Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-05
NEW TACTICS OF THE Beers
Report That They Will Act on Defensive
Only Hereafter.
Generals Brabant and French Have
Skirmishes With the Enemy
In Cape Colony.

LONDON, March "a dispatch from
Dordrecht Cape Colony. Sunday. March 4
says: Gen. Brabant's colonial division, after
a nights march, this morning attacked the
Beers in a strong position at La Bus
chagne's Mex, on the road from Dord-
recht to jamestown. The engagement pro-
ceeded with great vigor and the Beers
gradually retired before the British shell
fire from three positions. A heavy rife fire
was exchanged where the British engaged
the Beers On the right flank.
Gen. Brabant's advance today was most
satisfactory. The force reached the strong
iDtrenched positions which they occupied
and now hold. the Beers being on the op-
pcsite hill. The British will remain tonight
in the captured positions although the
Beers brought two guns into action and
made determined efforts to retake them.
The British losses are six killed and
eighteen wounded
COLESBURG. Cape Colony, Sunday,
March A reconnaissance with two
troops of Australians and two guns
found the wagon bridge over the Orange
river intact Fifty Beers on the other side
were taken by surprise and the British gal
Hoped to their lager. some miles on the
Free State side Prices command has
moved seven miles north of Colesberg.
The Beers during their occupation denied
themselves rather than see the British
wounded suffer.
Message From Lord Roberts.
The war office has received the following
dispatch from Lord Roberts, dated Osfon-
TEN. Sunday, March 4:
Gen. Cronje, on behalf Of his party, and
Commandant Wolmarans, on behalf of A.
COO other prisoners, who have all now left
Modder river, asked the British officers to
thank me for the consideration and kind
ness with which they have been treated
Gen Clements reports that his advanced
troops hold Achtertang, and that railway
communication would be opened to Jou-
bert's Siding today. The enemy is still in
force at Norvars Pont bridge.
Gen Gatacre telegraphs that the num-
Der of Beers at Stormberg is daily dinnin-
ishing.
Col Baden-Powen reports that all was
well at Mafeking February 10: and that
the enemy'S activity was being me- every
where by equal activity on the part of the
defenders.
THE position is unchanged at Osfontein,
except that frequent heavy showers have
materially improved grazing. to the benefit
OF the horses and transport animals
French strikes the Enemy.
The Morning Post has the following dis
patch from Osfontein, dated March 3: Gen.
French made a reconnaissance today and
encountered the enemy in force. They were
occupying table-shaped kopje. Shots were
exchanged. Boer gun replying"
Spenser Wilkinson, in the Post today,
merely reviews the small events announced
in the dispatches from the front and ex-
presses the opinion that the Beers cannot
place more than 10000 men to oppose Lord
Roberts. except by complete abandon
nent of Natal. He says:
Without that the Beers must keep two
strong rear guards, one at the crests of the
Free State passes, and the other at Big
garsberg. Gen Butler is between them and
threaten discretion Ie
can, therefore. compel them to keep dis
proportionate force on the two lines or to
leave one or the other open TO his advance"
Abraham's kraal, where Jouhert is mar
shaliHg his forces, as shown in the war
office maps. is group of three kopies. stu
ated at the junction of Kraal spruit with
Modder river. 1t is natural point of con-
centration, which the Beers could make ex-
ceedingly strong. but after the proofs of
the mobility Of the army of Lord Roberts
it may be doubted whether they will make
a really serious attempt to bar his advance
there
Hoers New Tactics.
The Onsland. the organ of the Afrikander
Bund. says: The Beers will now confine
themselves to the defensive, abandoning an
offensive policy"
noticeable feature of all the recent op-
erations at the theater Of war has been the
active employment of colonial forces, which
is in marked contrast with the policy adopt
ed at the beginning of the war The Aus
trali3n colonies have decided to provide the
100 men Mr.. Chamberlain recently asked
for
a Cape Town dispatch saws: .'At GRAFT
Reynet. about no miles north of Port Elfz-
abeth. some seventy Dutchrnen. melted by
Bondites, attacked with sticks and stones
a body Of loy2lists who were celebrating
the relief Of LaGysmith. Many persons
were injured The loyalsts demand mil
ltary protection \ similar riot occurred at
steLenb2sch- about twenty-five miles east
of Cape Town.
The rebels of Griqualand reinforced by
6n Dutch farmers from the Prieska dis
trict, ocC upied kenhardt, 100 miles west of
Prltska after sharp confficr with the
kathrs, and are ROW marching southeast
ward on Van Wyks Wei, where there are
grain stores.
-Four hundred refugees from Kenhar1t
have reached Carnarvon. The natives In
thai district are reported restless
The Standard says: We believe that ne
gctidtions for England's acquisition of a
ppr- in Portuguese East Africa giving easy
access 20 Rhodesia. are on foot and are
hkely to succeed, in view of the turn the
war has taken
The Berlin Post asserts on the authority
OF a private letter from the TransvaaI re-
ceiTed at Hamburg that the Roer republics
or January y had issued altogether a. 500
Identification cards Eoers in the field
The writer Of the letter claims that these
fgures represented the total federal force.
az Jhat tine.
disratch from Cape Town says Cecil
Rhodes : there and expects 10 sail for
England Wednesday
A dispatch from Maseru, BasutoIand dat
ed Friday. March =. says: The telegram
wednesday night, a whole section being, re-
moved. IL is believed ;Eis was the work.
o. Eatives. prompted or hribei by the Beers