Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-04-10
Beers Resume Attack on His Position
at Wepener.
FIGHTING IN BULLER'S FRONT
Indications of Boer Activity Re-
ported at All Points.
LATEST FROM MAFEKING

LONDON. April 1O.-The Boer attack on
Gen Brabant's force at Wepener was re-
sumed again at dawn today The enemy's
attack on two or three sides on Monday
lasted until 80 O'Clock in the afternoon.
when tie firing ceased, and 1t was believed
that the enemy had been beaten off; but it
was announced this morning from Aliwal
North that the fighting had again begun.
Gen. BrabantS force, numbering from two
to three thousand, held positions in a rough
country. 1t Is not known what the numer-
ical strength of the Beers is. but. whatever
It may be. it is being rapidly augmented
A body of 2,O1o Beers is marching toward
Springfontein from SmithfeId, between
Wepener and Springfontein.
The detonation of heavy guns was heard
at Maseru on Monday. Sir Godfrey Lag
den. the British resident commissioner of
BasutOland has left Maseru for the border.
The events in the southeast portion of the
Free State have caused the sth Division.
which had been ordered to Fourteen
Streams, to be diverted to Springfontein.
Roberts Movements Mysterious.
Mysterious movements of troops at
Bloemf"ntein are proceeding. The news
paper correspondents are not allowed to
telegraph their destinations. and the pre-
sumption IS that Lord Roberts is making
dispositions to cut off the raiding Boer
forces when they try to withdraw north
ward from the pursuing British columns.
The temperance of the Beers in the oc-
cupied country has caused a revival of the
warlike feeling among the Free Staters of
the Fauresmith and Philippolis districts.
The federal agents are busy getting details
of the surrendered Beers and owing TO the.
British garrisons being Withdrawn from
these districts the British residents are un-
easy and sent delegates to Springfontein to
ask for help They We're told that steps
for their defense would be Immediately
taken
The Beers are reported to have ventured
south of the Biggarsberg and to he posting
heavy guns four miles north of Elandslaag-
tie They are also said to have fortified
the vicinity of Vessels Neck
Cen Sir Frederick Darlington has reached
Cape Town and is going to Beira Portu-
guese East Africa, forthwith.
Remounts for Roberts Men.
The war office proposes to land at Cape
Town before the end of May 10000 horses,
which will be conveyed there in twenty
three steamers sailing from New Orleans.
Buenos Ayres and Australian ports
The Westminster Gazette likens the Brit
tsh campaign to The fruitless series of
campaigns in which the large, disciplined
armies of Spain sought to crush the Cuban
insurrecttOn,' adding:
OF course, our troops far excel in yalor
and discipline the conscript armies OF Spain.
and the climate is in our favor but our
enemies equally excel the ragged levies of
the Cuban insurgents"
In connection with the resrmption Of
hostflities in Natal an interesting rlImor ia
current that General Butler has obtained
command OF bne of the Drakkensbere
passes. whereby he hopes to take the Boers
in the rear. In the event of his being sue
cessful, General Butler has enough troops
TO leave 20,OOo men TO hold Natal While he
advances by way of Harrismith, whence he
would be able to threaten the Boer positions
at Bethlehem and Kroonstad
Foreign ONCE RfdicuIes N Rumor
The officials of the foreign office here
rldicuie the statement made in dispatch
from st. Petersburg, published in the At
tenbadet of Stockholm, saying the czar is
extremely agttated'' over the Anglo Portu-
guese arrangement in regard to landing
British troops and supplies at Beira, and
that he intends to issue proclamation
protesting against it in the course of his
forthcoming visit TO Moscow. and say there
IS no base for the statement that the for
eign office has received letters on the sub
tect.
The British foreign office officials con-
slider that it Is entirely outside of the prov
lnce OF Russia to interfere with the Anglo
Portuguese arrangements. The Boer war is
evidently regarded at the foreign office here
as being In the nature of a rebellion and
quite outside the category of what was
provided for by The Hague conference 50
intervention of any kind under The Hague
convention Is regarded as impossible