New-York tribune., 1900-05-23
BRITISH TROOPS AMBUSHED.
SQUADRON OF BETHUNE'S FORCE TAKEN
NEAR VRYHETD.
Copyright: 1900: BY The New-York Tribune
ley CABLE TO THE TRIRrNF

IBY CABLE TO THE TRIBUNE.
London. May 23 / a. m-Yesterday's record Of
news checkered. The Beers had sue
ceeded in entrapping a squadron of Colonel
Bethune's mounted infantry near Vryheid and
in taking sXty-sx prisoners. Sir Redvers
Buffers annoyance was revealed in the incisive
summary Of the orders which Colonel Bethune
had received from him The squadron had gone
well afield into the Vryheid district. instead of
halting at Uqutu and then marching on New
castle. The success Of the Beers in revertng to
their hunters stratagems and in Turing a mount
ed force into ambush will serve to convince their
leaders that guerilla warfare is their strongest
resource during the remainder Of the campaign.
Among the wounded in this affair is the Earl Of
Albemarle. who has found a manlier sport in
South Africa than enrolling himself among the
''IIooley' earls in Dunlop's and other prospec-
fuses. He is a nephew of Lord Sackville whose
diplomatic adventures in America are not for
gotten at Washington
The Beers are again reported to have aban-
doned Laing's Mex, but it is proba Bile that they
will make stand there. and not allow General
Buffers army invade the Transvaal unop-
posed The Vryheid affair proves that they have
not stopped fighting General Butler himself
proclaims his destination Pretoria, but he Is
more or less sidetracked.
Lord Roberts's dispatches still come from
Kroonstad, but there reports that both
g.
have been occupied by British forces and a
large amount Of railway rolling stock seized
These reports not confirmed officially. and
there is a Boer rumor that the railway bridge
at Nijoens Drift has been blown up General
Runole's column is exposed to sniping but there
is no serious resistance to the steady advance.
NEW PLAN OF CAMPAIGN.
Military men are convinced that Lord Roberts
has changed his plans since his arrival at
Kroonstad. and that he longer has in mind
wide turning movement from either Fourteen
Streams Mafeking. They believe that Cen
eral Hunter will reopen the railway to Mafek-
ing but that the forces now on the western
frontier Will not have any further serious fight
ing. They also expect Lord Methuen TO occupy
Klerksdorp. where he protect the left flank
Of the main army and draw supplies from
Kroonstad, and they look for direct advance
Of Lord Roberts on Viljoens Drift and Johannes
burg and the cooperation OF Sir Redvers
Buffers army along the line OF the railway from
Laing's Mex.
II is evident from the strictness of the CEN
sorship that important movements are already
in progress in the Free State II is not unlikely
that General French's cavalry brigades are
within fifty miles Of Johannesburg Lord Rob
knows when the Queens Birthday falls
and Will probably arrange some method of cele-
brating it,
The Commander in Chief has confirmed the
press report that Colonel Mahon had a second
battle with the Beers nine miles from Mafeking
and that his troops drove the enemy back after
hVe hours Of fighting. The Australian contin-
gent and the Canadian artillery, which had
come down from Salisbury and joined Colonel
Plumer's force. rendered effective assistance in
this battle Lord Roberts. who is the greatest
End most practical imperialist now living does