The sun., 1900-04-27
THE BOERS ESCAPING.
Slipping Northward Through Net
Thrown by Lord Roberts.
BRITISH TROOPS In PURSUIT.
But the Hope That Conclusive RE-
suits Will BE Attained ut Once
Is Now Thought to Be
Very Slim.

London, April 26-All the interest in
the South African war is now centered in
the running fight in progress between the
l5ocrs rctreating from the southern part
of the Orange Free State and General
Frcnchs horsemen and the infantry of
Generals pole-Carew, Chcrmside and
Rumble. But the British hope of CON
elusive results is slim mt present. The
Bocrs are escaping unbcatcn and having
accomplished an immense amount of
damage. They clung to their positions
as long as it was safe to do so. and they
have now Slipped off to hold the next
commanding ridge through a broken
country admirably suited for Il rear guard
defense.
Dispatches from .Aliwn North say that
tho Beers lcft Wepener 50 hurricdly that
many of the dead were left in the
trenches nburicd. Commandant :.
Cronjc is reported to have been killed.
According to advicrS from Blocmfon-
tCin. the attempt of the Beers at Brand
fort 10 get in touch with the command at
Thaba Nchu was frustrated by Il force
dispatched by General Tucker from Glen.
\ dispatch from Pretoria reports the
arrival there of Lord RoSslyn ;ls an ull-
wounded prisoner.
\ special dispatch from De Vets dorp
dated April %, says:
Owing to the approach of General
French and to General Rundle's persist
ent shelling, the Beers relinquished theil
positions last night, retiring with theil
guns, in northeasterly direction. Gen
erals French and Rumble joined hands
east of De Vets dorp this morning. Gen
eral Rundle is pursuing the Beers in fore
ed Marches"
How the Beers Escaped.
While Lord Roberts object was pri-
marily to relieve Wepener and clear the
southeast corner of the Free State Of the
Beers presence generally, he also sought
to bring the Beers to an engagement. sur
rounding them or intlicting serious losses
upon them. With this object in view, he
had been drawing circle around the
Boer position. The western semicirce
was complete. On the other side the
southern segment was closed by the Ba
sutO border, but the northern segment re-
mained open.
In the operations of yesterday the circle
was drawn somewhat tighter, and an at
tempt was made to throw Frcnch's cayal-
ry around to close the open gap. The
Beers. however, took fright and fled
through that open gap, probably succeed
ing. as usual, in taking all their guns
with them.
General RundleS waiting game in front
| of DE Vets dorp is now fully explained
While his division was held fast. refusing
10 attack, General 'rcnch's cavalry and
Polc-Cnrcw's division were moving round
to place themselves astrile the line of re.
treat Of the federal forces.
Tho presence Of the dashing British
cavalry general in the neighborhood ap.
parently set the Bncrs moving. the forces
1T De Vets dnrp slipping away during
tho night. These have now probably
Joined the biz army massing al or near
rhlha Nchu.
According TO military critics, any
chance Of capturing the rctrcatng Beers
depends upon The progress Of General
Frrnch'S cavalry brigade. But ii il
entering II very difficult. hily and plac-
tirally unknown country. The cnvalry
has alrrnry had Il long march over
heavy roads.