Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1900-05-12
|CLAIM FRANKFORT
is KEY To The PASSES
Capture OF the Town Considered
CT the First Importance
in England.
soBs MAKES IT HEADQUARTERS
Is Thirty-Five Miles Nearer the Boei
Capital Than Bloemfonscin.-Wm
Bc the Next objective OF
u British.

London, May THE mounted in
fantry with Lord Roberts, among
which are the Canadians, have pick
eted their horses on the south bank oil
the Vet river, eighteen miles north OF
Brandfort. The head of Lord Roberts
column has thus advanced thirty-twe
miles from Karee siding in two days
OF fifty-three miles north OF Bloem'
fontein.
Little powder was spent. The Brit
ish work was forward marching
The Beers retired out of reach OF the
British shells. The correspondents
supplement Lord Roberts plain state.
ments with a few details. AS Genera!
Houghton, with the first mounted III,
fantry brigade, drew near Brandfor'
he saw a khaki clad body OF troops
ahead of him. He was surprised, but
thought they must be British. Soon
however, they opened fire upon the
British, who replied heavily. they
were the Irish-American brigade from
Lourenzo Marquee, and it is reported
that the Irish lost severely. The Brit
ish flag was flying over Brandfort as
the British entered the town. SeveraI
British wounded were found in the
hospital. The Boer postmaster gave
up the keys of the public buildings &c
Captain Ross.
Lord Kitchener arrived at Brandfort
at noon and Lord Roberts at dusk.
General French's cavalry are sweep
ing the country northward. The eX'
pectation is that the infantry advance
| will be continued toward Kroonstad
Immediately. Although no prisoners
were taken and although no o pur-
suit was attempted, the news greatly
| cheers London. Nevertheless it has
has not been received with the fine
rapture that attended the first sue
cess of Lord Roberts.
General Hunters crossing the Naal
at Windsorton brings the relief OF
Mafeking, 1875 miles beyond, almost
within a calculable interval. 1t is now
regarded as quite possible that MAIZE
king may be succored before the
queens birthday.
The debate in parliament on the
Spion kop dispatches proved a disap-
pointment to the supporters OF the
government. The mlnisterialist pa.
pers confess to q certain amount OF
inconsistency and weakness in the
statements of the spokesman of the
government. On the other hand, as
the Standard points out, the opposi'
ton profess to be well satisfied with
the debate, as they believe it has in
iured the government and has rem
dered Lord Lansdowne's continuance
in the war office difficult.
W~epener is TO be g%arrisoned with a
4,n- f,,na from, General Ihprm-
sides division, commanded by Lord
Castletown.
London, May lord Roberts re-
rorts to the war Office as follows I'M
Ger late of Bloemfontein, May 3:
1--WE occupied Brandfort today with
out much opposition and without, J
hope, many casualties. hi First Dri'
gade of mounted infantry covered the
left flank of the Fourteenth brigade
of the Seventh division and the right
flank was supported by the FlfteentI
brigade. Pole-Carew's division adj
vanced directly on Brandfort. The
Boer army, which was under com
mand of Delarey, retired in a north
easterly direction"
Considered important.
The news of the Occupation o.
Brandfort is generally considered the
most important communication re
ceived from the front since the cap
ture of Cronie and the relief of Lady
smith. The fact that the position
gives the key to one of the main roads
leading to the D~rakensburg passes
which possibly may be a means of co
operation with Butler later on, pro
vides an advance base of supplies ant
at the same time the Boer:
now southeast of Bloemfontein, is oh
viously the reason for the Importance
attached to the intelligence.
The Boer army which was at Brand
fort, commanded by Delarey, is pre-
sumably retiring on Winburg, which
possibly will be the next immediate
objective of the British. Brandfort
t~hirty-fve miles nearer the Transvaa
capital, is now Roberts headquarters
Receivers Its Mobility.
What particularly gratifies the Brit
ish public is the evidence that thu
army of Roberts in the Orange Free
State has recovered it's mobility anC
is again capable of undertaking tn,
general advance SO long retarded. /
is hardly expected that the Beers viii
make much of a stand south of Kroon
staad, and possibly not there. If Rob
erts succeeds in capturing Winburg
thus getting between the main fedora
army and the Boer forces in TIL
neighborhood of Thaba N'Chu ant
Houtnek, the latter would be forced
to move fast to the eastward, in which
direction their mobility would prob
ably enable them to reach the Bethle
hem and Harrismith line of safety
The only opposition which the Brit
ish encountered at Frankfort seems t.
have come from the Irish-AmericaI
command. The central British arm.
is now in line with the extreme lief
at Boshof under Methuen and the eX
IRENE right at Elandslaagte undo
Butler, so the movements OF thes'
wings in cooperation with the mail
army may shortly be expected.