The daily news., 1900-03-29
BRITISH ARE DRIVEN
FROM LADYBRAND
Heavy Firing Heard Toward
Modder Point.
B0ERS DESTROYING MINES
Machinery Flown Up With Dynamite.
British Losses Now Foot Up More
Than rs, 900 Officers and Men-Sick-
ness Among Troops.


/ CAPE Town. March 29.-Thc British
force that entered Ladybrand was forced
TO retreat hurriedly before a large num-
Der of Beers who may have been part of
Olyier's command Firing has been
heard at Modder Point, which would
! seem to be near Modder Poort. to the
southwest Of ClOcOtGn. Possibly the
BOer rear guard has been engaged there
There have been cavalry skirmishes at
Lord Roberts outposts in the Free State
and General Buffers in Natal.
The weekly casualty list shows that
the British losses will be very heavy
Mr.. Wyndham' original rOScate esti-
mate that the war would be carried
through at a cost of not more than 5000
lives Is bound 10 be very much exceeded.
Up to Saturday the British forces had
lost 2, lS0 men killed, while 9,S07 were
wounded and 3,5l5 missing or prisoners,
making total Of IS, 453 To these must
be added | 200 deaths from disease, OF a
grand total of 6,652.
These figures, however, do not make
evident the actual weakening Of the
British army due to illness, hardships
ahd long marches.
General Macdonald, writing from
Paardeburg, states that the Highland bri-
gade had ar the time only ~ officers and
l,6OO men fit for duty out Of a total of
81 officers and 5000 men. Hard march
ing, blvOuacing in the open and other
trials Of the severe campaign have re-
duCed the brigade's strength nearly 80
per cent.
The l,O)0 men that remained Of the
garrison at Ladvsmith are recovering
very slowly from the effects Of the siege.
1t may be weeks before they are able to
participate i'll any military movement.
Letters are now arriving from Lady
smith which show the desperate condi-
tiOn 10 which the garrison had come
when relieved. Only 1900 men were
left tit to offer any determined resistance
TO the Beers at the time Lord MacDou-
aid arrived.
United States Consul Hay and his sec
retary have gone to kroOnstadt to make
necessary arrangements for United
States representation in the Free State .
\ dispatch received here from the
B0cr headquarters i'll Natal announces
that the destruction continues of coal
mines likely to be useful TO the British
The Dundee colliery has been blown
up, the machinery destroyed aud the
mine has been rendered useless for three
months to come.
According To dispatch from krOon-
Stadt, Cummaudant Olivier has Joined
Generals GrOblair and Lcmncr.
General Delarev is still sick at PretO.
ria, but be will proceed 10 the front Sun
lay. Trains are frequently leaving with
Durgh"rS for the fighting line ON this
side of BlUcmfOntein.
II Is learned that Generals Olivier,
iroblair and Lnmner have arrived at
IOlnt sufficiently far north to relieve all
Of the possibility of their
)eiDE cut off. 1t is expected they will
lrrivc at Windburg in few DAYS and
orm a junction with Jewctt, when the
ederals' position, it is declared, will
oppose Lord Roberts.
Sir Alfred Miner arrived at BlOem-
Ontcin last night and was met by Lord
Roberts and his staff.
Acc riding 10 the same dispatch Gen
raj French, previous to returning to
occupied the -four mills
ar Batter. which is a valuable acquisi-
ion.
Reports from ROuxvillc and other
OWNS say the surrender of arms t. the
British continue satisfactory.
General Clements column entered
'aureSmith Tuesday, March %, having
reviously occupied LaagerSfontpin.
The dispatch from Mascru, BasutO-
md, dated Tuesday, March Il. says the
IOerS are re-euteTing Iadysbrand.
\ special dispatch from BlOemfontein Z
lyS:
THE period of inaction is coming to
n end. Troops are being pushed to the
-ont and transports and stores are be-
IL Collected.