Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-05-01

| London May l, 1:55 p. m.-Ihe follow
| ing dispatch has been sent by Roberts
| to the war office:
Bloemfontein, April 30.-The Beers
M MADE very persistent attacks around
| Tha banchu Saturday and Sunday. But
the position which the Eight (Rundles)
| division holds is strong and he had the
! assistance of Gordon's and Dickson S
! brigades, the cavalry under French and
Smith-Dorrien's brigades and body Of
mounted Infantry under Ian Hamilton.
Pole-Carew's division returned from
DeWetsdorp yesterday. Lord Roberts
| also reports additional casualties sus-
| tanned during the fighting of April q
around Thabanchu, consisting of Lieu
tenant Geary and two men killed and one
OHcer and three men wounded. Neither
the COMMUNICATIVE chiefs nor the corre-
spondents dispatches throw any light
upon the plans being adopted to oust the
Beers from the neighborhood of Tha bau-
Gnu and how long before a determined
effort will be made to reassert British
supremacy is only matter Of surmise.
In the meantime the Beers are remarka-
bly, aggressive, probably in view of the
large forces opposing them. A special
dispatch from Thabanchu dated yester-
day, says they made a daring attempt
to cut off British convoy which got into
broken ground between Thabanchu and
, DeWetsdorp, opening fire from the adja-
cent hill.
In the nick of time General Bradson,
with strong force of Yeomanry, return
ing from Wepener, arrived on the scene
and extricated the convoy. The same
special correspondent describes the dis
positions of the forces at Thabanchu as
follows:
General Rumble is covering the advance
ed camp facing the Boer position to the
east. where they are strongly entrenched
General Ian Hamilton and General
Smith-Dorren occupy strong positions on
the road to the north.
Another dispatch says a column under
General Hamilton located the Beers to
the northwest and an artillery duel en-
sued without result All accounts tell Of
much artillery firing with scarcely any
casualties. 1t is hardly likely that two
such forces can much longer patiently
face each other without more stirring oc-
currences. General Brabant's column is
expected to join General French shortly.
A number of Beers are reported to have
been seen retiring north, but this is
scarcely authoritative.
Stringent measures are being adopted
to prevent the Boer guerillas from Secur-
ing supplies from other centers. The lit
tie news from Thaba N'Chu is absorbing
all interests.
The cape parliament has been summon
ed for June %. At the conclusion of Cen
eral Sir George Whites visit to Windsor
today, Queen Victoria decorated the de-
fender of Ladysmith with the cross and
star Of the royal Victorian order Her
majesty and the soldier had lengthy
conference. 1t is learned that the queen
was more angry than for years over the
publication of the Spion Kop dispatch
A dispatch from Mafeking dated April
Goth, says: 1.-The Beers have been busy
for several days blowing up the railway
southWards. There was little firing dur
ing the past week. The town will re-
spond cheerfully to Lord Roberts re-
quest to hold out for another month Fe-
ve,r-is rife. but otherwise the health of
the garrison is good and all are WELL"
New York. May IA dispatch to the
Tribune from London says: A significant
item of intelligence has been received
from Capetown. The Express correspond
ent in that city says it is asserted on
good authority that General Hunter has
been sent to Kimberley to command a
strong column intended for the relief Of
Mafeking. The Times correspondent in
Bloemfontein gives some interesting par
ticulars respecting the manner in which
many Free Staters have abused the lem
iency hitherto shown them by Lord Rob-
erts in the capital itself. A secret socie-
ty was formed to maintain communica-
tions with the Roer commanders and to
promote the rearmament among the
acy was gradually brought to light and
the field marshal has made up his mind
that in the future conspirators must be
punished.
The advance northward cannot be un-
dertaken until the force east of Thaba N
Chu has been dispersed. yet for three or
four days there has been skrmishing
with the Beers rear guard until it has
been reinforced from Ladybrand.
The situation as far as it could be made
out at midnight was unchanged
Experienced soldiers say that Lord
Roberts will secure the southern section
of the Free State against raiding opera
tions by drawing a Gordon across the
country and permanently occupying San
mas Post. Thaba NChu and Ladybrand
and that ne will then push on rapidly as
possible for the Vaal river. knowing that
Steyn's men will not fight in the Trans
vaal and that the strength of the Dutch
forces will be heavily reduced.
The Boer army is we'll led and shows
no sign of abandoning the struggles. It's
generals have recovered from the panic !
caused by Paardeberg and have demon
strated their ability to impede the ad- |
vance of the British army and harrass 1t |