Hutchinson gazette., 1900-05-03
BOERS OUTDO"BOBS"
Commander Botha Easily Hludes
Lord Roberts.
BOERS ARE INCREASINGLY ACTIVE.
British Must Concentrate Again IIo-
fore Moving ON Pretoria -Boers aro
showing Great Activity Around
Bloemionteln-IAOr IAOrsesIcknoss

London, May This week has
been one Of disappointment for Lon
don The long expected victory OF
LORD Roberts has not appeared but
on the contrary he has been outwit
ted In CommNndnnt General Louis
bothO, the Beers appear to have
Found capable successor to Joubert
AS the result of his insight and qulcl,
decision, II may be assumed now
that the retrcating commanders
nave gotten safely away with the
transport.
The war Office has issued the fol.
lowing from Lord Roberts, dated
Bloemfonten, Friday, April 27;
General French reached Thabn
N'Chu this morning with cavalry.
lie met General Ian Hamilton and
there.
"lhe enemy were still holding the
eastern outlet of the town where
{ neral French and General Hamil.
ton were proceeding 10 turn them
out.
General Rundle's division was eight
miles south OF Thaba NChu last
evening"
II is true that Lord Roberts dis
patch leaves much unsnid ns to the
whereabouts OF other forces than
those of General French and General
Rumble, Nothing is said about the
troops of General Ilrabnnt, Pole
Carew, Hart and Chermsde, but the
indications from Aliwn North show
that several commanders are still
lowering in the vicinity Of Spring
Held, causing certain amount of
danger, and the adviccs from Dew
etsdrop, outlining the duties Of Gem
eral Chermside, justify the conclu-
sion that II will still be necessary to
employ a considerable body of troops
to Keep the Free State clenr of Beers.
The position is that the Beers,
who began their raid month ago
by compelling Colonel Broadwood to
retire on Bloemfontein, have now
gotten safely away to the northward,
practically without loss, but with
the advantage Of seven British runs,
together with 100 prisoners captured.
Meanwhile, the advance to Pretor-
Ia has not begun, Small wonder Is
" that mufrled complaints and criti-
cisms are beginning to be heard here
and there against Lord Roberts, Two
thirds Of his entire force have been
employed in efrecting this small sat
lstnction, and the probability is that
the whole force must be again con-
tracted on lIoemfontein before the
main advance begins. AS similar
raids on the British communications
are likely to be epcatcd, It Is evil
IDENTIFY still n far cry to Pretoria.
The Beers are now showing un-
common activity west of Bloemfon-
tein' They are in force between
Fourteen Streams and Kimberly. On
sunday they occupied Windsorton,
west of the railway, and now threat.
m to interrupt the communication
v the British force at Warrenton, to
he north This too, at n time when
ieneral Hunter is about TO start on n
zoo mile march to Mafeking, prob
bly, with 5000 men.
hepeher, lately the scene Of inces-
mt fighting is deserted, General
iarbant and Colonel Dalgety having
moved northward.
A dispatch from Maseru, dated
londay, says;
"Ihe l}asutos are second time ns.
oundcd to see th' Beers peacefully
,"reing with herds which the ma.
ives think should be the booty of
he British, who are said to be the
According TO information from
Iascru the main body Of the Beers
cached Leeuw river, due west Of
adNbrand, Sunday, small parties
railing behind at intervals of ten
'iIes TO protect the rear and wbin !
p their herds. Slight outpost actions
ave taken place daily beyond Karee
ding, where the head of the British
lvasion is cautioned.
African horse sickness has broken
~ n Geneal Buffers army. r.
roves especially fatal among fresh.
arrived animals. The Bloemfon-
in correspondents point out that
le Deficiencies in the veterinary de-
cause thousands M Ioseos