The daily news., 1900-04-11
FIERCE BATTLE Is
RAGING AT WEpENER
Fighting Severe and Lasted
All Of Monday.
CASUALTIES WERE HEAVY

BOcr>' Nicker-Maxim Did Great Exc
on-Bombardmcnt Of Mafckins.
Last Effort Making to Reduce Tow IL.
Fighting ~ Other Points.
LONDON, April IO.-The Beer attack
on General Brabant's force at Weprner
was resumed again at dawn today. The
enemy attack on TWO or three sides on
Monday lasted until 2,3D o'clock in the
afternoon. when the firing ceased, and
/; was believed that the enemy had been
beaten off, but il was announced this
morning from Aliwalnorth that the
fighting had again begun.
General Brabant's force, numbering
from 1000 t. 1000, hold positions in a
rough COUNT Il Is not known what
the numerical strength Of the Beers i,
bat whatever it may be, it is being rap
idly augmented. \ body of 1000 Beers
is marching toward Springfontein from
Smithfiald, between Wepener and
Springfontein The defamation of heavy
guns was heard at MaSeEU on Monday.
Sir Godfrey Lagden, the British resident
commissioner Of Basutoland, has left
Maseru for the border.
The events in the southeast portion of
the Free State have caused the Eighth
division, which had been ordered 10
Fourteen Streams, to be dispatched TO
Springfonteln.
MYSTERIOUS movements OF troops at
BlOemfontein are proceeding. The news
paper correspondents are not allowed To
telegraph their destinations and the pre-
sumption is that Lord Roberts Is making
q disposition to cut off the raids Of the
Boer forces when they try 20 withdraw
northward from the pursuing British
columns.
War Feeling In Free State.
The reappearance of the Beers III the
occupied country kaS caused revival OF
the warhke feeling among the Free
Staters Of the FaUresnith and Philip
polls districts. The federal agents are
busy getting details Of the surrendered
Beers, and owing 10 the British garri
sons beiug withdrawn from these dis
tricts the British residents are dnra.
and have sent delegates TO Springfon-
tein 10 ask for help. They were told
that steps for their defense would be i'm
mcdiatcly taken.
The Beers are reported to have ven
tured TO the Biggarsberg and to be post
ing heavy guns 4 miles north of Glands
laagte. They are also said to have fOrti-
fed the vicinity of Vessels Mex
The war Office proposes to land at
Cape Town before the end of May 20, 900
horses, which will be conveyed there in
% steamers sailing from New Orleans,
Buenos Ayres and Australian ports.
The Westminster Gazette hkeus the
British campaign TO 1.-THE fruitless series
of campaigns in which the large discip-
lined armies Of Spein sought 10 crush
the Cuban insurrectiOn, adding.
"Of course our troops far excel in valOr
and discipline the conscript armies Of
Spain and the climate is in our favor,
but our enemies equally excel the ragged
levies of the Cuban insurgents"
The Leader says:
The reports from BOer as well as
from British sources of our reverSeS near
the BleemfOntein railway are truly LAM
entable. They show a distinct lack Of
care and leading.
In the face of surprise we seem ut
terly without resource except reliance
on pluck. That is a safe card to play,
but a costly one.
Lions led by asses was an old de
scripdon of the British army, but it was
thought the British had learned some
thing Of late years in the ranks. What
light does this war throw upon that
possibility"
A dispatch from Ahwalnorth says an
engagement took place yesterday at
WepeneT. The Beers Nickcrs- Maxim
did considerable execution at first, but
the British guns soon got the rpnge and
did great havoc. The Rouxville com
mando has gone to Wepener.
The fighting was severe and lasted all
day long. The Beers received a check.
The casualties were rather heavy on
both sides. Another commando is ad-
vanciug toward Wepener from Dewett's
dorp.
Heavy fighting was continued at We
pener this Tuesday morning. The re-
suit Is unknown. Three BOer com
mandoS are attacking the town.
Bombardment Of Mafeking.
News has been received of the ad-
var. af the Sn-tI.ru ~rlinf column to-