, 1900-06-12

London, June 1l.-Lieutenant Geler-
al Sir Frederick Forester Walker, in
command in South Africa, reports that
in the disaster of the British troops
June Z at Roodeval, where the Beers
cut Lord Roberts line of communica-
ton, the Fourth battalion Of the Der
tyshire regiment were all killed,
wounded or made prisoners. except six
enlisted men. Two officers and fifteen
men were killed and five officers and
seventy-two men were wounded, many
of them severely.
The Beers returned the wounded to
he British. The officers killed were:
Lieutenant Colonel Baird-Douglas.
Lieutenant Hawley.
The wounded include Colonel Wilkin-
son and Lieutenant Blanchard of the
Canadian infantry.
General Forestier-Walker's dispatch
in full is as follows:
Cape Town, Sunday, June 1O.-The
following telegram has been received
from Charles Knox:
"'Kroonstad-The following casual
ties reported from RoOdeval June 7, re-
ceived from Stonham, commanding the
imperial yeomanry hospital, dated
Rhenoster river, June s. received here
by flag Of truce June 10:
1.-THE Fourth battalion of the Der
byshire regiment (the Sherwood for
esters)-killed, Lieutenart Baird-Doug-
las and Lieutenant Hawley and fifteen
Wilkinson, Captain Bailey, Lieuten-
ants Hall, Lawder and Blanchard and
ffty-nine of the rank and file; the
Shropshire light infantry, /; Cape pion-
Ger railroad regiment, 7; ammunition
rark, royal marines and imperial tele-
graphs, l each; postoffice corps l.
"'"Stonham reports that many We're
severely wounded and the remaining
of the Fourth DerDyshire and details
of prisoners, except six of the rank and
file, are in his camp. All the wounded
ait III hlo tdLup, ldltly oINulltu ny liz
Fourth Derbyshire. Inquiries are be-
ing made as to the Names"
1t is inferred that the Beers captured
over 500 men, and as late as June 10
held positions cutting off the British
forces north of Kroonstad from rein
forcements.
A dispatch from General Forester
Walker a y General Methuen was
fighting within ten miles of Heilbrun
June 6, as follows:
Cape Town, June 10, Sunday.-Gen-
eral kelly-kenny reports from Bloem-
fontein this morning that Methuen,
with the greater part of his division,
was fighting early in the morning of
June s ten miles south of Hebron,
where Colville was reported to be with
the Highland brigade. Methuen left
Lindley June 5 with ample supplies for
himself and Colville, leaving Paget to
hold Lindley with a sufficient force and
supplies.
"Kelly-Kenny has ordered Knox to
press in the enemy's outpost, believing
the enemy's strength to be exaggerat-
ed.
"All is quiet and there is no anxiety
as regards the district to the south.
Communications north of Kroonstad
have been cut since June G."
The news that the shutting off of
Lord Roberts communication with the
outer world was accompanied by such
o serious loss came like a bolt from a
comparatively clear Gky. In London
until the news came it was thought
that the destruction of the railroad was
accomplished by Free Skaters, who were
avoiding rather than annihilating the
British detachments stationed at the
Point attacked. Nor are General For
estier- Walkers vague statements re-
earding Methuen and the situation at
Hebron looked upon as r~eassuring.
The Beers appear to be in sufficient
strength to completely separate all the
British forces north and south of a line
stretching some fifty miles between
Roodeval and Hebron. Methuen's
march upon the latter places seems
somewhat in the nature of a movement
for the relief of Colville. The only
British officer left at Roodeval appears
to be the doctor in charge of the hos
pital, which is full Of wounded.
What has happened to the troops i'm
mediately north of Roodeval is still
3 matter of conjecture.
All in all, today's dispatches reveal
that the situation is far more serious
than anyone imagined.