New-York tribune., 1900-04-12
REASSURED BY ROBERTS.
STORY OF ANOTHER DISASTER NOT
CONFIRMED By THE BRITISH
COMMANDER

Copyright 1900: By The New-York Tribunel
IBT CABLE TO THE TRIBUNEl
rondon. April u. / a m.-General Roberts had
not heard anything about g third reverse when
be reported On the situation in the Free State
on Tae-day and again yesterday. and his silence
retuted the rurors Of fresh disaster TO Brit
ish arms His dispatches came through prompt
ly. and this was satisfactory proof that COM
.n,lnications had not been broken of between
f3loemfontein and Cape Town. timorous
croakers had begun TO fear. The Beers had been
scffve for several days, and one commando had
reached Orange River while another had at
lacked the colonial force at wepener, but Gen
eral Roberts was undisturbed. and bent upon
bang his time His dispatch distinctly
assuring ard confirmed the impression that he
regarded the Boer raids below BlOemfontein
Incidents OF small consequence.
The Beers in attacking Wepener and ap
preaching Alival North are repeating. indeed.
their own blunder In making a demonstration
IN force al Colesberg. when General Roberts
was massing his forces against Cronje at Ma
gersfontein General Roberts viii have easier
work in consequence of these operations on the
remote border Of BasutoIand when his army
starts northward for the VaaI River. Mean
while. the colonial garrison of Wepener is hold
ing well. and has lost only ffty-two men
killed and wounded. as far as reported The
garrison az AIiwaI North has been reinforced
TIE artillery fire n Upper Natal is explained
ss the result Of determined effort the part
Of the Beers 10 throw strong force between
The British camp on Sunday River and Lady
smith This attack was easily repulsed with
The help OF the naval guns. The Beers, not the
British. assumed the offensive according TO
General Buffers report. This is important,
fnce an attack by Butler would have been the
tgnal for General Roberts's march northward.
ss the TWO armies viii naturally advance about
he same time General Roberts is determined
nor 70 be hurried, but is awaiting reinforcements
iron the Eighth Division and the completion
q his plans for rendering the railway line alb
soiutely secure.
General Methuen has sent a detailed report of
lis recent engagement without throwing any
fresh light upon it,
Reuters Bloemfontein dispatch be correct,
General Gatacre has resigned the command at
eprlngfontein and is returning 70 England. Cen
ersl Roberts's sharp comments upon Gatacre's
report q the battle Of Stormberg must have
Initiated him. and If there were further strict
1'ss on his policy Of scattering battaIons among
'he towns east Of the railway in the southern
section of the Free State. his withdrawal from
Dae Theatre ~ was a natural result. Six
months ago General Gatacre was considered the
pest soldier among the three division command
Is o. Buffers army corps. and his record for
eaeTgy was based upon wonderful marches in
~AuaI and al Atbara, and Gatacre's appoint
-ent was favored by Lord WolseIey, just as
esiefal MeIhuen's SET down 10 Lord Lans-
~"hes influence and Clery's 10 Buffers prefer
Se Chermside. whose l-shting experience was
'lsuifeo mainly in the Scudan, Is mentioned as
As" civision commander II is probable that
s policy of intrenching BlOemfontein. Spring
-ieih ana other posts slong the railway will
1o'pted IN order 70 release as large q force
possible for the campaign noTthward. The
s'ectlon Of the single track Of railway is indis-
sSoie Tor the supply Of the large British
tnF' and the districts east and west Of II will
'sn 70 shift for themselves when the main
Ss.onnn marches On / N F.