New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-03-25
ROBERTS LOSES OFFICERS.
EARLIER FOLLY OF THE CAMPAIGN RE
PEATED IN SOUTH AFRICA

rCopyrizht: 1900 BY The New-York Tribune.1
rBY cAFLE TO THE TRIBUSE.l
r.,son March %. a. m-British officers are
-.,sns,ng into the same habits of overconf1dence
end recklessness with which they entered upon
she csnpaign General Robertss bulletin. issued
a. midnight contained recital of-the folly Of
.our officers Of the Guards, who rode nine miles
over the veIdt from their camp, with a single
t-ooper as an escort. and were fired upon and
surrounded by Beers. Lieutenant Lyon. rela-
tive Of the Earl OF Beauchamp, was killed, and
two reutenant-colonels and a captain were
FOUNDED. A white handkerchief was raised and
the Beers carried the wounded officers into a
farmhouse Colonies Crabbe and Codington are
well known officers Of the privileged corps. This
unfortunate incident occurred the Modder
River north Of Bloemfontein.
Active operations in the Free State and Natal
are still suspended and the budget Of war news
IS light General Roberts reports that the coun-
try below Bloen1fontein is generally settling
down and that the movement of troops in the
western district has been attended with salts
factory results Press dispatches state that
large quantities OF military stores were captured
al smithheld but that a considerable Boer force,
with sixteen guns. succeeded in escaping north
ward These are the Dutch commanders which
Thaoa Nchu and Maseru, and unless their
strength is exaggerated there may be a sharp
fight On the edge Of Basutoand While Olivier
is seeking TO lead his Dutch force to Kroonstad
along the eastern border Fsuresmith is occu-
pied near the western line by a commander
who boasts that he will not surrender, but will
fight 10 the end.
Kenhardt has not yet been occupied, but
otherwise the revolt among the poor whites OF
Cape Colony is quelled.
General Methuen's operations not under
stood There is no proof either that his column
has crossed the Vaal River on the way to Ma
feking or that his force is strong enough for the
work before it, There is no definite information
about this movement but probably the column
is hating until adequate transport be
ganized. Lord Gresham. with the Imperial Yeo-
many is attached to Methuen's command
General Roberts's campaign northward is de-
ferred until transport can be arranged and
large stock Of supplies accumulated at Bloem-
fontein. and the commands Of Gatacre Clements
and Brahant brought into line. Farming
operations have been neglected in the Free
State; cattle are in poor condition, and neither
foodstuns forage is plentiful. The supply
system for army OF sixty thousand cannot
be changed from one railway base TO another
without much arrangement. II is evident that
Port Elizabeth will be the coast base hereafter
Instead Of Cape Town, for the Eighth Division
viii dsembark at that port. General Robertss
campaign will shape itself when he is prepared
10 advance with a full force. for his army will
fellow the railway at least until the enemy's
force is encountered
There is no official confirmation Of the press
agency report that Mr. Frazer, member OF the
late Executive Government. has been appointed
Administrator of the Free State. Rumors that
PRESIDENT Steyn has been deposed by his gen
erals at Kroonstad do not seem credible.
There is little news from Natal, where the part
which Buffers army is to play in the future
operations remains mystery. II is too large
force to be employed in disodging Beers from
Their positions at Dundee and Glencoe and in
reopening the coal fields. yet a serious attempt