The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1900-12-28
REPORTS Beers CHECKED.
Kitchener Gables Such Con-
clusion to War Office.
W rs DOING IT ALL.

British Correspondent sings Praises Of the
Boer Leader--Deciarsd to ne Outwitting
General Kitchener at Every Point--Cost
Of tho War.
London, Dec. 24.-Lord Kitchener's
dispatches breathing u confidence hard
ly Justified by their contents are al
most the only available news from
the seat of hostilities In South Africa,
but kilograms from Cape Town depict
the situation In anything but roseate
hues. without believing the assertion
of the Transvaal agency ut Brussels
that 5000 Beers have Invaded Cape
Colony, II IL quite evident that the In
vasion was "a serious and well planned
affair. In connection with this u cor
respondent sends an exti1nely inter
esting letter, dated Bethulie, Dec. l.,
describing Dewet and his doings. De
wet has never been taken seriously
enough" says the correspondent. 1T
Is of little use to pursue him, as he
fights a rear guard action and gains
20 miles while he Is being fought.
"He Is II born military genius, whose
wonderful powers have kept up this
phenomenal resistance"
"Once he fails, the whole thing
could he crushed in a fortnight. He
has every single commando under his
supervision. All his patrols and col
umns march and countermarch on his
order. The forces under his command
have been reduced by his strength Of
will to n properly organized army,
moving at his word. The sooner the
British rid themselves of the idea that
Dewet's forces are u mere rabble, wan
dering aimlessly, the Don they will
grasp the need of the determined eff
fort which Ia necessary to capture
him"
Already some 10000 men have been
killed, wounded or disabled III the
British side, and the war has swal-
lowed virtually $500. OOO, 1000.
The Cape Colony cabinet had an i'm
portant sitting Sunday. 1t appears
that the Beers have destroyed a rail,
road bridge II miles south of DeArr
and no Cape mails have arrived at
B~loemfontein for three days.
Further anxiety has been caused in
Cape Town by the discovery that dur.
ing the last month public bodies in
out of the way places have requi'
s%itloncd supplies of dynamite. The
colonial government is now endeavor
ing to recover possession of these ex.
yInciunc and 60 ,n,,nrin~ oil et,,.n, ~
arms and ammunition from suspected
depots.
Other advices from Cape Town re
port the Dutch element in Cape Colony
as greatly elated over the southwark
progress of the Beers and as boast
ing that the whole district of Victoris
West will Join the raiders. 1t is sus
pected in Cape Town hat the force
travelling from Zoutpan's drift is no
a body of Beers, but one of ~colonials
Fastening to Join the invaders.
The Pictermaritzhurg correspondent
of the Daily Mail, says: 1.-THE Beers ar,
active near Johannesburg and Pretoria
exchanging shO~ with the British out
posts and 1t is repor~ that partie:
Of Beers are lowering arounG Lohan
nesburg."
Advices From Kitchener.
The war office has received the fol
lowing dispatch from Lord Kitchener
dated Pretoria, Dec. 30: "As far a
it Is possible for me to form an opin
ion from the reports of officers on tn,
spot, l think the Boer movement int,
Cape Colony has been checked. OF tn,
two forces that entered the colony
he eastern is still north of the Sout
pansberg range, while the one that en-
tered west appears to have been turned
in the direction of Britstown an,
Prieska. Our troops are getting
around both bodies and a special col
m Is also being organized whicI
will be dispatched Immediately whel
l know where its services are mos
wanted. The Beers have not receive,
much assistance in Cape Colony as fla
as my information goes. Yesterda,
evening about 3 o'clock Clements
force was engaged south Of Oliphant'
mex, but i do not yet know the re
suit"
A later dispatch from Lord Kitct
ener, dated Pretoria, Dec. %, says
''The western column of Beers occr
pied Britstown and cut the railwa
south of DeArr Junction. The enem
is being followed up. General Frenc
has been in contact for two days wit
the commanders of Beyers and d.
larey, south of the Magaliesberg. II
is pursuing them. The enemy hav
lost considerably and Commander
Kreuz and others have been captured
General COlville engaged two separat
commanders Dec. 81, near VlakfoI
tein, with slight losses, the enemy n
firing"