The evening times., 1900-04-02

two latter are missing. Forty Hon-com-
nissicned officers and men OF this battery
were wounded or are missing or Bat
tery al are missing except Major Taylor
and a sergeant major. Battery lost Eve
guns and q Battery two The two cavalry
regiments did not suffer so much as re-
ported
The enemy has retired to LadyJ,and.
leaving twelve wounded officers and some
seventy men at the waterv 0rks. / sn
sending an ambulance corps"
The War Office has received the follow
despatch from General Lord Roberts con-
frming the loss Of the convoy and seven
guns
"Bloemfontein. April IL received
news late yesterday afternoon from Colo
mel Broadwood st Thabanchu, thirty-eight
miles east. that information had reached
him 10 the effect that the enemy was ap-
preaching in two forces. from the north
and east. lie stated that If the report
proved true he would retire to the water
works, seventeen miles nearer BIoemfon-
tein. at which place We have had a de-
tachment of two companies Of mounted iu-
fantry for the protection of the works.
BrcadWOOd was told in reply that the
Ninth Division tColville's) with Marty5
Mounted Infantry would march at day
light today TO support him. and II he con-
sidered it necessary he should retire 10 the
WaterwOrFs. lie moved there during the
night and bivoucked At dawn today he
was shelled by the enemy and attacked on
three sides. He Immediately despatched
his tWo-horse artillery batteries and his
baggage toward Bloemfontein, coSering
them with cavalry.
Hidden From the scouts.
Some two miles from the waterworks
the road crosses a deep nullah in which
during the night a force OF Beers had con-
cealed themselves. So well were they hid
den that our leading scouts passe1 o-er the
drift without discovering Thea asd rot un-
IA the wagons and guns were entering the
drift did the Beers show themselves. Then
they opened fire and many OF the drivers
and artillery horses were at once shot down
az short range. Several guns were cap
tured. the remainder gallopiug away. COW
cred by Roberts Horse. which suffered
heavily.
Meanwhile. Lieutenant Chester mas
ter Uf Remington scouts had found
passage across the drift unoccupied by the
enemy by which the remainder OF Bread
woods force crossed and reformed with
great steadiness Notwithstanding al that
had previously occurred.
"Broadwocd's report, which has just
reached me, contains no details. He states
that he lost seven guns and all his bag
gage. He estimates his casualties at $50
including 200 missing.
"On hearing this morning that Bread
wood was hard pressed. I ordered French
with the two remaining cavalry briEades
TO follow 90 the support Of the Ninth Di-
vision. The latter, after a magn. icent
march arrived on the scene Of action
shortly after o'clock D. M
'Broadw0od's force consisted Of the
Household Cavalry. the Nineteenth Hus-
sars, Q and L Batteries Of the ROYAL Horse
Artillery, and Pitchers Battalion of
mounted infantry The strength Of the
enemy is estimated at from 5000 to To-
600. The number Of their guns is not yet
reported"
The Daily Chronicles" correspondent at
Bloemfontein telegraphs that B.Oadwood's
guns have been recaptured. He also SAYS
that the water supply Of BioemfOuteiu has
been cut Off. The War Office has no con-
hrmauon of either statement. The Beers
who ambushed the roOps and captured the
guns were commanded by De Wet.
That England, particularly the royal
household and the aristocracyi' stands
aghast today at the capture Of an unknown
number Of titled and blue-bloo1-
ed Nineteenth Hussars and House
hold Cavalry with six guns. al
most within sight Of BIoemIontein.
is putting it mildly. Optimists argue that
probably only a few hundred men were
captured, and that the dukes. earls. vis-
counts, honorables. and other titled sol
diers were probably not with an expedition
which had rough work to do
Fears in England.
Many, however, figure that the disaster.
like the former ones. will turn out worse
as further news comes in, and Lord Rob
erts' silence tends to increase the alarm.
IL is declared that possibly z. 700 men were
captured IL full quotas Of all the com
mands mentioned were in the expedition.
This is the part Of the despatch from
Bushmsn's Kop dated on Saturday which
has thrown the arstOcracy into consterna-
tion:
The convoy arrived at a deep spruit
where the Beers were concealed. and the
entire body walked into ambush and was
captured. together with seven guns The
less Of life was not great. since most OF
the British walked into the trap before
shot was fired
General Colville's division. which left
Blemiou7ein early this morning. arrived
here at noon, and he is now shelIng the
Beers"
Some express a hope that General chi
vile will recover the seven guns. but this f.
considered hardly likely considering he
difficult nature OF the country and in view
Of former experiences OF the kind The
most hopeful expect to hear that Colonel
BrOadwOod and his men Will be saved. but
this is felt TO be wholly uncertain
Apart from this feature OF the situa-
tion, the military feature Of the case is
grave. II the Beers can strike such a
staggering blow within fifteen miles OF
Bloemfontein, and between the town and
sts water. il Is felt that Kruger will have
chance TO make good on schedule time
his threat TO lombard Bloemfontein in
i've days and take il, as two days still re-
main TO him.
The Nineteenth Hussars is known as the
Princess OF Wales Own Royal Regi-
meut.' The regiment OF Household Cav
airy was sent to South Africa with its
champagne and trufles and was picked
from the three regiments that make nm
the command at hOme-the First and Sec
ond Life Guards and the Royal Horse
Guards Lord WOlseley is colonel Of the
last named. In the traps taken out by
this elite command TO the Boer war was
large supply Of chafing dishes What
the Beers viii DO with these if they are
In the captured tents is q subject of lively
conjecture
The most exalted titles and the bluest
BeEin Monday weII by buying Ium-
Der always at ths Friendly Corner. 9th and y. y