Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-02-15
Lord Roberts Sends Somewhat En-
couraging Dispatches to London
Beers wATcH BuLLER
The British Lo~scs to Date Reason
fortho Rotront From, sungersfon-
tcin- Fnilnro or Bullor's Recon-
no,ssnnoO at springaold-An Iu oil
dcnt nj mnsehing Liberals No.
nounco tho War us Crime ma II
Biundor.
(By Telegraph to vlrgtnian-Pilot.)

London, Feb. 15.-4:20 a. m.-The
British army, for the first time since
the war began. is inside the NBoer from
tier. Lord Roberts, with at least 4O,-
600 infantry. 1000 cavalry and 100 guns,
has turned the Magersfontein lines be-
fore which the British forces have been
encamped for ten weeks. and. with half
of his corps. he is already operating on
+ Free State territory.
THE FORWARD MOVEMENT
battle has not yet been fought, but
large tactical advantages have been
gained. The relief of Kimberley is
within measurable reach, and the way
to Bloemfonten is nppreclably easier.
The dispatches OF Lord Roberts sketch
three days work. The forward move
ment began Sunday when Col. Hannay
set out with a brigade of mounted in
fantry for Ramah. on the Rlet, eight
miles from JacobSdal, one &c the Bocr
supply bases.
Monday General French with the
cavalry division, seized the crossing of
the Riet river at Del1its Drift, south of
Jacobsdni, and eighteen miles east OF
Honey Nest 1lloof He skirmished with
the Beers and cleared the way for 90, 600
infantry. who followed across.
General French has now fixed himself
on General Comics main line OF COM
munlcations with Bloemfontein and 90
600 infantry, With seventy-two guns,
and are being pushed up to support him,
there.
a BATTLE IMMINENT.
Lord Roberts dispatches, wired from
inside the Free State, and on the I2Iet
river left him "Wednesday morning. His
advance had not been opposed by the
Boers In force. Their patrols melted
away as the British moved forward.
The Bocr army is likely TO be felt in a
quenty imminent
AS TO what forces General Cronje has
now Mt his disposal. and as to where
he purposes making stand against
the invaders, no one here connected
with the War Office knows anything.
The date for conceptions are wholly
wanting.
LORD ROBERTS FORCES.
The forces Immediately at the dis
posal of Lord Roberts are placed at So
0O0 III general way. The incidents al
RensburG have been seen out of all
proportion. Merely skeleton lines were
maintained there, while troops were be-
ing secretly and rapidly concentrated
on the Modder River The facility with
which $4,000 men have already been
sent beyond the rail terminus shows
that Lord Kitchener has been fully
successful in organizing transport. Hc
is now supposed TO be down the line,
sending forward more troops and get
ting together more transport About
five miles of OK and mule wagon trains
are estimated for each division. so
that Lord Kitchener, who is reputeG
to have more skill than n circus man
nger In handling field transport, has
immense labors in hand.
London, Feb. 14.-Supporters of the
Ii rt IN hsA no.
400, held e.private meeting at the West
minister Palace Hotel this afternoon to
protest against the Governments war
/, policy. Sir Wilfred Lawson. M. p;
David Lloyd George. NJ. P. and c.
Schreiner. the husband of Mrs. Olive
Schreiner, was among those present
The resolutions adopted denounced
the war as "a crime and a blunder,"
committed at the instigation of ire
srorsibe capitalists; demanded the
publication of the full correspondence
regarding the jameson raid; protest
ed against the increasing ornaments:
reaffirmed the Liberals gratitude to
Sir Henry Campbell Bannerman. John
Morley and James Brice. and decided to
open n permanent fund 10 carry on
vigorous political propaganda for the
principles thus enunciated
BRITISH LOSSES TO DATE.
London. Feb. 1.-THE total British
Se,SueIilJ returns up 10 Tonight are.
Officers killed. 152: wounded, $50;
missing. 112. Men killed, 1,477 wound
ed, $3.50; missing, 2,7S1; other fatalities
reported. 563. Grand total, 10,505.
COL. PLUMER'S ADVANCE.
London. Feb. H-Advices from Gabe-
rones. dated February 4, says:
The artillery duel between Colonel
Plumers force and 500 Beers continued
until to-day, when the British dropped
two shells into the Boer fort The Boer
guns have since been silent.
Colonel Plumer's advance has been
checked by floods"
WEBSTER DAVIS ENROUTE.
Lorenzo Marques, Delagoa Bay. Feb.
12.-Webster Davis, United States AS
sistant Secretary of the Interior he .
arrived here from Pretoria and sails
on the steamer Kanzler via Naples. on
his way home.
A BRITISH RETREAT.
Rensburg. Tuesday. Feb. 13.-Before
dawn yesterday the enemy opened an
attack upon Slingersfontein, assault
ing with Inusketry the hills on Inc
northeast held by three companies of
the Worcesters under Captain Hovel
Tho artillery began attack at sunrise.
The Beers approached in great num-
berS, estimates at to l. The BrItish