The Portland daily press., 1900-06-13
British Casually List Aggregates
$4,000 Men.

London, June 1880 o. m.-Two
pieces of news encouraging to the Brit
ish in the official dispatches are that the
broken communications Of Lord Roberts
are in fair way to be mended by the
forces moving northwards and SOUTH
wards and driving of the rowing COM
mandoes, and that Sir Redvers Butler Is
ut last master of Laings Mex.
Telegraphic communication with Lord
Roberts is expected ITO be restored today,
as a despatch from Bloemfontein, yester-
day, says that the railway is In British
possession again and that the work Of
repairing the line Is going on rapidly
with the abundant material warehoused
at Bloemfontein.
From the subjoined telegram 1t would
appear that Gen. Hunter was in COM
mand of the troops referred to by Gen.
Kelly Kenny in his despatch from Bloem-
fontein:
II Bloemfontein, June 12.-Gen. Hun
ter is coming up rapidly from the north
west having severely defeated a large
commando of Beers who had destroyed
two miles Of railway north Of Kroon-
stad."
The Boer government is also issuing
news cheering to its sympathizers.
The following bulletin, the Boer ver-
sion Of the. disaster to the Derbyshires,
was posted by President Kruger Sun
day ut Machadodorp:
ION June Z, four divisions Of burghers
commanded by Steenkamp, Froneman,
Duploy, Fourie and Mel, attacked the
British at Roodeval, killed 900, took 700
prisoners and captured immense stores Of
food and ammunition, Maxim gun
and 1000 lyddite shells. Some food was
taken by the Boer farmers, and the rest
was burned. The English mail was tax
en- The burghers attacked from the open
veldt and gave evidence of unprecedented
bravery"
Gen. DeWet was also fighting on June
2, whether at Roodeval or elsewhere, is
not clear; but the Boer war Office gives
it out that he captured 5000 suits Of
clothing, blankets, gloves and boots.
Being unable to carry them with him In
his rapid sweep through the country,
according to the Transyaal war Office,
he burned the whole mass.
Gen. De Wet has also reported that
he put 1000 British out of action and de-
stroyed property valued at 100, 900 pounds.
As Lord Methuen is officially described as
fighting on June Z. 1t is possible that he
was engaging Gen. De Wet.
According to a despatch to the Daily
Express from Machadodorp, dated June
10, via Lorenzo Marques, those around
President Kruger say that Louis Botha
and Delarey have been offered indirectly
arms, and President Kruger expects the
same offer to be made to himself, Presi-
dent Steyn and De Wet.
President Kruger believes that the
British make these offers to close the war
on the principal that it will cost less
than to fight Is out.
A despatch from Lorenzo Marques says
that 1900 Beers are reported to be re-
firing on Middleburg from various quar-
tiers and after wedding out the faint
hearted, 20, 900 steadfast men are still left.
Gen. Butler was unable on Monday to
follow up the Beers from lack Of cavai-
ry as well as water. The dispatches de-
scribe him as fighting spirited advance
over rugged field under prolonged
rifle fire. The Beers had two guns. which
they got away. Few dead or wounded
Beers wers found. 1t seems probable
that the major portion of the Beers had
withdrawn before the advance was be-
gun.
Lord Methuen, Gen. Rumble and Gen.
Brabant are reported to have So, 900 men
and 80 guns engaged in closing the Beers
in the eastern part of Orange River colo
ny.
The >war Office casualty returns up to
Juna aggregate 23,664, besides 79s OH
GERS and Il, 355 men sent home as invalids.