Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-27
General Roberts Reports Skirmish
at Brandfort March %.
BRITISH CASUALTIES WERE Few
Free Staters Anxious to Quit War
and Go to Work.
ADDRESS TO GENERAL WHITE

LONDON. March 27.-Reconnaissances of
slight Importance continue to be the only
features of the war in South Africa
Lord Roberts wires to the war Office
follows:
"BLOEMFONTEIN, Monday. March 90
Captain Sloane-Stanley of the 10th Lancers
was slightly wounded in affair of out
posts, north of the Modder river. March
2J'
This bare statement is all that comes
from the commander-in-chief.
A dispatch from Bloemfonte:n, dated
Monday, March 26 and published in the
second edition of the Times. amplifies Lord
Roberts dispatch follows:
"A cavalry reconnaissance was made yes
terday toward Brandfort. The 10th Lam
GERS. by skirmishing. drew the Beers from
their position into the open, when the 9th
Lancers attempted to outfank the enemy
while they were enga ged from the front
by a dismOunted section of the 18th Lam
GERS. Our casualties are reported to be
few
To Repair the Railroad.
a dispatch from Maseru, Basutoland,
dated 26th. says:
The Basutoland government is busy col
lecting natives to be employed at Bloem-
fontein in repairing and laying railroads.
he natives report lHat the r rec StalerS on
the borders of Basutoland have refused to
go to Kroomstad. and staying on their
farms, 1t is the ploughing season,
and they are inclined to keep their land
and submit rather than give 1t up and
fight
Boer reports from Natal show no develop
ments Of Importance have occurred there
up to March %. A dispatch from the Boer
camp at Glencoe, dated March 28 says:
NO attack is expected to be made on the
Boer forces in Natal. Generals Botha and
Meyer have been Joined by their wives.
Pretorius. with patrol. got between an ad-
vance guard of lancers and its main body
March ~. One lancer who refused to sur
render, was shot
General Botha denies the reports that
Transvaal women were wounded in the
Tugela trenches. General Butler has sent
the Boers a list of their wounded, stating
that he buried sixty men. General Botha
says this is impossible. as his rolls do not
show any such loss
a Ladysmith special says:
Beers patrols endeavored TO trap a party
of the 18th HuSsars March - at Wasch-
bank A hot chase ensued. Several Beers
Were wounded
The same dispatch says:
Boer Losses at spion Kop.
"a printed document has been found CIV
ing the Boer losses at Spionkop at over
900. but this can scarcely be credited.
Advices today from Cape Town say:
Rains are general throughout South Af-
rica and rivers which have been dry for
years are being flooded. Many camps are
transformed into swamps. This will still
more initiate against an immediate British
advance.
Sickness among the Boer prisoners on
the transports i increasing Three deaths
occurred March 20. The bodies were buried
Ir-F Fha s1-Fyh he
the collins. the leading Dutch of SimonS-
town attending the funeral. Typhoid alone
claims 1Vp victims among the prisoners, and
the population of Simonstown fear an cpl
denic.
"a meeting of the bund was held at Paarl
March 2i. and was attended by several
members of the Cape assembly. 1t passed
resolutions TegretJing that the Cape gov
crument was not Consulted before the war,
and declaring that any settlement which
did not respect the independence OF the le-
PuDIics would be detrimental 10 the highest
interests of the British empire. Mr.. iar-
grove. the chief speaker, prophesied another
war within six years unless independence
was granted ard Assembyman MaTais
characterized the war continuation of
the Jameson raid
Address to General White.
Gen. White was presented with an ad
dress by the mayor and municipal council
of Cape Town today. assuring him Of their
sympathy in his enforced home-going, and
declaring that the records of the siege of
LadysIith are among the brightest annals
OF the nation.
1t is announced that Lord Roberts is GO
ing to Cape Town to meet Lady Roberts
Michael Davitt arrived at Lorenzo
Marques March "a
A dispatch in the second edition Of the
Times from that port declares the Beers are
using natives from the mines to construct
trenches around Johannesburg. adding that
the mines are expected to shut down owing,
TO the military demand for kaffir labor.
Parliament Will Sit All the Year.
LONDON. March 27.-The secretary Of
state for home affairs, Sir Matthew White
Ridley. replying to a delegation today. in
timated that n dissolution Of parliament
was improbable during the present year.
He said that il the government faced an
other session. which was probable. It hoped
10 remedy some defects in the mining laws
In response to the executive committees S
request that the American hospital ship
Maine be permitted to remain in South Af-
rican waters Gen. Butler has Cabled as fol-
lows from Ladysmith:
We think that the ship in going to Eng
land conferS the greatest benefit upon the
sick and wounded. as. with her excellent
medical staff, she best aids in that way the
evacuation Of our cQnsested hospitals of
bad cases The Trojan and Spartan are
ample for local transfers. II the Maine
goes we hope she will return soon as