Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-02-27
British Engineers Moving Steadily
Toward the Beer Lager.
THE EXPLOSIVE BULLETS
neipg Used by tho Bocrs-Bocrs Fro
{. on mn Ambninnco British War
Balloon Doing Grent sorvice-The
Boorsin Cape colony Haircating
and calling on Prcs,dont stcym
for Help 10 rrovoni their Capture.
(By Telegraph 50 YirginIan-Pllot.)

(By Telegraph so Virginian- Pilot)
London Feb. 27.-4:2O q. m.-The
Beers are assembling an army near
Bloemfontein. with which to dispute
the invasion OF Lord Roberts. This In
tellsgence comes from Pretoria by way
of Lourenso Marques. The comman-
does are described as "hastening from
all quarters of the two Republics"
No estimate is made OF their num-
bers, but the withdrawal of the Beers
from most Of the places where they
have been in contact with the British
except the district near Ladysmith.
may raise the resisting force to 10000
men. This figure assumes that the
Beers have between 10000 and 10000
men in the field.
The gathering OF this army across
the path OF Lord Roberts gives signiii-
canoe to General Cronje's steadfast de-
fence. He has engaged the corps or
Lord Roberts for ten days now, and,
whether he is relieved or not he has
given time for the dispersed Boer fac
tons to get together and TO prepare
positions to receive the British adj
vance when Cronje Is overcome and
Lord Roberts moves forward.
IT. is difficult to conceive that the
Beers are strong enough to take the Of
fenSiVe and to rescue General Cronje
from his precarious situation
The War Office has nothing after mid
night TO indicate his collapse, and lie
may hold out for a few days. The cor
= respondents seem to have no exact in
formation respecting his resources
Some say he has plenty of food. but Is
short of ammunition. Others assert
that he abandoned his food supplies,
but kept abundant supplies OF cart
ridges.
BUTLER FRIGHTENED.
General Butler on Saturday faced the
last and strongest positions OF the
Pocrs who bar his way to Lndysmitl.
The strenuous lighting indicates Il bat
tie between armies, rather than rear
guard actions protecting a retreat.
Thursday and Friday he lost forty
three officers killed and wounded, rep
resenting probably a total loss of from
400 to 800.
General Whitee's guns worked upon
the Boer positions, and q heliogram
from, Lndysmith reported that the
Roers were retreating, and that larger
rations were being issued in view of the
fact that relief seemed at hand.
Nothing has been heard from Mafe-
king since February 18th. The move
mcnt on the veldt away from the rail-
way ~ DCtoiIlllS INCREASINGLY
for large bodies of troops as the grass
Is burned up. General French has to
wagon forage for his horses, and even
the infantry finds long marches harder
than before. as forage for the trans
port animals must be carried This
requires the fOrmat ton of garrlsoned
depots.
SICKLY SEASON is ON
The ordinary campaigning season is
over, and the sickly season for both
men and animals has set in
Technical military writers take these
things into consideration in forecasting
events.
The Daily Chronicle says 1t learns
from private letters that British rifles
and ammunition have been landed on
the southern coast of Cape Colony. pre-
sumably for the Dutcn colonists.
Lord Roberts has recently received
EeventytwO additional pieces of artil-
Iery Whether all have been sent to
Paardeberg is not known.
Probably the Eighth Division will
leave England next Monday.
London. Feb. 26.-Dispatches from
Paardeberg show that General Cronje's
forces have far more protection from
Field Marshal Lord Roberts heavy fire
than at first indicated. a special dis
patch from Paardeherg. published in
the second edition of the Daily Chroni-
Gle and dated Saturday, February "a,
says:
"a balloon has discovered the enemy
well covered by a system of burrowing
In the river bank. which resembles a
rabbstt-warren, affords shell proof posi-
tions
1T will not be much OF surprise il
to-day and Tomorrow which is the
anniversary of Majubn Hill, pass with
out being marked by the surrender or
humiliation OF the gallant band so
overwhelmingly hemmed in, though the
closeness OF the investment appears
open to criticism. Small bodies of
Beers, apparently, are able to make
their escape. causing comparison here
between the Boer methods of invest
ment with their quickly dug surround
Ing trenches, impassable barbed wire
and those of the British.
analogous with that held so long by the
Beers at I.adysmith. As General Cronje
is reported to have plenty of food, the
plan of starving him out can scarcely
avail. as Lord Roberts must either wait
Until his ammunition, which Is said to
be short. runs out, or those of General
Cron5e's forces, who are counselling
surrender, prevail. So indefinite is the
information that either of these alter
natives may occur at any moment.
GORDON DRAWING CLOSER.
Meanwhile. Lord Roberts engineers
are sapping steadily towards the Boer
laager, and. according to a special from
'Paardeberg, dated Sunday, February 25.