Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1900-05-12
BRITONS ADVANCING.
The Beers May Make a Fighting
Stand at KroonStad Hills.
ROBERTS ADMIRABLE STRATEGY
Five Britons to One Boer, Making
the Capture of Winburg and SMALL
deeI Easy-Farmers Well Armed.

London, May S.--The Beers are
everywhere retiring before the British.
except on the Natal frontier and at
Mafeking, to the inner circle of their
defenses. They appear determined not
to fight until the Kroonstad hills are
reached.
Lord Roberts Is expected to do an
other 40 or so miles and then to wait
for time in order to bring up sup
plies and to repair the railway. There
are one or two hints in the dispatches
from the front that he may rest for
few days at Smaldeel.
Gen. Frenchs 10000 cavalry have not
been mentioned in the official or unof-
fetal dispatches for four days. II IS
by no means likely that he is idle, and
the conjecture is that he is either de-
touring toward Kroonstad or raiding
the Ladybrand district.
Fifteen thousand British are now OPP
Grating on the western frontier of the
Free State. AS the deadlock at War
renton has been broken and the Beers
are retreating, there is nothing formid-
able except distance between Warren
ton and Mafeking The most hopeful
duNlCtS lIoll MdlShluS, VII APih -
were that the garrison would be barely
able to hold out for a month. At that
time the fever was spreading.
According to advices from Maseru,
Basutoland, several thousand Free
Staters are north of Ladybrand. where
they have collected great herds. This
district Is rich in food for men and
horses, and the Beers seem resolved
not to move northward, but to be pre-
pairing to resist where they are. II
they are let alone they will menace
the line of communications after the
main British army has passed into the
Transvaal.
The movement that eliminated in
the capture of Winburg and Smaldeei
was part of a great general movement
extending from Gen. Hunter. on the
west. to Gen. Rumble. on the east.
Lord Roberts admirable strategy re-
suited in placing everywhere five
British to one Boer. Out of what ap-
peared the inextricable confusion of
divisions and brigades order was
quickly evolved. and the Beers were
compelled to meet Lord Roberts under
unfavorable conditions
What is more important is that the
British are now able to wait. Their
front and strong positions are safe in
the knowledge that their fianking col
umns will advance and outfank the
Beers.
Saturday the Beers held a really
strong position, from which, earlier
in the campaign, they could only have
been forced by hard fighting. Cen
eral Hamilton's arrival at Winburg,
although not directly outfanking the
Beers. made their position extremely
uncomfortable Gen. HattOn's move
ment was even more successful than at
first imagined. Forty Beers were kill
ed
Lord Roberts has been very strict
in his examination of the farms. with
the result of disclosing the fact that
nearly every house in a miniature
arsenal, Mausers, Martins and abund-
ant ammunition being found. If these
had not been discovered the army
would be leaving in it's rear the ma
terial in men and arms for dangerous
movement among the inhabitants.
All along the railway the culverts,
wherever of any size, have been utter
ly destroyed, but the engineers hope to
: detour in some cases and in
; 6sAtrs they will fill up the gaps
Three of the four spans of the Vet
river bridge have been utterly destroy
ed. and 1t will be necessary to make
temporary line down the river bed, as
at the Modder.