Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1900-05-03
Beers RETREATING.
The Chances Of Lord Roberts Net
ting the Enemy Very Slender.
A ARTILLERY DUEL At WARREyTOy.
n Siege Of wepener RaIsed-The Enemy
Retire Unpursued = Beers Collecting
Eaormou. Qnsntities Of Provisions
In the Lydenburg District

London, April 26.-It is now appar-
eut that the chances of Lord Roberts
catching the retreating Beers in net
are very slender The Beers have
everywhere retired at the first pres
sure of the British advance and the
hope that Gen. Rumble would be able
70 induce them to remain at Dewets
dorp until they had been forced to
fight or surrender has been dsap-
pointing. No attempt was made to
pursue the commanders retiring from
Wepener. Everything now depends
upon the progress Of Gen. Frenchs
cavalry brigades, but they are enter
ing a very difficult, billy and practi-
cally unknown country. The slow
ness of the recent movements OF the
British infantry and peylous expe-
rience of the ability of the Beers to
move rapidly, with guns and baggage,
over their own country, lead to Il be-
lief that Lord Roberts enveloping OPP
erations will fail and will have to be
repeated !urther north. At the most
he will perhaps capture some guns
and baggage and harry the retreat-
ing burghers.
Considerable results have been at
tanned in the relief of Wepener and
in the clearing Of the southern corner
of the l'lee State Of Beers, but the
Boer army, whatever its strength, has
still to be dealt with.
An Artillery Duel at warrenton.
Warrenton, April 26.-The Beers,
having Lecome emboldened, shelled
the village and the British trenches
and ii became necessary to give them
q lesson and to ascertain their
strength. Monday night Col. Paget
placed several guns on the river bank,
under cover Of the darkness, within
1000 yards of the Boer trenches
across the river, The horses and car
riages were withdrawn beyond range
end at daybreak the British opened
= heavy bomburdment with shrapnel
and lyddte. The Beers were taken
completely by surprise. but they re-
piled with five guns, including u 40
FOUNDER and heavy rifle fire was
opened at the same time. The duel
continued many >hours, the Beers
finally evacuating the position with,
It Is believed, considerable loss. Tere
were no casualties on the British
side.
The Siege Of wepeDer Raised.
london, April 26.-The Times has
the following from special eorre-
spondent. dated Mafeking, Basuto-
land, April 20: 81 rode from Jam
mersburg here, skirting Wepener, and
! met Gen. Brab1lt's advance guard
four miles south Of Wepener. They |
report three successful fights, Satur-
day, Sunday and Tuesday, with 90
casualties. The siege was raised and
5000 of the enemy retired along the
Iadybrand road within our sight and
nnpursued. Col. Dalgety's casualties
are 80 killed and 1872 wounded"
The Boers Collecting Provision.
London, April s6.-'lhe Lourenzo
Marques correspondent Of the Times,
telegraphing Tuesday, says; ut is
asserted that the Beers are collecting
enormous quantities of provisions at
depots in the Iydenbnrg district,
with a view to final stand in the
mountains. The districts around
johannesburg and Pretoria are be-
ing extensively entrenched. Begs-
bie's foundry at Johannesburg is
turning out 700 shells day."
Firing Undee n white Flag.
Bloemfontein, April 26.-Richter's
farm, near Leeuw kop, from which,
while flying white flag, the Cana
dams were fired upon, has been
burned as a punishment. Richter is
, prisoner.