Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-04-05
)ERS CLAIMING VICTORY
borts From Pretoria Tell Of Heavy
Fighting and Repulse Of British.
liter WERE PUNISHED SHARPLY
bavy ReInforcemerts Saved
the Day.
ERS STILL OCCUPY WATER WORKS

London, Eng, April 2, 12.5o p. m.-
e War Office reports that Col. Broad
bod lost seven guns and all his bag
ge in the ambush laid for him by the
Pers on Saturday. The casualties
mbered loo.
he War Office has received the fol.
wing dispatch from Lord Robel is,
ted Bloemfontein, April 1st:
| received news yesterday afternoon
bm Col. Broadwood, who was at
,aba N'Chu. 3S miles east of here,
at information had reached him that
. enemy was approaching iu two
ices, from the north and the east. He
hted that, If the report proved true,
would retire toward the water works,
miles nearer Bloemfontein, where
have detachment of mounted in
htry for the protection of the works.
'Broadwood was told in reply that
. Ninth division, with Martyrs
bunted infantry, would proceed at
Wight today to support him, and
bit, II he considered it necessary, he
ould retire from the water works. He
pved there during the night, and
vouacked. AT dawn today. he was
elled by the enemy, who attacked on
rec sides. He Immediately dispatched
10 Horse Artillery batteries and his
ggage toward Bloemfontein, covering
bne Of them with his cavalry.
Two miles from the water works,
road crosses deep nuliah, or spruit,
which, during the night, force Of
befs had concealed themselves. So
il were they hidden that our leading
puts passed over the drift without
Fcovering them, and it was not until
9 wagons and guns were entering the
ift that the Beers showed themselves,
d opened fire. Many of the drivers
the artillery horses were Immediately
OF down at short range, and several
the guns were captured. The
mainder galloped away, covered by
bberts' Horse, which suffered heavily.
Meanwhile, Lieut.. Chestermasters Of
bmlngton's Scouts found passage
ross the spruit unoccupied by the
emy, by which the remainder Of
foadwood's force crossed. They re-
rmed with great steadiness. not.
tbstanding all that had previously
Cured.
Broadwood's report, which has just
hched me, and which contains no
tails, says he lost seven guns and oil
5 baggage. He estimates all his
sualities at about $50, including 200
issing. .fE
On hearing that Col. Broadwood
IS hard pressed, I ordered Gen.
Fench, with the two remaining cavalry
lgades, to follow in support of the
nth division. The latter, after
agnificent march, arrived on the scene
action shortly after 2 p. m.
Broadwood s force consisted of the
pyal Household Cavalry, the Tenth
ussars. z and U BATTERIES of the
pyal Horse Artillery and Pitchers
lttalion Of mounted infantry.
The strength of the enemy is an
PuDced from 5000 to 10, 600, with guns
g number of which is not yet re-
brted."
LONDON SEVERELY SHOCKED.
p. m.-The rumors of the recapture
the British of the seven guns taken
pm Col. broad woods force, based on
iispatch to the Chronicle, from Bloem-
ntein, which, 1t is said, in all proba-
lity is correct, fails to compensate
pndon for the severe shock experi-
Iced from the humiiating defeat sus-
ined within a few miles of the
Radquarters of the British army
occupation. The public is pain,
lily surprised to learn, after all that
IS come and gone, that British
'icers Of high position can still neglect
ecautions which the veriest tyro
ght be expected to observe, and
under into tiaps which the observ-
pee OF the elementary military rules
ould have revealed. There Is no at.
mpt here to minimize the discredit-
Pleness OF the whole affair SO far as the
ritish are concerned, or detract from
70 dexterity of the Beers, who wero
Prarently commanded by Gen. DeWet.
le tactics of the burghers were evil
ently excellently conceived and boldly
rried out, and, unless the reinforce
ents Sent by Lord Roberts have turned
tide and reoartured. the prisoners,
men from two crack corps OF the
ousehold Cavalry and the Tenth
ussars are now on their way to swell
growing deposit of British prisoners
Pretoria.
The most serious indictment of the
oers' methods OF warfare which has
appeared in England comes from
plan Ralph, the American war cor
spondent, in letter from Kimberley
polished in Thursday mornings Daily
an. Ii is in part as fcllows
lt is q war steadily and stealthfly
AIMED BY the Queens Dutch subjects
pa the Dutch Republics for fully 20
ars; For between four and six years,
ey have been equipped for it. They
gan purchasing arms and planning
Piences before the Jameson raid. Let
one fool you with the falsehood
pout that. Finally, President Kruger
egged President Steyn to declare war
ree weeks before President Steyn
Pnsented. Next rid the mind of tine
ption that you are crushing two
rmer Republics. There is not a
rmer in the two countries, and only
pc, the Free State, was republic in
py way except misnaming. These
Pople are herders of cattle, sheep and
pats, like the Israelites of old and the
irldls, Turks and Balkan people of
Pday. Their (Boers) SO called farms
as nature made them, merely reaches
Veidt whereon their cattle graze.
each one. they have put up a home,
~ ITS surroundings are almost invari-
ply more repellant and disorderly than
y house ever saw, except the cabins
freed slaves in the United States.
heir camps and strongholds from
nich We have routed them are the
thiest places have known men of
y sort to live 10. and have seen red
paian, Chinese and Turkish camps,
~ the camps of many sorts of black
AS to theiI bravery and honor, 1
30 seen and heard sufficient to fill .