The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-04-09
CIRCULATION STATEMENT.
MONDAY. APRIL .. 1900.
The british Reverses in south Afric

rnonPlace Of warfare that troops cannot
very well fight a winter campaign in
pyjam. 5. that idea seems n0f TO have CccuT-
red to the War Office auth 0rities in Lon
don: Cor il is quite plain that the absence
Of warm clothing for his men. even more
than the lack OF remOunts. is holding ord
Roberts stalled at Bloemfontein. Pneumo-
mia. resulting from exposure to the biting
frosts OF South African early winter. is
crowding his hospitals. fuel is scarce and
dear, and the situation at headquarters in
the field is the reverse Of satisfactory.
Il is the more so since the Beers appear
to have shrewdly discounted these condi-
tiOns. and bided their time TO take fun
advantage Of them; which they are now
doing with fierce vigor. and. apparently.
not little success. II IS admitted in
English military circles that Lord Roberts
communications are for the moment seri-
cusly threatened No doubt il is because
be has reason to fear shortage of sup
plies FOR some time. that the General-in-
Chief mas ordered women and non-cOmbat-
ants to leave BlOcmfOntein. The assunlp-
zion is a safe one that he is not in fear
% any attack on the city. His numbers
aad guns preclude any such thought
As far as we are able to Judge from
incomplete information the Beers are Civ
ing the world new evidence OF the admira-
Bile strategy Of their generals. Intrinsi-
cslly considered. the affairs at Korn
SDruit and Reddersburg we're unimpor-
tant save for their moral effect: but the
general plan OF Boer operations. by which
the British communications are threatened
over broad range of difficult country.
seems "a thoroughly scientific conception
and one which is being admirably execut-
cd. London military writer's argue that
this widespread menace in the rear will
expedite instead OF hinder Lord Rob-
erts' next forward movement toward Pre-
teria. Their view is that. when The Brit
ISL Army marches north. the Bocrs will
be compelled TO draw in their scattered
commandos and concentrate for resistance
on the front Of ths advance Under condi-
tious other than are presently reported.
We should agree with this view. but the
Piccadilly experts perhaps 90 not give SUI
fcicnt weight to the supply factor Lord
Roberts cannot avail himself Of the means
suggested. for drawing his enemy away
from his Hanks and rear. until he can Sc
cure remounts and winter clothing What
the Beers, for time at least. could
render this impracticable,
That such a thing is possible is NOT hard
10 believe. General Gatacre. who was sent
with strong column to Reddersburg to
see II be could not get track Of the Br'us-,
troops. guns. and transports captured near
that place. has returned to Bloemfoutein
reporting that be did not find the missing
men. ordnance. and so on. but did discover
the Beers in possession of the town. The
reasonable inference is that he made an
attack and was rCpulsed. Then. il is re-
ported that General Brabant has been sum-
moned to surrender at Wepener, on the
Basuto border, sixty miles southeast OF
Bioemfontein. and an engagement at that
point probably has occurred or is in prog
ress. Between Wepener and the Orange
Rive a small British force at Rockville
has been driven south to Aliwal North On
the Cape Colony side Of the river. lighting
a desperate rear guard action all the ,ay.
That brings the Beers to the eastern line
OF Roberts railway communications and
the fact is OminOusly suggestive
We gather from the important though
doubtless partial admissions OF the Brit
ish authorities, that practically the whole
Free State has again risea in arms against
the invaders. Steyn's burghers are catis-
fed from terrified observation Of what al
ready has happened in nun erous instances.
that unless they fight tie British and re-
Ject all Overtures for surrender from that
quarter, they will be shot on sight should
they fall into the hands of the Boer troops.
As a result the Free Staters who had pre-
tended to give up their arms are largely in
the field again, and are being rapidly or
Banlzed into new cOmmandos.
The news from Natal is equally serious.
IL is stated that the Boer force holding
the Biggarsberg range has been considera-
bly, re-enforced and is evincing a purpose
10 assume the offensive. There seem to
be indications that IL is preparing to
make strike at General Buffers
flank by way Of Helpmaakar. Such a move
ment. If successful, would threaten the
British communications with Durham and
subject Eastern Natal to n dangerous raid.
one Of the consequences Of which would
be large accessions to the Boer Army from
the Natal Dutch. To cap the climax. the
blacks are an imminent source Of danger.
Recent blUnders and reverses along the
frontier Of Basutoland have rendered the
Basutos cOntemptuous of British ability
10 conquer the Beers. Other things being
equal it is probable that these fierce
tr'besmen would rather see the British
than the Beers succeed They hate both.
but the latter most. Nevertheless. they
prefer 10 be on the winning side and may
break out ar any moment Such an event
uslity would add fearful handicap to the
already heavy load Lord Roberts has to
carry and might result in prolonsing the
war for many months. The native situa
tion is even worse in Swaziland. where
the tribes are openly on the warpath. and
engaging in maraudiug expeditions which
may shortly take the form OF a descent
en- masse upon Natal Il only remains to
be added that the relief Of Mafeking APP
pears p Tar OF as ever, while the gallant
garrison and the unfortun, se citizens OF
the place are reduced to rations scarcely
sufficient to sustain life.
The conditions we have reviewed as con-
Kcrva;ive,y as possible on the bases Of
--''ltary and press reports are calculated