The sun., 1900-05-02
BOERS AGAIN GIVE BATTLE
GEN. BOrHA CHECKS BRITISH Ab-
VANCE NORTH or THABA N'CHU.
Roberts Sends Forward, Rs.enforcemsnt'
-Hoers Have Guns Posted in the Hills and
the Country Il Favorable to Their Tactics
British Move May he First step In tho
General Advance So Mnfeking Cheerful.
.sp,cjol cobi, D,,pnteh,, 10 THE s,

| LONDON, May The War ONCE mas received
the folio wing despatch from Gen Lord Roberts
BLoEMFoNTEIN. May Hamilton marched
yesterday northerly from Thaba N'Chu with
| the mounted infantry and Smith-Dorren S
| brigade at Houtney he found himself opposed
| by n strong force under Botha personally, he
| endorsements reached this force during the day
and directed French to strengthen him during
the night from Thaba N'Chu. This he was able
| TO do owing to the numbers OF the Beers hav-
! ing considerably decreased in tho neighbor-
/ hood OF Thaba N'Chu In addition to these
| troops Hamiltons force should be reinforced
, during the day by Broadwoods cavalry. bat
| terry and Bruce f1amilton's infantry brigade.
Hamilton mentioned that his casualties yester-
day were about thirty.
"MaxwcD's brigade yester day occupied the
Vlakfontein-Scham's Kraal row OF kopJes un-
opposed. but the mounted infantry we're en-
gagged for some hours"
Gen Roberts had previously reported that
the Beers made a very persistent attack on the
British around Thaba N'Chu on Saturday and
Sunday. but the position Gen Rundle held was
| a very strong one. lie also reports that Gen
Pole-Carew' division returned from Dewets-
dorp yesterday.
LONDON May The operations which have
been proceeding since Friday In the neighbor-
hood of Thaba N'Chu seem likely to develop In
importance, but too little is known concerning
them to enable very clear statement regard
ing the situation, Whether the Boer force at
Houtney mentioned in Gen, Robertss de-
spatch Is a rear guard covering the pas
sage OF the Boer conveys northward or
more important force. it Is clearly
of considerable strength and apparently
holds positions that are exactly suited TO the
Boer methods of fighting These positions are
among PERCEPTIONS mountains. which are de-
scribed as being even rougher than those in the
Colesberg district. The Beers have posted sew
eral guns. from which they are pouring shell
into the British centre The damage effected
hitherto. however. seems to have been COM
parativelv small. and the British guns are re-
ported to have already driven them out OF some
of the r positions
A day or two will probably elapse before any
thing very definite is learned about this engage
ment and the operations at Nlakfontein and
Scham's kraal
Gen Roberts's troops are about six miles east
of karee Siding. The movement OF the troops
20 that place Is alternOtively construed
here a. part OF the depoyment OF the army
preparatory to n general advance or the
beginning OF operations aiming at the turning
Of Gen. Botha's present position. Opinion in
some quarters clngs TO the hope that the
British will even yet be able to cut of the Beers
who are retreating from Wepener and Dewets-
dorp.
Reports from several correspondents at
Mafeking show that the indomitable little garri-
son was still holding out on April 90 hoping for
relief, which local rumor was again promising.
but prepared in the words Of one corres-
pondent, to stick to it yet for two months,
1t ia plain enough however. that the
position IL as disagreeablc as ever. The
weather is wet and cold MANY horses are
dying from the horse sickness. The
garrison is eating the ambulance oxen and
ia reserving the mules until the last,
The daily ration on April 10 was six ounces of
gritty oat bread resembling substantial popier
mache pound of bully" beef and quart of
'skilly." With reference to the latter cor
respondent writes that month nco the people
would not have eaten the stuff, but now they
are glad To get il. as it helps to keep them alive
The besiegers have increased in number They
are apparently massing from all round. On
April 20 they were estimated to number 1000
Runners despatched from the town hardly
ever succeed in getting south, and they only
get north by creeping past the Boer p'ckets
The heaviest bonbardment with the exception
Of that of March 81. was delivered on
April H. the guns being well placed
TO insure cross fire Except for
the destruction Of houses and the
moral effect the bOmbardment was harmless.
Only three horses were killed, The British
guns did not reply TO the fire. but remained
concealed, from which it is inferred that the
ammunition Is running short
The T,mes's correspondent at Mafeking. in a
despatch dated April TO- says that thir-
teen native women who were attempting
10 leave the town by moonlight were
butchered by Beers Col Baden-Pow-
ell communicated with Commandant Snyman
on the subject, but the only reply he received
was that nothing cohld be done. as all the
party. with the exception Of two who were
wounded, were killed.
The correspondent adds that the efforts OF
the Kimberley 10 expedite relief ara highly ap-
preciated The probable date Of the relief is
now placed in the neighborhood OF the Queens
birthday, May %
The local persistence OF the rumors Of mp
preaching relief, OF which nothing Is known in
England, is curious and perhaps significant A
report comes from Col. Plumer's camp that the
relief column long ago crossed the vaal River
and was expected AZ Taungs on April 10
Col Plumer on April l3tried to send cattle into
Mafekng in charge Of Baralong natives Th,
Beers were too alert, however. and killed or
wounded ten Of the natives. They used
Maxim guns against the herd. which num-
bered eighty. and killed sixty-nve Ct
the cattle Col. Plumer has again moved
south from Gabarones and fhs apparently
reached Oots n little to the north Of Lobatsi.
II IL stated that he has been reinforced by
volunteers from Rhodesia
The Times correspondent at Boemfonten
referring to the fighting at Thaba Chu. says
that the whole front from the railway eastward
is to be swept by mounted troops preparatory
TO a definite forward move, for which the force
may now be termed organized
The same correspondent says that German
engineer who was in charge OF the water works
was captured and taken to Kroonstad. He was
subsequently released He says when he
was AT Kroonstad there were only
few Beers there. but many rechanics
and natives we're heavily inrenchng the po-
sition The Beers have moved to Brandfort,
where they expected to he attacked The en-
gineer says the burghers are confident that
they can proong the struggle until the British