The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1900-05-02
ARTHUR ROPES. General Editor
In South Africa.

The siege of Wepener, in the south
east of the Orange Free State, has serv-
ed the Beers a good purpose. 1t has
delayed Lord Roberts march north to
Pretoria, consumed resources and brok-
en- up forces that were prepared for the
march along the main line of opera
tious. The Beers held the garrison of
Wepener in their grasp some two
weeks. compelled the British command
er to make powerful diversion to re-
lieve the place and were wise enough
to let 90 in time to escape the fate that
overlook Cronje. Roberts spread his
net far and wide but it caught nothing.
On the contrary, the efficiency of his
cavalry has been again impaired, i'm
portant time has been gained by the
burghers to strengthen the positions
they have taken to oppose the British
in their northern march, and, having
obtained all the advantage they could
from their raids in that region and their
hold-up of the Wepener garrison, the
Beers have slipped through the gap
between General French's force and
the Basuto border, and made good their
escape to the billy country of the north,
where they can defy pursuit or sue
cessfully defend If attacked. They
have lost little, but carry with them
seven British guns, and have sent to
Pretoria several hundred prisoners, as
trophies of their operations during the
past month. Lord Roberts great army
has for weeks been held up by these
daring movements, and the advance to
Pretoria has not yet been begun. Be-
fore this can be undertaken the scatter
ed forces must be again concentrated
around Bloemfontein, and by that time
the agile federals may have some fresh
diversion prepared for his lordship.
Signs of renewed activity by the
Beers appear in the reoccupation of
Boshof on the British left, compelling
the transfer of forces in that direction.
Their object is obviously to harass their
enemy in every possible way. Having
distracted his attention for weeks on his
right, and reaped all the advantage OBJ
tainable there, they appear now on the
other extreme. This means hard work
for the British cavalry, and the effec-
tive Gripping of the army by the con-
sequent waste of horses which break
down with frightful rapidity under the
hardships of the service and the eli
mate. The success of the Beers in the
recent operations in the south and east
of the Free State, and their escape
from tie net Roberts had spread for
them, is an Indictment to pursue the
same tactics in the future, for which
the country affords abundant opportu-
nifty.
Lord Roberts prestige and popular
ity are waning under the reverses and
difficulties he is encountering. The
laurels of Paardeberg-such as they
were-of his unopposed entry into the
Free State capital, are whitening in
the heat and trials of conflict with
the Beers in which the advantages are
partially evened up; that is, in which
the burghers, though enormously out
numbered, have readjusted their op.
erations to the new conditions arising
after the retreat from the Modder and
Tugela. The frenzied adulation of the
British public is giving place to crit
cism and muffled complaint of Rob
erts' inability to advance, and the ap
parent ability of the Boer commander
to "play horse" with him. The sea
son, the country, as well as the Beers
are against him, and, combined, they
will make the march to Pretoria Jor
dan that is an exceedingly, "hard roat
to trabel."
ArbOr Day,