Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1900-03-08
Beers ARE MASSING
IN FRONT Of ROBERTS
Burghers Concentrating Forces i,
Accordance With Best Mill
tary Strategy.
SUCCESS OF THE coLoNIALs
General Brabant's Men Drive Beers
From Good Posittons-..Gem-
erhl Gatacre Enters
Stromburg.

Il
Stromburg.
London, March S.--Lord Roberts still
pauses in the neighborhood of Osfon-
tein, while stores, remounts and fresh
troops stream up toward him from
the Cape. The British position also
continues to improve in the minor
spheres of the campaign. Natal is
clear of Beers and Cape Colony is
nearly so. ;,
The Beers seemingly are pursuing
the course recommended by the
strategists and are concentrating to
resist the British main army. Various
messages from correspondents with
Lord Roberts report that the enemy
are increasing continually on his
front. extending, as one correspond
emf wires, eight miles, and as another
says, eighteen miles. The lowest es-
innate of their numbers gives the
| Beers from 5000 to 10000 men, with
smaller bodies moving north and
| south of the British lines. Each army
is on both sides of the Modder river
Although the Beers have mounted
eight guns on the tops of kopies and
appear to be too far away for in
spection, the British scouts report
that they are diligently using pick
and shovel. Military opinion is that
| their present position merely screens
more easily defended ones deeper in
| the region.
None of the military experts en-
deavors to fathom Lord Roberts plans.
but it is suggested that he is quite
willing to give the Beers time to as
semble all their men in order to de-
liver Il smashing blow more effectively.
The round robin i'm favor of the an
neNation of the Transvaal and the
Free State, which is being promoted
among the supporters of the govern
ment in the house of commons, contin-
ues to receive signatures. The sigma
lures of the memorial to Mr. Balfour
affirm that the time has arrived for
plain speaking. inside and outside of
parliament, and that Lord Salisbury's
words are being construed into a
| pledge against annexation, and Lord
Roberts proclamation into promise
of no contiscation of the Boer prop
erty.
The Transvaal agency at Brussels
threatens rising of the Cape Dutch
in the event of annexation, though
why the Dutch should rise then,
rather than now, is not explained.
A. G. Hales, the Daily News corre-
spondent who was captured by the
Beers on February 9, was released at
Bloemfontein and put through the
lines near Sterkstrom. He telegraphs
that the Beers are demoralizetf,* but
adds that they have been treating the
British wounded splendidly.
Dordrecht, March Z. Evening.-Gen-
eral Brabant has scored complete
| victory. The Beers are in full retreat
with their guns and wagons and are
being pursued.
Sterkstrom, March Z, Evening"
General Gatacre entered Stormberg
unopposed today. The Beers destroyed
the railway approach, but the station
is intact
Dordrecht, March Following yes
terday's success General Brabant
again engaged the Beers with advant-
age, holding the position captured
yesterday. There was some smart
fighting this morning, the British los
ing five or six men and capturing a
Boer fort, thus vastly improving
their position. The Beers fought
tenaciously, contesting every inch of
ground, but ultimately they. retreated
suddenly, carrying off their guns and
wagons. The mounted force pursued
them, but the result is not vet known.
The British casualties ,during two
days were thirty wounded and eleven
or twelve killed. The Boer losses are
unknown. Throughout the arduous
fighting and severe fatigue the colon
ials have behaved splendidly.
Toer Position at Osfontein.
Osfontein, Satnrday.-The Beers
position has now been fairly located
about four miles to the British front
and extending about eight miles. The
Boer right consists of a high, long
mountain on the north side of the
river, which General French shelled
this morning. Apparently the space
between the mountain and the river
has been entrenchetl. South of the
river the Boer lines cover more
ground. a few days ago their left
rested on high kopjes standing in the
extended two Miles further south.
while six small kopjes stand in the
plain between the center and the left
and between; ths-cen%er and the river
and form a ridge behind which the
Beers move unseen.
I The weakness of the whole position.
however, is that it can easily be
turned in either direction. The coun-
try is flat..and water abounds, recent
rains having nearly filled all dams.
Rctreating to Free State.
Londoni March s.-The Beers i'm
northern Cape Colony are in full re-
treat to:tle Orange Free State. Pos
session of Stormberg puts Gatacre in
railroad communication with General
Clements at Colesberg, for, though
the Beers have partially wrecked the
railroad, il is understood it can be
repaired and thus the entrance of adj
ditlonal British troops into the Free
Estates viii he greatly facilitated. The
position gained by Brabant at Dor
drecht is reported to be exceedingly
|. strong. /.
Ladysmith and is arriving at Mooi
river camp. where the troops will re-
main several days. after which, they
will go further south. They are,ema
-ciated and eNhaustedi land sayJ..tM
road to Colenso presents sreaes -rhdf