New-York tribune., 1900-04-29
NOTHING FROM FRENCH.
THE SOUTH AFRICAN CABLES
PRACTICALLY SILENT.
KEEN. DISAPPOINTMENT IN LONDON AT
THE ESCAPE OF THE BOER RAIDERS.

THE ESCAPE OF THE BOER RAIDERS.
Copyright: 1900: BY The New-YOrk TribuneI
my CABLE TO THE TRIBuNE.l
London. April %. l a. m.-The War Office gave
ort the casualty list Of the Wepener opera tions
Yesterday but closed at midnight without an
,ouncing the result of Fridays engagement at
Thaha Nchu. The inference drawn by military
men from General Roberts's silence was that
De wet's forces had passed through Thaba Nchu
before ColviIe. French and Rumble had come up
and that q rear guard alone remained in an In
trsnched position. The press dispatches were
rneaere. and the censor did not allow any de-
tsns of the British concentrations to pass
through.
The news was light from Natal. Cape Town
and Kimberley. The most important matter
was an account Of a meeting Of the South Afri-
can League At Cape Town. which the Afri-
kander Bond was denounced as a maIign poit-
ical force. and the influence of the Dutch Re
formed Church was deplored.
The success Of the Beers tn eludng pursuit
when renaced with attack by a superior force
directed by generals like Roberts and French
commands admiration and respect If they had
waited at Dewetsdorp another half day there
would have been another Paardeberg. Cronje's
disaster warned them that they could not offer
resistance to the combined force Of four d.
visions Of infantry. and they retreated in time
svoid disaster. The Beers have shown
rnarkable feXibility throughout the campaign in
adapting themselves TO British tactics. They
learned how to take advantage of General
Methuen's frontal attacks and General Buffers
methods Of warfare. and they have prohted by
General Roberts's object lessons. They have
contrived 70 quicken the mobility OF their own
commanders, and in this way have outstripped
Rohe-ts's cavalry and infantry and have
treated safely although exposed to a brilliant
and well ordered strategy. If General Butler
found cause for satisfaction in the solderly dis
opline with which the British retirement was
conducted. De Wet has even s5reater reason for
oongratulating himself upon the skill with which
the retreat 10 Ladybrand was carried out under
conditions of unexampled difficulty
Il IS evident from the tone Of several London
journals. notably The st. James's Gazette"
that there is keen disappointment over the
nneagre results of French's series of forced
marches. The truth is discerned that the Beers
have altered their tactics and have formed
commanders Of light mounted infantry.
hampered by heavy transport or long artillery
trains. that they hang upon the flank of
Robertss army, strike exposed detachments
here and there. and battle pursuit across the
veldt whenever divisions are rnassed against
them. It is also admitted that these bands Of
ralQefS are assisted by farmers IN Ihe free
State. and one London journal goes TO the length
OF proposing something like Weyler's reconcen-
tration order, without the horrible dishonesty
OF its execution" Many Of these despondent
comments explained by the overconfidence
with which a second Paardeberg forecast
before there was clear evidence that there was
a reasonable expectation that the Beers would
be entrarped.
There viii be fresh disappointment if the oper-
atoms around Thaba Nchu are followed by
other period OF British inaction. Nearly all the
closest students of the campaign have assumed
that the clearance Of the eastern flank would
be The opening manRuvre OF a turning move
uent directed against Brandfort and Winburg.
There is no evidence in the press dispatches
that the advance toward the Vet is under
temptation. But the censor will be certain to
hold back information of that kind.
DR.. Treves assured friends who joined in
complimentary dinner to him and TO Sir William
MacCornac at the Reform Club last night, that
be had no intention Of entering public life of
abandoning surgery These distinguished sur
geons received hearty congratulations upon
their work among the wounded in South Africa,
and bore testimony to the thorough organiza-
ton Of the Medical Corps. I n. F.