Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1900-04-07
BRITISH ADVANCE
OPPOSED BY Beers
Roberts Takes a Cluster of Hills
North of BIoemfontein After
a Stiff Fight.
SEVEN OFFICERS AND 100 MEN LOST
Enemy Must Have Icen In Consid-
erabic Force, as 4 1000 British
Were Sent Against
Them.

London, April with the head
Of the army, Lord Roberts is now
about twenty-one miles north OF
Bloemfontein. 1t occupies a cluster OF
hills won from tho Beers after "A stir
fight in which the British lost seven
officers and 100 men. The Beers had
been using these kopies as a base for
%marauding bands that have been beat
ing up the country adjacent to Bioem-
fontein for supplies, driving off cattle
and forcing non-resistant Free Staters
into the ranks again. The enemy
must have been in considerable force,
as Lord Roberts sent 5000 infantry
and 5000 cavalry against them.
Lord Roberts progress to Pretoria
will probably consist of a series OF
such forward movements, in which
the Beers positions will be attacked
by a portion of the army advancing
rapidly with wheel transportation, the
main army coming up as the railway
is repaired.
Lord Roberts is stripping the forces
in the minor spheres of operation OF
their wagons and transport animal
in order to hasten the advance. TINS
is understood to be the reason why ne
recalled Lord Methuen from Barkley
West to Kimberley. Lord Roberts had
TO have Methuen's transport.
The reason why "A hot chase was not
made after Commandant Olivier is
that Lord Roberts did not wish TO
wea out the cavalry transport. Cen
eral french lost 1900 horses in the re-
lief of Kimberley and the pursuit OF
General Cronje. Lord Roberts lost
5000 transport cattle at Waterman
Drift, and il is estimated that he has
lost 1000 other animals since the for
ward movement began on February is,
The advance beyond Blocmfontein Is
through u bare country and the sup
ply officers foresec an increasing DIM
Guilty in providing for a great army
moving along "A single line Of railway,
even when the latter is working
smoothly and with ample rolling
stock.
The Canadian mounted rifles were
part of the force that occupied Ken
hard yesterday.
The rebellion throughout the north
west district of Cape Colony is almost
suppressed.
The Gotha will sail today (Satur-
day) with GOO men for st. Helena to
guard General Cronje and 1000 pris-
Oners.
London, April 1.-The reports
that Roberts will remain at Bloom
fontein another month are probably
intended for Boer consumption. The
recent movement of troops and other
Indications point TO preparations be-
ing well advanced for n forward move
ment. The entire silence of cables
this morning is regarded as signifi-
cant.
The fact hat Boer kilograms an
nouncing the bombardment Of Mafe-
king Monday and Tuesday do not
claim any success is accepted as proof
that they met with none and hopes
are entertained that ii may prove to
have been a final effort to reduce the
place before raising the siege. 1t is
now suggested that the apparent i'm
activity of the British at Warrcntown
was merely designed to impress the
Beers with the notion that they were
checking the Mafeking relief column,
which in reality is advancing by n
westward detour. Color Is lent this
view by the announcement that Il col
umn Of 5000 mounted troops com
manded by Colonel Drummond and ac-
companied by three batteries, n pom
toon train and several wagons of am
munition, passed Barkley West March
&c i'm extensive march, the objective Of
which was n strict secret.
DIR. Leyds' Protest.
A dispatch to the Globe from Brus-
sells says:
DIR. Leyds, the diplomatic agent OF
the Transyaal, has drawn the attcn-
ton of the Egyptian and Turkish gov
crnments to the fact that the British
government in the house of commons
has admitted that six maXims were
borrowed from the Egyptian army for
use in the Transvaal war and has de-
manded explanations for this breach
of neutrality, declaring that unless
the runs are Immediately returned
the Transvaal will consider the Egyp-
tian government has abandoned neu-
trality and is lending openly its assist
ancc to Great Britain.
"No reply has been ~vouchsafcd TO
this protest which was dispatched
March 49,"
Ralph Scores the Beers.
The most serious Indictment of the
Beers methods of warfare which has
yet appeared in England comes from
Julian Ralph, the American war COR
respondent, in "a letter from Kimbcr-
ley, published in this mornings Daily
Mail. He says that the two republics
are so only in name, that the Beers
live in filthy huts, that they have
abused the white flag and the Geneva
cross in almost every battle, have loot
ed houses, and befouled the walls of
the homes of the defenseless women
with obscene writings.
Norfolk Going 10 the Front.
The duke of Norfolk has resigned
the Office of postmaster general owing
to the fact that he is going to South
Africa with the Sussex yeomanry.
The Standard, which is an excellent
source of government intelligence,
the marquis of Londonderry will
be appointed postmaster general.
M. Iy A