The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-04-06
THREATEN BRITISH IN BLOEM-
FONrEIN FROM DIRECTION OF
BUSHMAN,S KOP
ARTILLERY FIRE is AUDIBLE
COULD BE HEARD AT BLOEMFON-
TEN, COMING FROM A SOUTH
ERLY DIRECTION
SHIPPING BRITISH PATROLS
Party of BIindfOIded Beers Enter
Wepener to Demand Surren-
der of British Forces
Holding That Place.

LONDON, April 6-The Bloemfontein
correspondent of the Times, telegraph
ing Wednesday, says.
The Beers showed in some force yes
terday with three guns towards Bush
mans Kop. Other groups skirmished
up TO our outposts, but this morning
, shows that the enemy desire to sweep
further round TO the right of Bloemfon-
TEN. Early today artillery fire in the
south was audible"
The Times publishes the following from
Wepener, dated Wednesday, April 4:
The Beers are sniping our patrols. A
party of blindfolded Beers were brought
in with the following written message:
q" I am here with several thousand
burghers. and in the cause of humanity
' and to save such a dreadful sacrifice of
5 life as occurred in the last battle, 1
demand your immediate surrender
This was signed Banks, General The
party was sent back with the answer
No reply
Gen. Brabants force IS here and will
give some trouble to any body of Beers
likely to attack u.s."
NOTHING FROM FRONT.
The war Office received no news yes
terday and little was allowed to come
I through from the correspondents at
Bloemfontein. According to the Stand
ards correspondent there is no sign that
the Beers intend taking the offensive
Gen. Clements is so disposlng of his
forces as TO guard against any surprise
attack which, although improbable, Is
I evidently not regarded as impossible
Judging from the preparations of Lord
Roberts.
AS usual, whenever there is any check
IN the progress of the British cam
paign, the war office is being severely
criticised foi failing to maintain the nee
essary supply of remounts for the army
1t is possible that Lord Roberts has
difficulties other than remounts with
which TO cor,tend.
Much anxiety is felt as to the water
supply, despite the statements cabled
home that there 'is no fear of water
famine.
Whatever the reasons may be consid
cradle dissatisfaction is beginning to be
4 expressed here at the unaccountable de-
lay, both at Bloemfontein and in Natal
which enables the Beers to recover from
\ the generalization caused by Lord Rob-
J erts' former rapid movements
TO DELAY ADVANCE,
The enemy now evidently hope to re-
\ tard the advance by threatening the rail-
1 way behind Lord Roberts. So far as the
I Natal railways are concerned repairs
are being made beyond Elandslaagte, and
/ the idea, SO often repeated, is that an
advance is imminent.
II A dispatch to the Daily Telegraph
from Ladysmith says that the Boer in
Yesting positions reveal immense strength,
Ingenious construction and immunity
from the British shrapnel and lyddite
fire.
n dispatch from Ladysmith to the Daily
Il Chronicle gives serious news of the out
II break of a deadly lung sickness among
the oxen, which, after it spreads, is
likely to cripple Gen. Buffers operations
From LourenZo Marques comes the re-
port that Mr. Steyn has been appointed
Ni commandant of the Free State forces.
ik Although Col PlUmer is reported to
J have gotten within six miles of Mafe-
king 1t is evident that the siege had not
IN been raised on April l. Toward the end
~ of this month Col. Plumer will be rein
Il forced by the troops now going by way
II of Beira, so that relief cannot be far dis
tant.
BRITISH ARE REPULSED.
M A special dispatch from Lourenzo Mar
III Ques says sharp fighting occurred April 2
h IN the neighborhood Of Mafeking The
n garrison made q sortie, while Gen Plum
IN er cavalry attacked the Beers at Ra-
mathlabama. Both attacks were re-
II pulsed Twenty of Col. Plumer's men were
HI found dead on the field and six others
were made prisoners. The federal losses
We're small.
BOER ACCOUNT OF IT.
BRANDFORT, Orange Free State. April
III 2-Burghers who are returning from the
SannaS NH al =
as karee and KornspruiO furnish inter
NJ >eStlng details of the occurrence 1t an
pears that when the first retreating Brit
HI ish wagon entered the drift the am
VI buscaders shouted Hands up" removed
I the officers and let the cart through
N This process was repeated several times
till the wagons arrived in a bunch, when
h the ruse was discovered and disorderly
M flight followed In one cart We're two
VA officers, to whom Commandant Dewet
4 } shouted Hands up" One of them obev.
/ ed, whereupon the other shot his com.
\ Iade dead, refused to surrender and was
Nj Immediately shot.
ltsf The burgherS lost three men killed anC
L ten wounded, including a field cornet
Among the wounded was the Dutch mill.
tary attache, Nix, who received a bullet
In the chest. Altogether the Beers cap.
tured 3S9 prisoners throughout the day.
The significance Of the battle must moi
be underrated. 1t was fought by g
force of Free Staters on the fiat plain:
/ and without shelter The Free Slater,
are now desirous of marching on Bloem
fontein, and the Transvaal officers arr
anxious to emulate the late success o.
I their allies.
All the Southern Boer forces have nov
formed junctures with the main Boe,
& army and form a large force Of veter
ans. The burghers, who were previous
ly short of food, now have plenty.
Commandant Dewet sent the BritIs,
guns, wagons and prisoners to Winburg.
DARING MARCH.
GABERONES, Bechuanaland Wednes
day March 2S.-Col. Plumer, with a fore.
of British mounted infantry. started or
q daring march March 25, with the oh
ject of threatening the Boer lines n
communication. After two rapid nigh
| marches through TransvaaI territoT,
they arrived at dawn, March 27 With
twelve miles OF Zeerust, and distinctly
heard the bombardment of Mafeking
Having reconnoitered the country witt
the view OF future operations withou