Daily Kennebec journal., 1900-04-25
NOT AN EASY JOB.
The Road to the Relief of
Wepener Is a Rough One.
Beers Hotly Contes sting Every Inch
and Fighting Is Continuous.
Boefs FierceIy Attack DaIgtty, Tuesday. but
Arc epulsed-Their Position Precarious.

London, April 2i-11.15 P. M-The
war office issues the following from
Lord Roberts:
"Rl0cmfontcin, April 24-Generals
Rrabant ana Hart. yesterday. turned
| the position occupied by the enemy,
who tried to prevent their moving
northward, and got into heliograph
communication with Col. Dalgety,
commandant of the bcseged garrison
| at Wepcner. who reported all well
Gen. Brabant has three wounded,
one missing. Three were wounded on
the previous day. The Border regi-
ment had seven wounded.
AT p. NJ, yesterday, Brabant and
Hart We're eight miles south of Wep-
cner. The 18th Division under Gen.
Pole Carcw and Gen. French's two
brigadcs Of cavalry reached Tweede
Celuk, yesterday afternoon, without
having met serious opposition.
"Heliograph communication has been
stablshed with Gen. Rundle. A
patrol Of the 7th Dragons under Lieut..
jenkins. which was reported missing.
yesterday. has rejOned Gen. French's
camp, with the exception of Corporal
Taylor and Private Cook. who are be-
lieved to be wounded and prisoners.
Mounted infantry, yesterday, under
Gen. Ian Hamilton, occupied the water
works at Sannas post. As the enemy
are holding the neighboring hills in
some strength, the 9Th Division, con-
sisting Of Gen. Smith Dorriens and
Gen. MacDonald's. brigade, has been
dispatched to support Hamilton.
Gen. Maxwells brigade, formerly
Gen. Chermside's Of the 7th Division.
yesterday, moved eastward and seized
the hills covering the wagon bridge
over the Modder river at Krans Kraal
an important communication much
used by the Beers during the last three
weeks. our only casualty was Private
Brum. New South Wales Mounted
Rifles. taken prisoner
An official list of the British losses
at Wepener. from April 9 to April Is.
shows: Killed, three officers and IS
men; wounded, IA officers and Sc men.
Maseru. Basutoland. Tuesday, April
24.-The Beers severely attacked Col
Dalgety's northern position. facing
Bokpoort ridge. at 10 o'clock this morn
i~g, bringing four guns into action, un
dor whose fire they made a determin-
% advance. The British returned a
y
cOled, afterward extending across the
flats and maintaining a continuous
long range fuslade for some hours.
Artillery can be heard in the direc-
tion of Dewets dOrp. but there is no
sign that the British relief column in
that quarter has further advanced.
The natives report that another Brit
ish force has been detached from
Bldemfontein. If 50. the position Of
the Beers around Wepener is pre-
carious.
London. April 25.-5 A. M.-The re-
ports that the siege at Wepener had
been practically raised were apparent
ly premature. The Boer attack upon
Col. DalSety's northern position, as
described from Maseru, was probably
a final attempt to rush the garrison
before securing a safe retreat, and as
Col. DalSety successfully repulsed the
attack, little further anxiety is felt on
his account
Lord Roberts has now net with
some 10000 or more men. and $50 guns.
covering the whole western semi-circle
around Wcpener. while Gen. Hamilton
has occupied the water works. practi-
cally without opposition.
The 9TH Division under Gen. Tucker.
assisted by naval guns, has made
demonstration from Karaee siding the
Beers showing some opposition. At the
same time n brigade moved out from
Glen to take up position on a range
of hills at Gennaadenale, north of the
Modder The waterWorks were found
undamaged with the exception Of the
removal Of the striding valves of the
engines. The Beers can only
escape without ris1ing an encounter
northward to Lady Brand. and the
chance Of a successful outcome Of the
plans of Lord Roberts depends on
whether the British troops can reach
Thaba N'Chu and Lady Brand before
the retreating commanders from De-
vets dorp and Wepener.
All the correspondents report that
the roads are in a terrible condition
which accounts for the slow progress
of the British columns. and if the
Beers are as well informed of the Brit
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