Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1900-07-19
GEN. ROBERTS TELLS
OF A BOER VICTORY
British Garrison at NitraI's Mex
Surrender After a Day Of
Hard Fighting.
FEARS CASUALTIES ARE HEAVY
Has No Particulars in Regard to
Losses Yet Beers Active
Al, Around Pre-
Iurta.

London. July 1G.-Lord Roberts re-
ports to the war office, under date of
Pretoria, July IL, as follows:
The enemy, having failed in its at
tack upon our right rear. as men
toned i'll my telegram of July 8, made
a determined attack upon our right
flank yesterday and, l regret to say,
succeeded in capturing Nitral's mex,
which was garrsoncd by squadron
of the Scots GreNs. with two guns of
a battery of the Royal artillery and
five companies of the Lincolnshire
regiment.
The enemy attacked in superior
numbers at dawn, and, Selling the
hills commanding the nek. brought IL
heavy gun fire to bear upon the small
garrison.
''Nitral's nclS is about eighteen
miles from here, near where the road
crosses the Crocodile river 1t was
ncld by us in order to maintain road
and Geographic communication WITH
Rustenburg.
The fighting lasted more or less
throughout the day and Immediately
on receiving information, early this
morning, of the cnemy's strength
dispatched reinforcements from here
under Colonel Godfrey of the Kings
Own Scottish Borderers. Before. how
ever they reached the spot the garri-
sol, had been ovcrpowcred and the
guns and a greater portion of the
squadron of the Grays had been cap
t,red, owing to the horses being shot,
also about ninety men of the Lincoln
shire regiment.
ict of 1nv.
been received, but fear they are
heavy.
simultaneously an attack was
north of the town. in which the Sew
enh Dragons were engaged. The
regiment was handled with consider
able slsAl by Lieutenant Colonel Low
and kept the enemy in check until
they retired on their supports, and
would probably have suffered but
slight loss had not our troops mistali-
Ell some Boers in the bushes for our
OWN men.
mithDorrien had small engage
ment With tho enemy Yesterday near
ksugcrsdorp and inflicted heavy loss
nl,o.. them.
"liuler reports that the Peers who
were destroying his line of railway
near Pardec-kraa were driven OH yes
terdny, after a short action.
Hart reports from Hcidelburg that
Che surren6erine of 5oer arms and
ammunition continues in that dis
district"
Was ~ Shock to London.
Lord Roberts dispatch reporting
still another unfortunate affair
throws !, searchlieht ON the state o!
affairs. There has been comment re-
! garding the lack of progress by TIL,
| immense army under command oil
| Lord Roberts. but few could be fount
who would believe that the scattered
l,oers would be able to infiict such /;
| defeat so near Pretoria. Instead oil
he surrender OF the Beers being i'm,
| mincllt. as recent kilograms have in
! tiuiated, il seems they have beer
making a concerted attempt To sur
] round or recapturc Pretoria. With sc
much success thai in the region
which WAS supposed to be Npaciiied
| and where no attack was expected
| they inflicted Il serious defeat and cap
4 tured two guns ;t1.,T-strT.y7. 200 men. il
is evident that General lla has !;
considerable force. seeing that he is
| about 10 press Lord Roberts lines al
a half dozen points around Pretoria
from the Springs TO the southeast o.
| the city northwarsl TO Middlciurg anc
| bridgeport. and thence south 10 Nj
trails mex and krugersdorp.
Lord Roberts omits to give thu
name OF the commander concerned
giving rise to thu belief that worse
remains to he told. Even if the mis-
hap be not more grave than his i'll
formati n I present l"nplies it prove.
that The situation is still serious ane
that tAcrc is no possibility of any
troops being spared from South Afri
ca FIR China, bll' on the contrary il
] will still take a long time to clear th,
| country of he Beers.