The Penn's Grove record., 1900-04-27
.WBPHNER IS RBLIHEED.
The Beers Raised the Siege and Re-
tired Northward.
ALSO EVACUATED DEWETSDoRP.

The Result Of General Robsrts's Extensive
observation-disclosures OF General French
to Intercept the Retreating Boer Army
-Mafeklng IL Hard Pressed and on
Short Ratfons-News From Pretoria.
LONDON (By Cable). General Roberts's
extended movement for tina clearance OF
his eastern flank has been directed from
Bloemfontein over q front seventy miles
long, from Karee Siding to Wepener. The
principal changes effected were the reliel
OF Wepener and the occupation Of Dewets.
dorp by General Chermside's division with
out opposition. General French made q
close approach to the Thaba Nchu road,
but was not in time to close 1t.
The War Oface has issued the following
from Lord Roberts, dated Bloemfontetn,
Wednesday:
"The enemy retired from in front Of
Wepener last night, and this morning lied
northeastward along the Ladybrand Road:
"Their number was between 1000 and
$780,"
The relief of Colonel DalgetY's force was
accompanied by General Brabant.
The Times has the following from 9 spe-
cial correspondent, dated Mafeking. Basu-
toland:
81 rode from johannesburg here, skirt
ing Wepener, and met General BrabRnt's
advance guard tour miles south OF Wep-
ener. They report three successful fights,
Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday, with
twenty-five casualties.
"The siege was raised and 5000 Of the
enemy retired along the Ladybrand Road
within our sight and unpursued. Colonel
Dalgety's casualties were thirty-three
killed and 1872 wounded"
Earlier in the day the War 0face received
the following dispatch from Lord Rob-
erts:
"Pole-Carew's division reached Roode-
any casualties. Pole-Carew's advance was
covered by cavalry and horse artillery,
which drove back the enemy with heavy
loss. Several of their dead were left on
the ground.
''The mounted men halted for the night at
Grootfontein and at 7.80 this morning were
crossing the Modder River at Valsbank, in
accordance with my instructions to French
to endeavor to place himself astride the
enemy's line Of retreat.
"French's arrival near the Modder EVIL
IDENTIFY, however. alarmed the Beers, for
they evacuated their strong position near
Dewetsdorp during the night and 1t was
occupied by Chermside's division at $50
this morning.
"The mounted infantry under Ian Hamtl-
ton drove Of the enemy from all the kopjes
in the n~eighborhood OF the waterworks.
There were no casualties on our side. The
Highland Brigade marched twenty-four
miles yesterday to the support Of Hamil-
ton and halted for the night at Kip Kraal,
four miles short Of Sanna's Post"
In a dispatch to the War Office Lord
Roberts reports the following casualties
before the occupation of Dewetsdorp: Of
icers, killed, two; wounded, three. Men,
wounded, twenty-five.
Further reports from distressed Matching
declare that though there are water, food
and ammunition enough there to last un-
til the middle OF May, they are only SO on
9 restricted scale, the food not being more
than enough to barely sustain life.
Two pfnts Of soup and two quarts OF oat
bran are the daily allowance, but II the
siege lasts much longer 1t will be difficult
to ind more thar n ration. A census
which has just been taken shows that the
population numbers 725O.
Tbs districts around Johannesburg and
Pretoria are being extensively i%ntrenched.
Begbie's foundry In johannesburg Is pro-
ducing 700 shells weekly. Large quantities
OF silk have been Communicated In 10.
hannesburg to make balloons.