The evening times., 1900-03-06
The War in south Africa.

Todsy's news from South Africa. while
in no sense sensational. appears to be i'm
portant. On Monday General Gatacre en-
tered Stormberg unopposed. while General
Brabant continued his fight OF Sunday.
driving the Beers from their position be-
tween Dordrecht and jamestown. The
latter are reported as leaving In haste and
probably are trying TO effect juncture with
the Stormberg garrison for retiring fight
TO get across the Orange River at Her
schel Perhaps Gatacre may make some
effort TO head them of. but il is presum-
able that they have material advantage
in point Of mobility.
As far as one can judge from the reports
the Beers are preparing for defensive op-
erations on two lines. They seem to con-
template at or near Bloemfontein resist
ance which may be preliminary 10 a more
serious stand on the line Of the VaaI. as
the Modder River fight was 10 that at Ma
garsfontein; and 20 check II possible any
advance OF the British toward Mafekipg A
British force of unknown strength has
moved north from Kimberley. and il is
significant that General French has head
ed Off considerable body Of Beers trek
ing TO the northwest. Their people al
ready have a strong force entrenched at
Fourteen Streams. fifty miles north OF
Kimberley, and the suppostion is that if
the British movement toward Mafeking is
confined to the railway line. there will be
a heavy battle at the position mentioned.
We are quite without means Of Judging
" No ord Pol e In,
venture merely for the relief Of Mafeking
the garrison Of which is in sore straits and
immlnently liable to destruction or capture
or whether. under cover Of a scheme To
succor Baden-PoweH, he is inaugurating a
danking movement against Pretoria. Evi-
IDENTIFY the Beers suspect the latter de-
sign. as the reported presence Of Joubert
In the West suggests that part Of the field
as the most important for present PURPOSES
At Paardeberg and Osfontein we do not
hear Of active operations Of Importance.
From four to six thousand Beers are be-
tween the latter and Abraham's Kraal-
seventeen miles east Of Koodoes Rand
and hence in a position to obstruct an
eastward British movement Apparently.
Lord Roberts is waiting for something be-
fore proceeding on the march. We are
too much at sea concerning field condi-
uons to venture any guess as to what IT
VIII be; but as likely as not it may be
Tor the concentration of Clements. Gatacre
and Brabrant from the south with Rob-
erts or Kitchener from the west and BuI-
Ter from Natal.
Leaving the force OF 80. 900 men with Rob
erts out Of the question. II the commands
OF Butler. Clements. Gatacre. and Bra
bant could be combined, they would ar-
gregate $4,000 or $4,000; a force which one
would think, would be sufficient for o2-
erations in the Free State in case Iord
Roberts should determine to try the LONG
turn against Pretoria by way of Mafe-
king. The panorama is moving rather
slowly just now, but, as far as the Brit
fish part OF 1t is concerned there is seem
ingly a vast improvement in the manner
in which the machinery is handled. The
day Of frontal attacks and bulldog fighting
without useful result appears TO be over.
Lords Roberts and Kitchener so far have
given the impression that they know how
10 conduct war on scientific principles