New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-03-31
SERIOUS WORK ONCE NORE.
LORD ROBERTS BREAKS THE LONG
NTERY Al OF INACTIVITY
fc0FTrtght. 1900; BY The New-York Trsbunsl
IBT CABLE TO TIE TRIBUNE.


TBT CABLE TO TIE TRIEUNE.l
London March 81 ! q m.-General Roberts's
dispatch issued by the War Office last night
offered striking proof that the long halt of the
British army is not impair1ng its fighting power
The Seventh Division and Two OF French's cav
airy brgades attacked line OF kopjes near
Brsndfort and drove back the Beers This was
the FIRST tine that fuckers troops had been
under fire, and they warmed 10 the work al
Once The kopjes were rot held by a large
Dutch force and the positions were taken easily.
ne casualties among the officers indicating that
the losses we're not serious on the British side
Ihe Beers retrea1ed 20 BEandfort. but were not
Aksay 70 make strong stand there They had
been terr0rizng unarned burghers in front of
he British lines, and were making a pretence OF
attacking General Roberts's array and were
helping to keep up the spirits Of the Boer forces
further north
This bulletin. with It's ridings OF q victory
easily gained over al inferior force. offered
strong contrast 70 the budget Of cbaf received
eariier in the day. The press censor and the
war correspondent fer forty-eighr hours have
Deen playing UninteIIgibie game Of blind
mans ouH- The Dutch leaders may not be de-
eeiFed by H. but the public here Is utterly con-
used by the strange medley OF rumors, conject-
nres and contradictions coming over the wires
-oru Aefhuen Is alternately advancing upon
A@ieA4hg and reTreering 10 Kimberley. and a
strong mounted force IS operating against the
enerny's position at Fourteen streams one dav
enly 70 reapDear next day at BarkIy West and
i0sn disappear northward- General Butler is
sending columns east west and north. and al
FrFyae-
d --aoysrnith- Lord Roberts has deferred the
resumption of active operation until the middle
y Apr'l and he is ordering an immediate ad-
vance northward. The Dutch are fntrenchtng at
-I0onstao. retiring 10 the kopjes beyond the
IA and preparing 70 attack Lord Roberts's
s0ly within hfteen miles Of Bloernfontein. War
"sFs had become meaningless farrago Of camn
e'ssip ana thoughtless invention when his de-
0AlFs bulletin was received
me main points Of the present situation ara
@ 1Aactlon of the British army and the delIb-
N'e attempt on The part Of the military author
- 70 create the impression that there will be
- 6oFance in any quarter for several weeks
-fst Tact Is accepted By the veterans as
s-s1- ehst Lord Roberts considers that time is
:, i@'or Of England and against the Beers. and
" has much 70 gain by halting. whereas
y VII ne W-eak kened and embarrassed bv in
: 'I Ihls If not the view expressed by Count
IO@fg 'he intelligent Austrian officer who
D=n lunesling and dining in the West End
= 'don amer serving IN the field with the
a hagersfontein and elsewhere. He has
mar tle best method OF lighting the
- = % strike one blow after another and
''" mem time 10 get their breath Ex-
80 carnpaigners probably lay bare the
-@ose Of naction when they refer 70 the
'o1e u the transport ARRANGEMENTS re-
D'f f@e1ing and moving large armies al
INSTANCES from the sea The number NJ
8'h and c0lonisls now in the field canno+
men below 1750OO There may be r,ohil,4,
s0eo marches when a big army has onca
-. oEt there must be intervals OF dela,-
y ready 70 move Bloemfontein n1ust
r,,- lea into great centre Of military sup-
= lure general advance can be ordered
,,.-1 ~1'es from New-Zealand and Australia
r. E=sh proof that the conquest OF the
d.. 1oiles and their conversion into British
CO... -ss nave become imperial issues The
,b,. governments are emphatic in declaring
;s.-,. cannot be negotiated on anv other
nsk7, ne a"indIing peace party in England is
1aiik stand against the entire A,n,,ra