Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-05-02
(By Telegraph 10 virginian- Pilot.l

(By Telegraph TO virginian- Pilot.l
London, May III o, m.--Fighting,
heavier than any since Ladysmith,
seems to be imminent near Thabanchu.
The dispatches of Lord Roberts. dated
Monday and Tuesday, show that the
Boer rear guard, stubbornly resisting
his advance. forced the British on Sat
urday and Sunday to act chiefly on the
defensive.
General French, who is directing the
operations. has at least $4,000 men.
Some estimates give him 10000. The
Beers are estimated to be at least COCO
strong. and possibly 10000.
According to dispatch from Pre-
toria. dated April %, they were expect
ing to give battle, and have numerous
artillery. SO long as the Beers engage
the attention of half OF Lord Roberts
force at Thabanchu. his advance to-
ward Pretoria will be delayed No one
here. however. considers that General
Botha will be able to stand longer than
81 few days. The feeling is that he
must be beaten off by the masses of
Lord Roberts. The Boers attacked the
British outposts at Boshof, the head
quarters OF Lord Methuen, on April IS,
but without result. The British guns
mt Wnrrenton shelled the Beers out of
their half cons tructed trenches Sunday
y native runner got through from
Mafeking to Otsi. sixty miles north, on
April - with DISPATCHES for nearly
all the London dalies That of the
Morning Post says.
We can stick 1t out for two months
or more. Nobody minds"
colonel Plumer, who appears to have
been reinforced lately by more Rhode
SLAMS. seems 10 be advancing again.
GERMANY AIDS BoERs.
London. May "A British reconnoit-
erinG party fell into the hands of the
Beers near Wndsorton.
The German steamer Koenig, on April
% landed quantity of war materials
Tor the Beers at Beira and embarked a
quantity o. Transvaal wool.
Lord Lansdowne. replying in the
House of Lords yesterday to II question
regarding warm clothing for the troops,
read this dispatch from Lord Roberts:
There is no necessity to appeal for
warm clothing. Some corps have re-
ceived more than they require and ell
will be amply provided for as soon as
the numerous cases of clothing and
comforts OF various descriptions can be
brought here from the base"
According TO Il dispatch from Louren-
20 Marques there are 1000 British resi-
dents Yet remaining in the Transvaal,
put they are TO be expelled Immediate
~.
London: May 1.-i:25 p. ma dis
patch from Mafekng. dated April 20,
Says:
the Beers have been busy for sew
eral days blowing up the railway
southwards.
There was little firing during the
past week
The town will respond cheerfully to
Lord Roberts request to hold out for
another month.
Fever is rife but otherwise the
health Of the garrison is good and all
are We'll"
LORD ROBERTS REPORT.
London. May 1.-1:55 p. m.-rhc fol-
lowing dispatch has been sent by Lord
Roberts to the War Office:
Bloemfontcin, April S0-The Beers
made very persistent attacks round
Thabanchu Saturday and Sunday. But
the position which the eighth
(Rundle's) division holds is very strong
and he had the assistance of Gordons
ard Dickson's brigade, the cavalry I'M
der French and Smith Dorrien's in
fantry brigade and n body of mounted
infantry under General Hamilton.
role LarcW QlVlSlon returned from De
Wetsdorp yesterday
Lord Roberts also reports additions,
casualties sustained during the fight
ing of April 81 around Thabanchu. con
sisting of Lieutenant Geary and two
enlisted men killed and one officer and
three enlisted men wounded.
IN THE DARK
Neither the Commander in Chiefs or
the correspondents dispatches throw
any light on the plans being adopted TO
Gust me Beers from the neighborhood
of Thabanchu and how long before a
determined effort will be made to re-
assert British superiority is only n mat
ter OF surmse. In the meantime, the
Beers are remarkably aggressive, es-
pecially in view Of the large forces OPP
posing them.
a special dispatclvfrom Thabanchu,
dated yesterday, says they made dar-
Ing sttcmpt 10 cut off British convoy
which got into broken ground between
Thabanchu and De Wctsdorp. opening
fire from the adjacent hills. In the
nick of time General Brabason with a
force of yeomanry returning from
Wepener, arrived on the scene and ex
tricated the,convoy.
The same special correspondent de-
scribes the disposition of the forces at
Thabanchu as follows:
IenpJla is covering tho adj