Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1900-04-10
BIG BATTLE
Severe Fighting at wepener
Yesterday and Today.
MAFEK|NG STILL SAFE
Beers Make a Last Desperate
Attempt to Capture it

Aliwal, North, April 10. = Heav,
fighting continued at Wepener thi
morning, The result is unknown
Three Boer commands are attacking
the town.
Aliwal, North, Monday, April o.
There was fierce fighting all day a
Wepener. The Beers wyckers ant
maxim guns did great work at first
but the British long guns did great
havoc. The fighting was very severe
The Beers received a check. The cas-
ualties were heavy on both sides.
Pieter- Maritzburg, April 1O.-Hea.
Wy cannonading commenced this
morning in the vicinity of Glands
lagte.
London, April 10.--The amazing activ-
ity of the Beers southeast and southwest
of Bloemfontein is being continued. The
Boer commands are going and coming
throughout a wide region apparently as
they please, but they take good care not
to throw themselves against strong bodies
of the British.
The retirement of the Irish rifles from
Rockville to Aliway leaves General Bra
brant without communication with the
other British forces. He has 1000 or
5000 coloninls in Il fine defensive coun-
try, but so far as London knows he is
invested.
Teegraphic and railroad communica-
tions with BloemfoIein are kept up as
usual, but nothing comes through for
public information. Lord Roberts last
message was dated April 6 and the last
unofficial message bore date of April Z.
The absence of news as usual disheartens
the people and produces an altogether
discouraging effect. The last unofficial
message reports that the spirit of the
men in Bloemfontein continues good and
tells of the arrival of animals and two
fresh cavalry regiments. Lord Roberts
has now 15,O0O mounted men. With
scanty material for forming a correct es-
innate of the situation, the afternoon
newspapers, not being in the confidence
of the war managers. are criticislng the
conduct of affairs as they see them.
Thus, The st. James Gazette, reviewing
the army system, says:
'As a consequence of the foolish, sport
i've. boyish estimate of the work of the
war General Buller is anchored indeti-
nitely, as he must wait for transport I'M
til Lord Roberts has been adequately
supplied"
Beers Busy Raiding.
A dispatch from Maseru. dated April
Z, says:
1.-The Beers. who were massed last
week near Ladybrand to the number of
10000, after seizing Thaba N'Chu and
the Modder river waterworks. broke mp
into strong divisions, and they are now
raiding in the south of the Free Stale,
reoccupying the small towns which were
evacuated by the British.
1.-THE Beers policy seems to be to make
rapid movements. with little transport
looting English farmers and storekeepers
freely for provisions and cutting the
communications of the British forces.
General Brabant's colonials are now
at Wepener. They are a splendid force,
capable of great striking power used to
cross country riding and are able to deal
roughly with the Boer commands now
roaming about the country.
"a squadron of Brabant's horse cap
tured 400 rifles near Wepener. The gen
erals outposts, it is reported, are in touch
with the Beers, and fight is regarded
as imminent.
"Persistent reports are being circulated
that the Beers are preparing to flank the
British position at Wepener by travers-
ing Basutoland. Such an attempt is to
be resisted by the Basutoland govern
ment. which, it is believed, has made
quiet preparations.
'Meanwhile the approach of the armies
to Basutoand produces much excitement
the natives, necessitating the ut
most vigilance on the part of the local
officials"
a Warrenton dispatch, dated April Z,
says:
yesterday evening the British shelled
Fourteen Streams, which was occupied
by a force Of Beers. This morning the
Beers placed in position big gun. which
they fred neffcctivey. A fuslladc of
Mauscrs followed at intervals through
out the day.
"'rhe British dropped lyddite and
shells into the Boer position,
finally silencing the encmy's fire and
driving off the snipers."
The correspondent of the Manchester
Guardian at Roemfontein says that since
General Frcnch's relief of Kimberley
Lord Roberts has lost II 900 horses.
William Saucr, brother of the Cape
minister of railways, has been arrested
in the Barkly East district on the charge
of being rebel.