New-York tribune., 1900-04-01


fBy CABLE TO THE TRIBUNE.l
AnrtI1 la m.-The details OF General
I",.a-,s clearance of the kopjes in front of the
.D..,st nositions confirm the impression that the
D. we're not making a serious attempt TO
- General Roberts's army. They had sent
ard - an advance guard TO intimidate the
obs-s ,tho were either surrendering their
- returning to their farms and to enable
- stevn 10 keep up appearances as a Presi-
~ ~. With republic behind him. General
- found an inferior force intrenched and
,noa the battle in good style. Artillery fire
=. r,sssed upon the Boer positions and the
.,-v brigades were sent around on the tanks.
-, roers hardly waited long enough TO enable
o-,sral Tucker to carry out these scientific evo-
,n.,o,s They fell back upon the main laager
prorsfort and according TO General Rob
Is second message, are retreating still fur
= Press dispatches serve TO indicate that
=. aesl Of military mechanism was required
Gov crushing few flies.
-, british outpOsts have now been advanced
..-r.-a Brandfort and the burghers in the cen
-, districts Of the Free State have been warned
-. resistance is hopeless. The casualties on
.ho British side were about one hundred and
.avsntv with a large proportion of wounded.
,svard Kipling was one Of the spectators Of
.be hattie and the Colonials displayed great
gallantry
otherwise there is little news from the theatre
=, war. There are details Of Colonel Bethunes
movement toward Helpmakaar, which is now
ssscrtbed as reconnaissance in force. There
is also an Official dispatch from Colonel Baden
Powell. giving an encouraging account of the
health of the garrison and reporting that the
SUPPLIES Of food ana ammunition are holding
out. The correspondents reports are naturally
eolored by the intense eagerness Of the garri-
son 10 be released from investment which has
become a terrible bore. Baden-Powell is a SOL
6ier whose fortitude is proof against the ennui
Of a protracted siege and whose motto is Pa
tence" His talent for versatility is illustrated
bv his experiments in finance. He has intro
duced a paper money system in the Mafeking
district and is highly pleased with the result.
The facility with which the Boer outposts
have been driven back from the front of Tuck
ers division is proof that General Roberts will
not have much difficulty IN turning the enemy's
positions and marching on to Pretoria. His
delay is inexplicable the public here. although
the confidence in him is so strong that nobody
thinks Of criticising his arrangements. Two
facts serve 10 explain the inaction of his army.
One is the climate. On the edge of q South
African winter, while the days are warm there
is a rapid fall Of temperature after sunset, and
a lack Of thick clothing and underwear exposes
the men 10 pneumonia. General Roberts knows
this and is waiting for a fresh equipment of
clothing for his soldiers. Second, the conversion
Of BloeInfontein into advanced base of supply
for an army of sixty thousand men re-
qnres time. Remounts for a third cavalry
force are needed, according to private letters
from the front, and forage for the future opera
tins OF the cavalry is Indispensable when the
grass is disappearing from the veldt. General
Roberts is clearly waiting until he can be thor
oughly prepared for another strategic move
nent. / NF