The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1900-05-03
WAR NEWS.

Thursday and Friday brought news
Of the final retirement Of the Beers from
around BloemfOntein. They did not de
stroy the waterworks which they were
in possession of 80 long Wepener was
also relieved by the general withdrawal
erts's line Of communications open and
unthreatened to the south. Though eff
! forts were made to intercept and cap
ture attachments of the Beers, they all
got away safely with their guns and
munitions. The London war-oftice had
a message from Mafeking in which Col.
Baden Powell said the garrison was hold
| ing out well Though the Beers were
ultimately driven back from their Free
| State invasion, they succeeded in caus-
| ing much delay to the British and in.
! hicting large damage on them, and in
getting away with practically no loss to
| themselves.
ON Saturday there were dispatches
containing accounts of rear guard fight
| ing ut Thaba NChu, in which Gen.
French's troops were engaged. Gen.
Warren, one Of the British officers dis
credited by Roberts, was made governor
Of Griqualand West and thus saved from
being recalled A message from Lor-
EMO Marquee placed the present strength
g tka R,a, .rn,iny AZ unu
Sunday brought no news, the censor
apparently being at work again. The
withdrawing Beers were thought to be
concentrating at Ladybland, and to
have good start over their English
pursucrs The tone of the German
newspapers suddenly changed from fav
oring the Beers to favoring the English.
It * supposed that this was on account
of the Kaisers well known sympathy
with England
Monday it was reported that Gen.
French had given up the chase after the
Beers and returned to Bloemfontein.
London papers were disposed to criticise
Roberts for his failure to capture any
of the burghers after his elaborate pre-
parations of the past week Of two. The
Bocr troops that were lately active
around Thaba N'Chu began 20 disperse
to their farms, many of them taking
the oath of allegiance to Great Britain.
Little faith is put by the British in these
oaths of allegiance, as many of those
who subscribed to it after Cronje's sur
render went back into active service
shortly after The members of the peace
in Europe announced that
they would sail for the United States on
Thursday 1t was understood that all
the European powers had declined to
act for them
Gen French's efforts to cut off the re-
Beers We're reported ON Tues
day to be completely futile Just AS
Gen Hunter with 5000 men was about
to start toward Mafeking TO assist Col,
Baden Powell it became known that
tne iJOeIS were AGAIN very dtllNt near
Kimberly. They We're reported to be in
force between that city and Fourteen
Streams. African horse sickness broke
out among Robertss horses, and many
died The general situation was not
favorable to the English, in spite of the
recent withdrawal of the burghers.
Wednesday it was announced that
heavy fighting was imminent near Tha-
ba n Chu Gen French, who was di-
rcCting the English forces at that point,
was estimated to have from Is 600 to 30,
900 men and the Boer rear guard was
placed at from 5000 to 10000 Their
rear guard fighting etfectually prevent
ed any advance on Pretoria The Beers
attacked the British outposts at Boshof
but without result Mafeking sent word
that they could stick it ont for two
months or more The German steamer
Koenig landed "A quantity of war mater
ials for the Beers at Beira and embark
I'd cargo Of Trunsvaal wool
------------------