The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1900-05-05
.BO[RS ARE PERSISTENT.
Lord Roberts Reports the Beers as
Making Persistent Attacks
Around Thaba N'Chu.
The BRITISH POSITION IS TOO STRONG.

!" oh
Lord Roberts Intentions-A loci
Attempt to Cut Out "a Convoy that
Nearly Succceded-Gen. Sir Georgs
White Decorated by the Queen.
London. May 2, / p. mitigating,
heavier than any since L,adysmith,
seems &c be imminent near Thaba
NChu. The dispatches Of Lord Rob
erts, dated Monday and Tuesday, show
that the Boer rear guard. stubbornly
resisting his advance, f%orcin., the brit
ish, on Saturday and Sunday. to act
chiefly on the defensive.
Strength of OpposinE forces.
Gen. French, who is directing the
operations, has at least 1900 men.
Some estimates give him 30,OOu. The
Beers arc estimated to I've at least t..
900 strong. and possibly 10,0Dn. Nc
cording to L dispatch frou. Pretoria,
April IS, they were expecting to give
battle, and have numerous artillery.
Can Hold Out But u Few Days.
So long as the Beers engage the at
tention of half of Lord Roberts force
at Thaba N'Chu. his advance toward
Pretoria will be delayed. No one here,
however. considers that Gen. Botha
will be able to stand longer than a few
days. The feeling is hal hr must ie
beaten off by the masses of Lord Rob-
trts.
No Light On Coming Events.
Neither the COMMUNICATIVE
not the correspondents dispatches
throw any light on the plans bein:.
a" pied to GUST the Beers from the
Ieighborhood of Thaba N'Chu, AMI
how long before a determined effort
will be made to reassert British u
roriority is only a matter of surmise.
markably aggressive, especially in
view OF the large forces opposing
them.
A Daring Attempt.
A special dispatch from Thaba
N'Chu, dated yesterday. says they
made a daring attempt to cut off Il
british convoy which got into broken
ground between Thaba N'Chu and De
Vets dorp, opening fire from the adj
accent hills. In the nick of time Gen.
I'rabazon, with u strong force of yeo-
r.anry. returning from Wepener, ar
rived on the scene, and extricated the
convoy.
Forces at Thaba N'Chu
The same special correspondent de-
sCribes the dispositions of the forces
at Thaba N'Chu as follows:
Gen. Rumble is covering the adj
camp. facing the Beers posi-
Ion to the east. where they are strong
~ ~intrenched. Gen. Ian Hamilton and
Smith-Dorrien occupy strong po-
on the road to the north"
RlOodlcss Artillery Duet.
Another dispatch says Il column I'M
der Gen. Hamilton located the Bocrs
% the northwest. and an artillery duel
ensLed. without result.
Az accounts tell of much artillery
III G, with scarcely any casualties. it
is hardly likely that two such forces
m much longer patiently face each
Dlf er without more stirring occur
r.; Ces. Gen. Brabant's column is ex-
I.ected to join Gen. French shortly. \
NJ mber of Beers are reported to have
seen retising north, but this is
authoritative.
Stringent Measures
Stringent measures are being adopt
q! to prevent the Boer guerillas from
securing supplies from other centers.
Gen. White Decorated.
At the conclusion of Gen. Sir George
visit to Windsor. Queen Vic
.oria decorated the defender of Lady
with the cross and star of the
loyal Victorian order.
Her majesty and the soldier had a
ongthy conference. 1t is learned that
he queen was more angry than for
ears over the publication of the Spion
.cp dispatches.
Attacked the British OutpostS.
The Beers attacked the British out
,osts ut Poshof, the headquarters of
ord Methuen, on April IS, but with.
mt result. The british guns nj War
enton shelled the Beers out of THEN
Ialf-constructed trenche; Sunday.
Iafcking Can Hold Out Two Monlha.
a native runner got through from
lafeking to Ootsi, ii miles north, on
Ipril %. with dispatches for nearly
II the London dailies. That TO the
forming Post says:
I'VE can stick it oIt for two months
r more. Nobody mnds."
Gel. Plumer, who appears to have
cen reinforced lately by more Rio
seems to BE- advancing again.
\ British reconnoitering party fell
Ito the hands of the Beers near Wind
War Material for the Beers.
The German steamer KOnnig. in
pril 90. landed q quantity OF war ma =
for the Beers ut Beira. and en-
arked 4 quantity of Transvaai wool.
Victoria Cross Awarded.
Bloemfontein, April 30.-Most of the ,
oers %retreating from Wepcner and i,
Vets dorD are going to Winhurg,
|, the large British force at Thaba
'Chu renders n retreat tn Trandfcrt
sky. Rumors are current that Bran :
l. "