The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1900-05-04
DRIVEN FROM HILLS.
General Hamilton Routes the
Beers at Houtnek.
GAINS IMPORTANT ADVANTAGE

by Reaching Houtnek the British Get
the Thabanchu- 3ioemfontein Road
Beers on the Mountains Shell the Guilty
ing British Camps-Another Effort He
ing M ide to Hem in the Boers-Every
Prospect of Sharp Fighting Soon.
London, May "A dispatch dated
Thabanchu, Tuesday, May 1, after
| noon, says: General Hamilton's di-
vision was engaged yesterday and to-
day in forcing a passage nOrthward.
At HOutnek the Boer front held a line
Of hills commanding the sides of the
mex. The Canadians and Gordons at
tackled the hill to the left and the
Shropshires and MarshalPs Horse, sup
ported by battery also made an at
tack on the enemy, who finally fed,
leaving many wounded, and the pas
sage was cleared.
Beers Throwing Shells.
"The Beers on the mountain are now
shelling the outlying camp, necessi-
tating its removal to safer place. The
Beers have three guns on the hill to
the eastward of this place, outside the
range Of the British artillery. The
Boer Smelling is not doing any damage.
The enemy retain their positions, and
the British are not attempting to dis
lodge them. General Hamilton by
reaching Houtnek, after full days
fighting, secured the Thabanchu-
Bloemfontein road"
To Hem in the Beers.
It Is difficult to unravel the tangled
stories coming from the neighborhood
of Thabanchu, but apparently, the
British forces are engaged in move
ment having for its object the hem
ming in of the Beers still in that dis
trict. While Generals French and
Rumble are holding the Beers at Tha-
banchu, General Broadwoods cavalry
has been pushed on Houtnek in the
hope of intercepting the federal con-
voys between Ladybrand and Win
burg. AS General Botha has been re-
inforced there is every prospect Of
sharp fighting.
Roberts Deploying His Army.
The new scene of operations and the
general movements of the various col
umns are taken to indicate that Lord
Roberts is deploying his army prepar-
atOry to beginning his northern march.
1t now seems likely that it is the COM
lulcntlOu W uuNdnCC
simultaneously from Kimberley, Bloem-
fontein and Ladysmith, with the view
Of preventing the Beers from concen-
trating their forces at any given point.
To End I'm Six Weeks.
A dispatch from Bloemfontein, dated
May 1, chronicles the prevailing opin-
ion among the towns people there that
the war Is not likely to last more than
six weeks once the British advance be-
gins, but adds that the correspondent
has been unable to discover any ground
for this opinion, beyond the fact that
General Darlington has arrived at the
Marandollas base, whence flying
column will be dispatched in direc
tinD not made public,
Boutelle of Maine Very Ill.
New York, May 2.-WOrd has been
received by personal friends of Charles
A. Boutelle, representative from the
Fourth Maine district, that he Is fail
ing so rapidly in health that unless
there Is a quick change for the better
it will be cruel to permit him to be
a candidate for reelection. next fall.
His physicians assert that he Is in
grave danger of death. Mr.. Boutelle
has been very i'll for many months and
experts on neurology have told his
family he can never again be himself
Despite his condition, he was renomi-
mated by reclamation. The belief is
now strong here that his name will be
withdrawn.