The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-05-11
ROBERTS AND TIE BOERs.

After carefully reading reports from
Africa of the End, 3rd and 4th OF Nav
we can not get as clear a view of the
situation as we would like to present to
u readers. The general drift appears
to be that after six days fighting in
and around Thaba N'Chu the Boer
stand firm and the British have gained
but little Roadway.
Lord Roberts is said to be steadily
maturing his plans for a general adj
vance.
1t is estimated that fully 50, 900 Brit
ish troops are now centered at Thaba
N'chu, where the Boer forces are said
to number between 4, 900 and 5000 men.
There is renewed activity on the part
of the Beers on the Ladysmith side
Beers thus far have succeeded in hold
ing the British in check north OF Thaba
N'Chu. On the left four British bril-
gades drove the Beers from the first
line of defense in the direction of
Brandford. The Beers were driven off
Sc~hanskraal. The London Morning
Post publishes from it's correspondent,
Winston Churchill (English) a dis
patch of the 3rd stating Hamilton's
column was unable to cope with the
Beers under Botha and was forced TO
retreat to Thaba N'chu He says hat
the result is that the Beers are will
ing to retreat, but it is not in the power
of the present force to interfere with
them or with their wagons" The Lon
don Times says that when General
Botha's force is disposed of. the adj
vance to the north may be expected to
begin in earnest With the prepaid
tory movement, which necessarily must
extend along the line of co-nmunica-
tons with the south, the Commander
in-chief has taken fresh troops for the
protection of his rear"
The account of the much fighting by
General French is hat no decided vic
tory had been gained. Botha is sEiltu.
Other engagements are looked for be-
tween French and BOtha.
The new scene of operations and the
general movements OF the various
Columns are taken to indicate that
Lord Roberts is d%eploying his army
preparatory to beginning his northern
march.
- II" SSCl1lS 1lhSly lioI ~ - SiN
commander-in-chief's intention ad-
vance simultaneously from Kimberley.
Bloemfontein and LaGysmith, witt.
the view of preventing the Beers from
concentrating their forces at any -ilveI
point
A Berlin paper hears from the rams
vaal legation at Brussels that 'sensa-
tional developments in South Africa
will occur Immediately and the result
will be the speedy conclusion of peace
Roberts will establish a line of posts
across the Free State. His object is to
protect the railroad. To do his the
Beers must be forced back from the
rugged Thabanchu district and this is
what all the fighting in that district is
about At present, however, the Beers
continue to harass the British lines Of
communication and a single we'll
horSed commando puts the tranSporta-
ton service between Bloemfontein and
Thabanchu in great peril.
All the above is based on slightly
British doctored news. The Beers re-
port that they nave defeated the Brit
ish in several skirmishes. Roberts has
so, 900 men on a line extending for forty
miles. The British have learned in the
severe school of defeat to move with
much caution. British report heavy
losses to the Beers. This is all we have
seen of Importance closing with the
4th. Later news will follow the above
no doubt. Roberts begs Mafeking to
hold out until the 18th of May.
Since writing the above, glancing at
an editorial in the Baltimore Herald,
we were impressed with the fact that
the generalship of the Beers has inva-
riably, with but one exception. been
most excellent, while their great en-
envy has blundered many times and
been often foiled completely. The He
aid says:
This policy is being carried out in
a which must win the admira-
ton of military s~trategists. With the
single exception of Cronje's error in
supposing that the English would not
leave the r~ailroad-an error which
caused him to delay his retreat !"
long-not one mistake seems to have
beer made so far. 1t is now evident
that Roberts plan to pen the Beers VI
at Wepener has completely failed. The
burghers executed a mastery retire
ment after inflicting much damage
They are carefully avoiding othe,
traps set to catch them east of Bloom
fontein, and, by way of creating a
diversion, have again appeared to the
westward"