New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-04-24
SENDING AID TO RUNDLE.
BOERS SUCCEED IN POSTPONING THE
NORTHWARD MARCH
Copyright; 1900: BY The New5York Tribune.l
[BY CABLE TO THE TRIBUNEl

[BY CABLE THE TRIBUNE.l
London April 24. / a. m.-The air has been
filed with the promise Of important news, but
there are decisive results. The censorship is
screwed up so tight that such dispatches as
Fleet Street receives are merely trivial. and
offer cues for forming intelligent opinion
Of the situation.
The War Office, after finding leisure for sup
plying casualty estimates of the garrison at
Kimberley during the siege and other ancient
history, gave out at midnight bulletin from
Lord Ro5erts. This contained nothing more
exhlarating than the announcement that fifty
three men from the Worcester battalion had
gene 10 an outpost after dark and only eighteen
had returned This fresh illustration of the
Beers success in capturing outposts Of
.ered by Sir Henry Rumble. whose Eighth Di-
vision has come under fire for the first time.
with four men wounded. Lord Roberts has
sent out the Eleventh Division and two of
General French's cavalry brigades to assist
Generals Rumble and Chermsde. This force
has reached Karriefontein without meeting
with much resistance. and the mounted in
fantry has occupied a hill which the Beers had
hurriedly evacuated. The casualties reported
are light for he entire force now arrayed
against the Beers.
ROBERTs's PLANS DIVERTED.
Little light is thrown upon the situation by
The press dispatches. and comment is difficult
since secrets respecting concentrations we'll
kept both sides. The Beers, while falling 20
make serious attack upon Wepener, have sue
eeeded in diverting Lord Roberts from his
northward march and in forcing him 10 clear
his eastern flank. This sort of strategy is
venturesome but 1t may enable them make
some decisive of their mobility, and to
Concentrate at some unexpected point. Their
commandOes are apparently echeoned from
Wepener TO Dewetsburg and thence through
Ihaba Nchu 10 Winburg, and not far
apart to be of touch with one another.
They have forced Lord Roberts to send the
bulk Of mis- mounted force and three divisions
eastward, while General Brabant is approach
Ag Nepener from the south with General
Hsrt's brigade behind him. Lord Roberts's
amy is also echeloned all the way from Roux-
Vie 70 DewetsGorp. and thence through
1arriefontein 10 the Modder River bridge with
he Sixth Division probably in reserve at
bioemfontein The British advantage is in
vastly superior strength, but the Beers have
their mobility resource and their retreat
% Ladyhrand and SenekaI is not blocked. Ex-
pFfts writing for the press assume that the
5oers "ill certainly be enmeshed somewhere on
MS long line Of operations. but this will be
]ho"n when the hare is caught.
Ihere are no estimates Of the Boer strength
which are worthy of credence, but unless the
puk Of their available force is south of Win
Varg their tactics are bold and almost reckless.
-'na Roberts is acting with great deiberation,
sno apparently the various divisions oper-
sung under this close supervision.
ihe report that General Warren will have
important command as Governor Of the Free
rate Is Tgf
TRIAL OF REBELS AT THE CAPE.
Ihe trial of the Sunnyside rebels has ended
fln conviction for high treason and series
y rigorous sentences. Their counsel withdrew
'ln lhe case after protesting against the ille
s-"y of the proceedings, and the prisoners
.1sea to plead. but the Court persisted in en-
,|eihg The authority Of the Crown. Cape Town
excited over the close Of these test cases, in
A"Nh the disioyalty Of the colonlsts was in
-aiAea contrast with the loyalty of the Aus
4@4sns and the Canadians who had gone thou
Aos OF mics 10 fight the battles OF the empire.
mere VIII be a strong feeling of Dutch resent
1"r especially as these rebels are punished
nhen thousands Of colonial symnatbizers with
Doer cause have been under arms and have
- Deen called 10 account and there will also
sense oT relief among the loyalists over this
,eo ehort TO render treason odious Sir
- Mliner has probably adopted the safest
1'se IN conciliating the Dutch Ministry during
= 'sSt SIX months, but now that 100000 men
~, iolled under the British flag the distinc-
1 , ~ 'et"een loyalty and disloyalty is one that
l - properly be emphasized The conduct Of
40. fee staters who Joined the Boer raiders
- accepting Lord Roberts's generous terms
-O pretending to give up their arms has tended
UNQUALIFIED APPROVAL,