The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-04-28
FOLLOWING BOERS.
Chief Occupation of Lord Rob-
erts' Army at Present.

London, April 2S.-2:05 p. m.-The
British forces in the Orange Free State
are still presumably following the Beers
northward, but at this hour there is no
word from the most interesting field of
operations.
A dispatch from Ladysmith under to-
days date says there are only small
parties of Beers in Tintwa pass, but
that some hundreds are guarding Van
Reenans and Olivershoek passes. Com
mandants De Beer and Vannieskerk are
in charge and their forces have been so
disposed that the whole body can be
massed at any pass the British may at
tempt to force.
A. dispatch from Dewets Dorp dated
Friday. April 27, says residents of that
place claim the strength of the Boer
force which recently evacuated the place
was six thousand men, with six guns,
under German officers.
The st. James Gazette this afternoon
dealing with the problem of the treat
ment of the Free State farmers, sug-
gests a revival of Gen. Weyler's Cuban
concentrate system, minus the horri-
bic dishonesty of its execution
ROBERTS SUMMARY
New York, April 2S.-A dispatch to the
Tribune from London says:
The rigorous censorship has excluded
press news from the Free State for
twenty-four hours. The war correspon-
dents. owing 10 the extensive uGDlOg-
ment of five divisions and two cavalry
brigades, have, with one or two excep-
tions, returned to headquarters at
Bloemfontein and their conjectures re-
specting the direction of the lines of the
BOer retreat and British operations have
not been in accord.
General Roberts in a midnight dis
patch presented brief summary of the
situation as he understood it at 3 O'Clock
Friday afternoon, but left several points
in doubt. General Hamilton, with the
mounted infantry and one brigade OF
the Ninth division, had reached Thaba.
N'Chu, where Gen. French joined him
with his cavalry brigadeS yesterday
morning, Rundle's division being a few
miles south. The Beers were still hold
ing the eastern outlet of the town. and
French and Hamilton were preparing to
| turn them out. Both Hamilton and
! French had made fine forced marches
but it was not clear whether the main
1 body of the Beers had retired to the
/ Thaba N'Chu from Dewets Dorp or had
| gone across the country toward Con-
stantia to effect a junction with DIV
/ ier's forces retreating from WepeneT.
1 The former theory was more probable,
but even in that case it was uncertain
whether the Beers had remained in force
or had left rear guard IN the town
General Roberts reported that General
BrabaSon with the 4eomanry cavalry
had gone as far as Wepener and return
| ed to Dewets Dorp, where Cherms1de :
! division was still hating POle-CareW 5
| DIVISION was elLneI dl LEV y u
was marching toward Thaba N'Chu.
| There was nothing from Wepener and
| no other official news except a few cas-
ualtfes and a report of an outpost after
another Bethulie.
General Roberts operations are now
conducted on SO large a scale that the
1 nnbIfc here is dazed by them and re-
ouires some definite result, like another
Faardeberg, in order TO be convinced
that he is making progress. The experts
regard his maneuyres as mastery.