The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1900-03-30
RUMORED DEFEAT OF BADEN
POWELL.
Plumers Force is Stated to be Fifty
Miles From the Besieged Town-Very
Contradictory Reports.

| NEW YORK, March %, a. ma
Sun cable from London says: Com
mandant Snyman's tactics, aiming to
defeat Colonel Plumer's relieving force
! before 1t is able to cooperate with the
British besieged at Mafeking, have rem
] dered more acute the interest in the
operations which center in Colonel Ba-
! den POwelPs gallant defense of the
town. Public interest here to learn the
result, cannot yet be gratified, as even
the most sanguine British reports leave
matters in an indecisive state, while
Boer accounts speak of British defeat.
The rumor that Mafeking itself had
been relieved was again abroad last
night but the War Office at midnight
| declared that it was unable to confirm
the report. The Daily News, however
asserts that the foundation for the ru-
NOR is much less flimsy than that of
previous reports. 1t says it has good
authority for stating that a telegram
reached the War Office in the course
of yesterday positively announcing the
relief Of the town, but the department
| is unwilling to issue 1t until it shall be
| confirmed, because the form of the mes
sage admitted the possibility of mis-
| taken Interpretation. The News adds
that the telegram included a statement
that the intelligence was conveyed by
scout who met the British force adj
vancing from the south.
| 1t seems certain that Mafeking's only
chances lies in relief by the column sup
/ posed to be advancing from the south.
or in the possibility that Colonel Ba-
! den-PoWell is still strong enough to at
| tempt sortie with a view Of captur-
ing the Boer guns at time when Com
mandant Snyman has Withdrawn his
men to oppose Colonel Plumer's adj
vance.
KROdNSTADT, Orange Free state,
! Tuesday, March 20, via Pretoria, March
22.-TheI Beers commanded by General
! Olivier have engaged the British troops
under General Gatacre in the vicinity
heavy loss and capturing many of them.
| BurgherS are arriving her in great
General Dewet arrived here today
Desultory fighting with Colonel Plum
er's column has occurred near Gaber-
ones. 2t
LoBATsI Friday, March 16.-The
Beers under Commandant Snyman are
! advancing in force from Mafeking to-
ward Lotatsi. Colonel Doodle made a
reconnaissance on March IS and found
Pitsani and Pothlugo occupied by the
Beers. He returned to Goode Siding
and made a demonstration on March a.
He found the Beers in strength at a
sharp curve on the railroad. They had
mounted a gun on the line and were
lying in wait for the construction train.
A brisk firing occurred a few miles
south of Lobatsi on the morning of the
18th. The Beers Maxim was freely
used. Colonel Doodle came in touch
with the Beers just in time to prevent
the camp being surprised. The Beers
attacked the advance party and cap
tured a few boxes of ammunition and
nearly secured a Maxim. Lieutenant
NNrle 1aI
man captured.
Colonel Doodle coming up, put tho
Beers to fight with a heavy loss.
The Beers yesterday were within q
few miles of Lobatsi. Yesterday after.
noon the Beers pressed closely on Col
onel Plumer's main camp and kept up {
hot fire with a Maxim, killing a white
man and a native. They placed th1
Man m and a twslve and a half poundel
on a hill on the east side of the line
1000 yards from the camp. The British
right is protected by Chief Bathcon
, who has warned the Beers not to ente
his territory.
; Colonel Plumer's present endeavor 4
to insure the safety of the railway nortl
of Uobatsi and to watch well the lef
flank. 1t is probable that before tn
Beers retreat toward Pretoria they vii
tackle the Rhodesians in force.
It is reported that the burghers ar
abandoning the envlrons of Mafekins
leaving only sufficient number of ar
tillerists to man the big guns. Their
are none at Ramathlabam, where the
were supposed to have their base. Colo
mel Plumer's scouts We're ait Ramathla
bam yesterday The usual Mafekin
Ydispatches are overdue. but no anxiet
is felt on that score Dynamite explo
sions, wreclSing the railway, are pro
ceeding south of Lobatgi.