The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1900-06-12
England's Forces Meet With Tn.
expected Reyerses.
STORYOFCARNAGEANDDEATH
All London Astounded at the Sudden Re-
verses 10 lis Forces Nearly Five Iiun.
dred Men Killed, Captured
or Disabled.

LONDON, June 11.--Lleutenant- Gen
eraI Sir Frederick Forastler- Walker. Ia
command Of the lines OF the communi-
cations in South Africa. reports that
inthe disaster to British troops on
June 7, at Roodeval. where the Beers
cut Roberts line Of communication.
the Fourth battalion Of rhe Derbyshire
regiment were all killed. wounded or
made prisoners. except six enlisted
men.
Two officers and Is men were killed
and five officers and Y men wounded,
many Of the mseverely. The Beers re-
turned the wounded to the British.
Officers killed were: Lieutenant
Colonel Baird Dougies and Lieutenant
HawIey. The wounded included Colo
mel Wilkinson and Lieutenant Blanch-
ard. Of the Canadian infantry.
Forester Walkers dispatch in full Is
as follows:
Cape Town, June 1O.-The following
telegram has been received from chas.
Knox; Kroons.ad-the following cas-
ualties are reported from Roodeval. un-
der date Of Rhenoster River, June 5.
received here by flag Of truce on June
10: The Fourth battalion OF the Derby
shire regiment, the Sherwood Fores-
tiers: Killed. Lieutenant Baird Doug
lass and Liuetenant Hawley and IS
Of the rank and fl ewuo;eddn shrdIu
of the rank and file; wounded. Colo
mel Wilkinson. Captain Bailey. Lieu
tenants Hall, Lawder and Blanchard.
and 80 OF the rank and file; the Shorp-
shire light infantry, one; Cape Pioneer
Railroad regiment. seven; Ammunition
Park. Royal Marines and Imperial
Telsgraphs ,one each; Postofice corps,
one.
'Stoneham reports shat many were
severely wounded. and the remaining
fourth OF the Derbyshire and details
are prisoners, except six of the rank
and file. who are in camp. All the
wounded are in his camp. lately occu-
pied by the Fourth Derbyshires. In
quiries are being made as to the
names"
LONDON. June II. 10:3O A. M.-The
following report from General Butler
has been issued by the war office:
Headquarters in Natal. June IT,
The force was concentrated on the Kip
river at its junction with the Gansvlei
last night We anticipated at that. de-
file a force of the enemy about 5000
strong, who had, think, intended to
occupy it. and he retired as soon as
our heavy guns opened. which were
very smartly brought into action by
Major May, Of the Royal Artillery. and
Captain Jones, Of the Royal Navy.
The South African Light Horse and
the Second cavalry brigade were smart
ly engaged while covering our left
front.
"our casualties are about six killed
and seven wounded"
NEW YORK, June ia dispatch to
the Tribune from London says:
The BoeF commanders In the Free
State. commanded by Dewet and Oliv-
Ter. probably muster about five thous-
and men. Opposed to them there are
about six divisions. exclusive Of the
troops lining the railway. General Col
vile. with the Ninth division, Is al
General Methuen with the
First. at Lindley; General Chermside.
with the Third. at Kroonstad; Gen
eral Rumble and General Brabant, with
the Eighth and Colonial divisions. AT
Bicksburg; General Clements, with the
Twelfth brigade, at Senekal, and Cen
eral Kelly-Kenny, with another bri-
gade of the Sixth and probably other
forces, at Bloemfontein.
There must be 10000 British troops
available for operations against Dewet
and Olivier, and each Of these six col
umns is too strong to be attacked. on
ly two Of the six remaining columns
are supplied directly by the railway
and the remaining four are either de-
pendent upon conveys or endeavorinr
to live off the country. The difficulties
Of transportation we're serious enough
to cripple thase scattered forces. ana
when General Roberts was cut on from
with Kroonstad there
were six Generals awaiting orders
and there was nobody in supreme
command in the Free State. There Il
no official news from any Of these coll
lmns. Dewet could hardly hit undn
sleverer tactics for throwing the Brit
sh plans into confusion.