The Wilmington daily Republican., 1900-03-30
FORCE
WITHDRAWN.
Attempt to Relieve Mafe=
\ king is Given up by
y General Roberts.

OF the war has begun. Lord Rob-
erts has made the first move to-
ward accomplishing the main o5-
ject, the subjugation of the Trans
vaal Beers. What has gone before
has been merely preliminary work,
the driving Of an invader from
British territory and the conse-
quent OPERATIONS in the Orange Free
State
y With the despatch OF the guards
to Glen, ten miles north of Bloem-
fontcin, the real hard work of the
campaign begins. Glen is village
on the railway that runs in an al
most straight line little east Of
north from Bloemfontein to Pretora.
The dispatches say the retiring
Beers blew up the bridge at Glen.
This is probably the bridge over
the Modder River, few miles
north of Glen, for the maps show
no river at the town.
1t is impossible to say when the
main army will follow this advance
guard For Lord Robert $ ability
to keep his movements secret has
been perfectly demonstrated. The
best critics believe that the advance
will begin next week, but It may be
taking place now for all they know.
1t may be that Roberts will not
march on kroonstad at all, but
THAT he will perform some hanking
movement which will be known only
when it has actually happened.
! The Naal River, a broad, rapid,
deep stream. is between him and
the Transvaal and is safe to say
he will find no bridges when he
gets tc it. After he crosses it he
has long march before he reaches
Pretoria, and every mile of the way
must be Won by fighting. His line
OF communication will be of enor-
NOUS length. and the greater part
OF it through country that was
openly hostile until Il few days ago
and that, although new surround
ing and glibly proclaimng its 10y
atty 10 the new order Of Things, can
not be trusted out Of sight of 4
Maxim gun.
A reason for believing that Rob
bert S real advance has not actual
ly begun is that General Gatacre'
force has not yet reached Bloem-
fenten. Again the horses were al
most entirely disabled by the march
from Kimberley. Remounts are
arriving every day, but they can
not be there in sufficient numbers
yet.
There is another thing: Winteri is
about TO begin. And the climate is
So severe after the scorching heats
ot The Summer that men and ami
ma}- must bceIuipped for it thor
cughly before ii will be safe to move
them.
l, i, a question if General Butler
W. he able to render ard strong
a+A, Tor although there are not
many Beers in the passes of the
Drakcnsbur1, it does not take many
t. huld them.
The most interesting question at
th~ moment is what has become of
the armyof about S,W"0 Beers under
Commandant, Oliver and Grobelaer
which has been pushing northeast
from the BGthuie nciYhborhood
and ha, been heard iroln several
tima> along the Ca1ed'n River. 1t
wa~ probably this force that rctoOl
Lady brand after Colonel Pitchers
raid and drove his little force back.
General French reported after
hi dash toThamanclu that he had
BEN unable to Intercept Olivier
with !he small force at his COM
Mrnd. The Beers reported that
Olivier had effected i junction with
tHo other generals. These things
make it seem almost certain
that Olivier has succeeded in cyad-
ing Roberts and joining the main
for,
Then there is d sad item from
Kimberley. Ncthucn has returned
there under orders from Roberts.
Gh'~ means that Mafeking is to be
let i" its fate, pawn sacrificed in
order to gain position Tor the main
attack. But Baden powcll's re-
s.,'antc has been ~ heroic that it
doc, seem too bad, However, he is
one Of the staying hjni. and in
sp,e Of the awful pr]lations before
thtm he and his garrison will hold
o.. Iur some time.