The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1900-04-15

London April "A Sp-n--- Wilkinson. re-
viewing the situation in South Africa for
the Associated Press. at midnight says
We may have TO wait few days before
General Roberts opens his new campaign.
his principle being never TO start until al!
is ready. There is no doubt that lie
has been waiting for horses. About 500
horses reached cape Town this week and
s.tlN are due at Cape Town next week. We,
al this end. however. do not know how the
army nov stands in the matter of re-
mounts.
The general position now may test be
gathered from Il short Retrospect Lord
Roberts reached Bloemfont-in on Nar@h u.
the army being tired out with heavy
marches and the horses FOR the most part
ruined. He opened the railway south and
s-ttled down 70 rest and ref. his i:orses.
The Beers. within about a fortnight. had
recovered their delachments from further
south snd had reeainsti their spirits. On
the 18th General Roberts had 10 push them
back from ka:ee Siding, and about the
same time he Beers set out on a bg raid
south. beginning with the surprise al San-
las Post where th-v took British con
rot.
.'On Apy!i L. the Eoers Effected g second
surprise and captured Reddersburs. Soon
after this they were attacking part OF Gen
eiaI Brabants division near wepener.
General Roberts is not ready for move
and he would not be drawn into any ac-
ton. We took steps. however TO guard his
railway That these were effective steps
seems proved hy the fact that the Beers
have not attacked this line. His force since
then, has received part OF the new equip
m.nt. and has been constantly increased.
Rob~rtss Army.
..G.nernl ROBERTS reached Bioemfonte,u
WITT, the Sixth, Seventh and Ninth Infantry
Divisions, a cavalry division and the Guards
Brigade. He now also has the Third. Eighth
and Eleventh divisions and expects the
Tenth from Natal though the precise des-
,ination of the Tenth Is not vel known. He
also has organized a complete division of
mounted infantry under Colonel Ian Hamil-
ton an officer who enjoys his ful! conf
dence. He has also arranged his commands
20 as 10 have FOR each post a man upon
whom he can rely.
when General Roberts moves his .x-
panded army II Will so easier than the
smaller ore with which he started two
months ago.
While these preparations have oeen ;,n-
der way, the Boer raid has come TO
standstiI. General Brahan.'s men. under
colone, palgettN. al Wepener. have HD-
parently punished their assailants. and al
though the report OF the l5oer retreat from
wepener may be premature, Il is, ~ least
prohable to forecast that the BoeT raiders
have gone into cul de sac between the
guarded railway and the Basuto border.
which the Easutos will defend against IN
vasion. An eastward move from Bloem-
fontein would menace their retreat. Such
a move. combined with the presence OF
General Cherms:de's division at Redders-
burg. probably accounts FOR the stoptaca
OF the Boer advance southwark.
IF the Beers cannot hurt General Rob-
serious harm. They must begin to be un-
easy about what he can do TO them when
BuIier's Work.
The removal Of division from Natal
points to Buffers being confined to the de-
fensiys until the advance in the western
theater of the war has made itself felt.
General Lord Methuens division in front
Of Boshof may be covering preparations on
the railway south Of Warrenton or in the
region between Kimberley and Bloemfon-
tcin, of which no report has been allowed to
come through. There were stories some
weeks ago of n projected railway. of which
no more has been heard. They may have
had no foundation, but il is equally possible
that there is more in them than it is con-
aenient 10 publish. General Roberts knows