The sun., 1900-03-23
BOERS CLAIM VICTORY
Report That General Gatacre Has Been
Beaten at Bethulie.
BUT LONDON is UNBELIEVING
Brisk Fighting Occurs Between the
Burghers and Colonel Plumer's
Column on March to Re-
lief of Mafel<ing.

|
London. March pa dispatch from
Kroonstadt, Orange Free State, Tues
day. March 90 (va Pretoria, March -,
says:
"The Beers, commanded by General
Olivier, have engaged the British troops
under General Gatacre in the vicinity
of Bethulie, repulsing the British with
heavy loss and capturing many Of them.
"Burghers are arriving here in great
numbers. General Dewet arrived today.
"Deslltory fighting with Colonel Plu-
mer's column has occurred near Gabef-
| cnes."
A dispatch from Lobatsi, dated March
| 49, says:
| ",rhe Beers, under Commanda9t Suy-
| man. are advancing in force from MA
feking toward I4obatsi Colonel Bodle
| made a reconnaissance on March 10 anu
found Pitsani and Pothlugo occupied by
i thn Boers. He returned to Goode Siding
| and made demonstration on March Ia.
| He found the Beers in strength at
sharp curve in the railway. They had
| mounted gun ON the line and were lying |
| in wait for the construction tram.
"A brisk firing took place few miles
south of Lobatsi on the morning of the
| 18th The Bores' Maxim was freely
used. Colonel Bodle came in touch with
the Beers lust in time to prevent the
camp being surprised. The Beers attack
cd the advance party and captured few
boxes of ammunition and nearly secured
Maxim. Lieutenant Tyler was killed
and Lieutenant Chapman captured. Colo
mel Bodle. coming up, put the Boers to
flight with heavy loss. The Beers yes
terday were within few miles of Lo.
batsi.
yesterday afternoon the Beers press.
ed closely on Colonel plumers main
camp and kept up hot fire with Il Max.
i'm, killing one white man and one ma
tive. They placed the Maxim and 12E
FOUNDER on Il hill on the east side Of the
line, 1000 yards from the camp. The
British right is protected by Chief Ba.
thoen, who has warned the Boers not to
enter his territory.
What PIumer Aims At.
"Colonel Plumer's present endeavor is
to insure the safety of the railway north
of Lobatsi and to watch well the left
flank. 1t is probable that before the
Beers retire toward Pretoria they will
attack the Rhodesians in force.
..It is reported that the burghers are
| HBunuOniuP the eHNlTouS OL MalekillS,
leaving only a sufficient number of artil-
lerymen to man the big guns. There is
none at Ramathlabama. where they were
supposed to have their base. Colonel
D Plumer's scouts We're at Ramathlabama
yesterday. The usual AIafeking dispatch
es are overdue, but no anxiety is felt on
that score.
Dynamite explosions wrecking the
railway are proceeding south of I1obatsi
A dispatch from Pretoria dated March
4 IT says:
"A report has been received here that
the British force which had an engage
ment with the Beers in the direction OF
Lobatsi on Thursday fled prccipitatcll
in the direction of Ramoutsa camp. Ac
cordinS to this report there We're no Bocl
casualties, but four British soldiers were
taken prisoners, and Is cases Of car
tridges and number Of horses and gun,
were captured"
- London Discredits Gatacrc Report.
The report from Kroonstadt Orangt
Free State, via Pretoria, that the BoeIS
under the command of General Oliyc
had defeated the British troops unde
General Gatacre iii the vicinity Of BE
thuie is not believed here A dislatcl
to The Daily News from Springfontcil
dated Tuesday, March 20, says that Gen
eral Gatacre was "all wcll'' and adds tia
he and General Brabant had not lost i;
dozen men in fortnight. The last ad
vices also placed General Gatacre about
30 miles north of Bethulie, where til,
Boer report says that the defeat was in
ficted. This. combined with the fac
that no mention of the affair was made
by Lord Roberts in his dispatch, con
= firms the belief that the Kroonstadt ad
n vices are erroneous.
4 Field Marshal Lord Roberts telegraph.
y from Bloemfontein, under date of Marcl
4 21 as follows:
4 $50 many burghers have expressed {
q desire to surrender under the terms o.
z the last proclamation that | have sen
small columns in various directions t,
= register their names and take over the
4 arms.
4 "a cavalry brigade has gone to TIL
3 eastward to Thabanchu. and detach
2 ment from Springfontein has occupie,
Smithfeld, where some Transvaalers an,
y wagon with arms and ammunition WEI
a captured. The Scots guards are at Eden
4 burg and Iteddersburg. General Glen
8 ents' brigade is marching hther by wa.
of phlippols and Faurcsmith."
Anxiety About Piumer.
Reports Of skirmishng ncaiS Lobatsi
nj north of NIafeking while not mentionin
d- any serious loss to Colonel Plumer's col
,e- umns, cause grave anxiety in regard t
on his ability to reach Mafeking. Furthe
ut news from that quaSter Is anXiousl
tn awaited for in the six days that hay
nj elapsed since the last messages were sen
M off serious engagement may have take
lit place, though not of Colonel Plumer'
is seeking The Beers seem determined no
Of to give up their prey at Mafeking will
;rs out fierce struggle.
tn. In reply to the mayor Of Cape Town
mr. request to make Mafeking relief day
lid public holiday Premier Schreiner wrote
me ''AIay the holiday come soon, and may
So spirit of general good will and kindl
consideration prevail later"
The Times in its second edition pul
fishes a dispatch from Lourenco Marque
=. which quotes President Steyn as sayins
u, j. at Kroonstadt, that the Beers could col
~ tinue the struggle for six months longer.
Wy While the Beers and British in th
~. Orange Free State are taking advantae
.h '.h of the period of inactivity to enjoy