lord Roberts lost
3 600 transport cattle at Waterfall Drift,
and it is estimated that he has lost 1900
other animals since the forward movement
began on February u.
The advance beyond Bloemfontein Is
through bare country, and the supply Of
ficers foresee an increasing difficulty in pro-
viding for great army moving along sin
gle line of railway, even when the latter is
working smoothly and with ample rolling
stock. The Canadian Mounted Rifles were
part of the force that occupied kenhardt
yesterday.
A dispatch to the Daily Mall from Koffy-
fontein. dated Thursday, March %. says:
Gen. Clements flying column, after a
forced march of thirty-seven miles yester-
day. arrived here unopposed."
Mr.. Winston Churchill, in long dispatch
from Durham, expresses regret that the
Morning Post does not support his views re-
garding the treatment of rebels. He SAYS
he desires to give a full explanation Of his
views hereafter but will not again allude
to the subject in the columns OF the Morn
ing Post. He proceeds. however. to say that
Sir Re1vers Butler and most of the officers
adds:
1T is strange that officers In the field
should hold more tolerant views than pre-