Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-04-26
BoERs LEAVE wEiENER.
Lord Roberts Reports the siege
ltnfaed and BOers Fleeing.

London, April 26.-AnOther Paafde-
burg apparently is not to be expected /
Just yet. The Beers Investing Wepener
seeing General French supported by |
General Pole-Carew heading for their
line of retreat abandoned the siege
Tuesday night and yesterday fled to the
northeast along the Ladybrand road,
which skirts Basutoland. Lord Roberts
reports that = here We're between 1000
and 5,Ot0, klt ne does not say ANYTHING
toindicate that their retreat is likely toil
be cut Off 1t seems, therefore. that
the watchfullness and mobility OF the
Beers once more have frustrated the
elaborate generalship with which the
immense army OF the British has deem
disposed.
London armchair stratcgists have
been declaring that the Roers about
wepener would pay for their so-cailed
foolhardiness by falling victims TO
Lord Roberts eEveloping movement.
but keener observers assumed that the
burghers must be maintaining a sharp
lookout for the safety of their avenue.
OF egress and would make off on the
appearance OF the real peril.
II Is seen now that the number of the
besieging force before Wepener Was.
greatly overestimated. 1t was placed
by London as high as 10000, but Lord
Roberts represents the force as having
been barely one-fourth as large as that.
Where the Beers will make their next
stand Is uncertain. The advance of
Generals French and Pole-Carew was
savagely resisted and at heavy cost to
the Beers, but they We're fighting to
save their Wepener army. 1t is ex-
pected since they accomplished their
purpose that they Will fall back in a
northerly direction.while Lord Roberts
army swings around in pursuit OF the
retreating army. Then the long-ex-
pected march to Pretoria will be begun.
The extreme left Is at Warrenton and
Boshof:its center In the region about
Bloemfontein: its right on the Basuto-
land border. 1t Is believed that Lord
Roberts will attempt by wheeling
movements to maneuver the Beers out
OF their intrenched positions at Brand
fort and Kroonstad and force them to
seek defensive work on the Vaal river.
Great disappointment prevails in
London over the failure of the latest
encircling movement and the necessity
that consequently appears OF carrying
the war into the difficult country Of the
Transvaal.
It will now shortly develop what plar
4. Of campaign is to be adopted in Natal
So Tar as General Butler Is concerned
he is simply maintaining himself ans
waiting for the Beers to occupy tn.
broad stretch OF country north O
Elandslaagte to move on. They hav'
many guns mounted and in action, ant
and the impression still exists tina
there will be no movement agains
them so long as there is possibilit.
Of their being drawn on to defend tn
Transvaal s
The situation at Warrenton an,
Mafeking remains unchanged II is re
alixed that Lord Roberts may have
great deal OF trouble with the Boe
army at Thaba N'Chu and in the hill
northwest OF Ladybrand before he get
an opportunity to operate against tn
noxitions at Brandfort and Kroonstat
Explosion at Pretoria.
Pretoria, April 25.-A serious explo
sion occurred at Begbie works, useG b
the government as aA arsenal, las
night. The walls Of the building wer
destroyed and structures in the neigh
borhood are mass OF ruins. Ten worl
men were killed and thf s..y-two inJure,
Tho most important the machiner
". was saved. The cause;s the explosion
unknown. The works employed 200 pc
sons. mostly French and Italians.
Further particIlars from Johanne
burg show that the sexplosi0n occurr'
I'm "a magazine containing smokele
powder. on the opposite side Of 4
street from the Begble wpfks. uaed
the government as an arssnAi, Thirte
y, Of the occupants OF the iattef buildil
were blown to pieces and afty in3ure
.5s Another batch OF British sS6aeote. co