Evening star., 1900-12-24
BOERS KEEP BRITISH BUSY
RUNNING FIGHTS IN PROGRESS AND
RAILWAYS BEING CUT.
England Does Not Think Lord Kitch-
.ner.. Confidence Ju.tiaea
by Facts. !,

only available news from the seat Of hos
tilities in South Africa, but telegrams from
Cape Town depict the situation In anything
but roseate hues.
Without believing the assertion Of the
Transvaal agency in Brussels that 5000
Beers have invaded Cape Colony, 1t Is quite
evident that the invasion was q serious and
well-planned affair. In connection with
this a correspondent sends an extremely
interesting letter. dated Bethulie, Decem-
Der l, describing General De Wet and his
doings.
DE Wet has never been taken seriously
enough" says the correspondent. 1T is
of little use to pursue him, as he fights a
rear guard action and gains twenty miles
while he is being fought
HE is born military genius, whose Won
derful powers have kept up this phenome-
nal resistance.
"Once he fails, the whole thing could be
crushed in a fortnight He has every sin
gle commando under his supervision. All
his patrols and columns march and counter
march on his order The forces under his
command have been reduced by his strength
OF will to a property organized army, NOV
ing at his word. The sooner the British
rid themselves of the idea that De Vets
forces are a mere rabble, wandering aim
lessy, the sooner they will grasp the need
of the determined effort which is necessary
to capture him.
Grave Anxiety in Cape Town.
The Cape Colony cabinet had an impor-
tant sitting yesterday Sunday. 1t ap-
pears that the Beers have destroyed rail-
way bridge, ninety feet long, about twelve
miles south Of Da Aar, and that no Cape
malls have arrived at Bloemfontetn for
three DAYS.
Further anxiety has been caused In Cape
Town by the discovery that during the last
two months public bodies In out-of-the-way
places have requisitioned supplies Of dyna-
mite. The colonial government is now en-
deavoring to recover possession Of the ex-
plosive, and is removing all stores Of arms
and ammunition from suspected depots.
Other advices from Cape Town repre-
sent the Dutch element in Cape Colony as
greatly elated over the southwark progress
tire district Of Victoria West will join the
raiders. 1t Is expected In Cape Town that
the force travelling from Zoutban's Drift is
not body Of Beers, but one of colonials,
Fastening to join the invaders
The Pietermaritzburg correspondent of the
Daily Mail says:
1.-The Beers are active between Johannes
burg and Pretoria, exchanging shots with
the British outposts; and 1t Is reported that
parties Of Beers are lowering around
Johannesburg" IL.
Kitchener's Opinion.
The London war office has received the
following dispatch from Lord Kitchener.
dated Pretoria, December %:
LAS far as it is possible for me to form
an opinion from the reports of officers on
the spot 1 think the Boer movement into
Cape Colony has been checked, OF the
two forces that entered the colony, the
eastern is still north Of the Zoutpansberg
appears to have been turned in the direc-
ton to Britstown and Prieska. Our troops
are getting around both bodies and a spe
cial column is also being organized, which
,,,in IT. t,l,n ,f411,
know where its services are most wanted.
1.-The Beers have not received much as
sstance In Cape Colony, as far as my in
formation goes. We have armed some of
Railway and telegraph communication has
been much Interrupted by the very bad
weather.
Beers Cut Railway.
ode Wet Is in the neighborhood Of Sene-
kal. Gen. French, in conjunction with Gen.
Clements, attacked a force under Beyers.
south Of the Magaliesberg. The Beers
broke away in a sOuthwesterly direction,
toward Potchefstroom, and were followed
by Gen. Gordon with a column of French's
force.
Yesterday evening about o'clock Glenn
ents' force was engaged south Of OIL
plants Mex, but do not yet know the re-
suit"
A later dispatch from Lord Kitchener,
dated Pretoria, December %, says:
THE western column of Beers occupied
Britstown and cut the railway south OF
lowed UP.
"Gen. French has been in contact for
two days with the commanders Of Beyers
and Delarey, south Of the Magaliesburg.
He is pursuing them. The enemy have
lost considerably, and Commandant
kreuse and others have been captured.
Gen. Colville engaged two separate COM
mandoes December 21 near Vlakfontein,
tr-jth cl;t rat fha watt vfycY
Canadian Troops From Africa.
The steamer Lake Champlain, having on
board Col. Otter and $50 Canadian troops
returning from South Africa. arrived from
Liverpool and disembarked at Halifax, N.
s., yesterday. The order to land at St
John, N E., had been Cancelled by the
militia department. The time saved by the
change will enable the western men to get
he me for Christmas. They started this
afternoon on a special train for Montreal
and Toronto.
$4,000 More Horses Bought Here.
A dispatch from Kansas City yesterday
says:
Capt. Heygate Of the British army Is
purchasing 10000 cavalry horses and mules
for the British army in South Africa. He
came here more than a year ago to buy
horses and mules, but was ordered home a
snort tlIne ago. But tne unexpected re-
newal of hostilities has made the purchase
Of more horses and mules necessary. AS
fast as the animals are inspected and
bought they will be sent to New Orleans
and shipped to Cape Town, Durham and
New London, on British transports. soma
of which are now their way to the
United States. One ship load of the ami
| mails will be taken to South Africa by
Lieut.. David Moberly, leaving New Or
leans soon after January 1. Lieut.. Moberly
! said:
by the time the horses and mules are
| landed in South Africa they will have cost
! the British government $500 head. They
must cross the equator in going to South
| Africa, and the torrid heat of the tropics
kills them off rapidly. The average death
| rate on shipboard is thirty-two to the
| 900. Forty days after a, horse is pur-
| chased in Kansas City 1t is landed in South
| Africa. ~ 70
"Since the beginning Of the sBoer war
| England has purchased over 100,0 900 head of
| horses and mules in the United States. 1t
required sixty-five ships to carry them
| from New Orleans to South Africa. Gov
ernment transports will be kept very busy
from now on carrying the horses which
England will need in South Africa. and
which have been ordered purchased in the
| United States. Baden-PowelI now has 25,-
600 mounted police, and it is proposed to
| mount 600 of the Tnneria1 Infantry