The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-04-14
Roberts Described as Being Cool, with
Everything I'm the Free state
Moving Satisfactorily.
wEpENER TO BE RELIEVED
BOERs REPORTED TO HAVE SUF-
FERED VERY SEVERELY.
Gallant Defense by Col. DaIgety-Me-
thuen at swartl<opfontein-Ma
fekfng i'm n Bad Way.

LONDON, April IA. Ais a. m.-"The for
ward movement is checked says Lord
Roberts. This Is taken TO mean not by
fighting. but by dispositions to head of
their advance and bar their way TO vul-
nerable points In the line of British COM
munications. Lord Robertss SEPARATIONS
for the advance are retarded by the scare
ity of rolling stock, but the whole length
OF the railway Is strongly held and the
Beers have not yet made any attempt on
the British communications.
The Times has the following from jam
mersberg. dated April 13: Colonel Dali
getys force has been surrounded by some
thousands OF Beers, with eight guns, two
'pompoms' and two Maxims. since Monday
morning They have calamity withstood
a heavy attack on Monday and again
night attack on Tuesday, and on Thursday
there was continued shell and rifle fire.
We are confident of being able to repulse
any attack. Food is plentiful Our casual
ties are small. The brunt of the fighting
and also of the loss has been borne by
Cape mounted rihemen.''
Relief is on the way to Wepener.
The Beers in Natal appear incapable of
developing an aggressive movement at
Elandslaagte.
Lord Methuen is at Swartkopfontein,
twelve miles east of Boshof, and is sending
small. swift columns through the adjacent
country. Lord Chesham, commanding one
of these. encountered a small commando
about ten miles southeast OF Swartkopfon-
tein. He found most of the farms occupied
by women and children only.
An editorial note in the Daily Mail AYERS
that Mafeking is in a very bad way and
that hope of relief is far off. as no force
Is advancing from the south.
Mr. Spencer Wilkinson. discussing the
military situation in the Morning Post,
says: ''The objective of the 1900 Beers
south OF Dewetsdorp is either Colonel
Dalgety's force. the bridge at Bethulie or
the country south of the Orange river.
Whatever its object. Lord Roberts has ap-
parentiy checked 1t, and If so the equip
ment and reorganization of the British
force can proceed uninterrupted and the
new campaign will shortly begin on the
initiative OF Lord Roberts,
The Times says editorially this morning:
'In both the Free State and Natal matters
appear to be progressing as we expected
and desired. Our well wishers in America,
who are evidently nervous as to the possi-
BILE effects Of a check in our advance on the
opinion OF the electorate, need not, we
trust. make themselves uncomfortable. We
are told there will be no Boer party in the
United States II Lord Roberts wins a de-
cisive victory before the Republican con-
vention- We cannot, of course, promise to
oblige our friends by simplifying their poll
tics for them by that date, but we shall do
our best. although some Americans indulge
their sporting instincts by sympathizing
with the weaker side in a fashion we did
not practice during their contest with
Spain.''
The War Office announces that 1000
horses will arrive at the Cape this week.
II Is well understood that the animals are
not Ct for work until about ten days after
the voyage. Two thousand more are due at
the Cape next week.
The War Office has called out the reserve
companies OF several infantry battalions.
which will be sent to South Africa forth
with.
The Boer peace ENJOYS have documents,
according to the Rome correspondent of the
Daily News. showing that urgent advances
to the Transvaal to wage war were orig
inaily made by Germany. This correspond
ent also asserts that Count Won Buelow,
the German foreign minister. who was said
10 have gone on visit to sick brother.
really went to Milan for the express pur-
pose of conferring with the delegates.
4 special dispatch received here from
Cape Town says that Lady Roberts will
proceed TO Bloemfontein In a few days and
that the Duke OF Westminster has already
departed for the Free State capital.
Winston Churchill has arrived at Bloem-
fontein