The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-07-13
Lord Roberts Sends One of His
Characteristic kilograms.
One of His Garrisons Captured
by the Beers.
JUST OUT OF PRETORIA
FederalS Attack British at Two
Points simultaneously.
NitraIs Mex Lost With Heavy
Casualties.

London. July 1S.-Lord Roberts re-
ports to the war Office under date OF,
Pretoria, July Il. as follows:
The enemy, having failed in their at
tack upon our right rear, as mentioned
| in my telegram of July 9, made de-
termined attack upon our right flank
yesterday, and, I regret to say, succeed
ed in capturing Nitrslus Mex. which was
garrisoned by a squadron of the Scots
Greys, with two guns of a battery of the
Royal artillery. and five companies OF
the Lincolnshire regiment.
THE enemy attacked in superior
numbers at dawn and. seizing the hills
commanding the Mex. brought a heavy
gun fire to bear upon the small garri-
son.
"Nitralus Mex is about IS miles from
here, near where the road crosses the
Crocodile river It was held by us in
! order to maintain road and telegraphio
communication with Rustenburg.
THE fighting lasted, more. or less,
throughout the day, and Immediately on
receiving information this morning OF
the enemy's strength, I dispatched re-
Inducements from here under Col. Cod
frey of the Kings Own Scottish Border
ers. Before, however, they reached the
spot the garrison had been overpower-
ed, the guns and a greater portion OF
the squadron of the Greys had been cap
tured, owing to the horses being shot;
also about so men of the Lincoln regi-
ment.
"A list of the casualties has not been
received, but I fear the yare heavy
simultaneously an attack was made
on our outposts near Durdopoort, north
OF the town, in which the Seventh Dra-
goons were engaged. The regiment was
handled with considerable skill bv
Lieut. Col; Low and kept the enemy i'll
check until they retired on their sup
ports and would probably have suffered
but slight loss had not our troops mis-
| taken some Beers in the bushes for our
own men.
ment- with the enemy yesterday near
krugersdorp and inflicted heavy loss on
them.
"Buller reports that the Beers who
We're destroying his line of railway near
Paarde Kraal were driven off yesterday
after short action.
Hart reports from Heidelberg that
the surrendering of Boer arms and am
munition continues in that direction
Lord Roberts dispatch of another
unfortunate occurrence k1rows q serious
light upon the state of affairs in South
Africa. There has been some. comment
recently regarding the virtual absence
of progress by the immense army under
command of Lord Roberts, but few
could have been found to believe that
the scattered Beers were able to infict
such defeat so near Pretoria
Instead of the surrender of all of the
remaining Beers being imminent as re-
cent kilograms had hinted it seems they
nave been making concerted attempt
to surround or recapture Pretoria with
so much success that in the region
which was supposed to be paciied and
in which no attack was expected thew
succeeded in infiicting a serious defeat
and capturing two guns and some 200
men. 1t is evident that Gen Botha has
considerable force. seeing that he Is
able to press Lord Roberts lines at a
half dozen points around Pretoria from
the Springs to the southeast of the city.
northward to Middleburg and Durde-
poort, and thence southwark to Mira
lus Mex and Krugersdorp
Lord Roberts omitS to give the name
OF the commander concerned giving
rise to the belief that worse remains 10
be told. Even if the mishap be not more
grave than his information implies. II is
realized it is still serious and that there
is no possibility of any troops being
spared from South Africa for China hut
on the contrary it will still take a lons.
time to clear the country of the Beers
News has reached London that Lord
Roberts has been suffering from a SER
ious bowel complaint and that Lady
Roberts was hurriedly summoned from
Bloemfontein Lord Roberts, though
now better, is still weak.
DEEP CHAGRIN
New York July IA dispatch to the
Tribune from London says:
There was a feeling of deep chaa-rir,
toward midnight when the news spread
in the lobbies of parliament that Lord
Roberts had reported a considerable
Boer success IS miles from Pretoria
with the capture of a squadron of the
Scots Greys and a part of five com
panies of the Lincolnshire regiment and
two guns This unexpected reverse at
N1tra1S mex was a reproduction of
Nicholson's mex, not far from Lord Rob-
erts' headquarters with the capture of
guns and Scottish troopers of crack
regiment. Other signs of Boer activity
in so many as three points were con-
vincing proofs that General Botha had
not given up the fight and that the end
of the war was a long way off Lord
Roberts dispatch created a most pain
full impression