The Ely miner., 1900-04-13
BOERS Capture BRITISH.
Five Companies Forced to Surren-
der Near Bethany After a
Days Fighting.
IRISH FUSlLEERS AMONG THE CAPTURED
Near Kimberley Methuen Surrounds
and Captures Small Body of Beers
Gen. VilIebOis Mareuil Is Killed
-Burghers Trying to Redeem
Promise to Retake BloemfOntein.
Commanders.

London, April 5.-The Boer army is
laying siege to Bloemfontein, where
the greater part of the British forces
in South Africa is now massed, accord
ing to the latest advices from that city.
The dispatches say that the burghers
are closing in on all sides, with the
intention of surrounding the town.
Repcl Two Attacks.
London, April Ga special dispatch
from Lorenzo Marques says sharp
fighting occurred April in the neigh
borhood of Mafeking. The garrison
made sortie, while Gen. Plumer's
cavalry attacked the Beers at Ramath-
labama. Both attacks were repulsed
Twenty of Col. Plumer's men were
found dead on the field and six 9TH
ers were made prisoners. The federal
losses were small.
British Captured.
London, April THE following is
the text of Lord Roberts dispatch to
the war office announcing the capture
of five companies of his troops:
"Bloemfontein Thursday April 5-An-
other unfortunate occurrence has occurred
resulting, fear, in the capture of party
of infantry, consisting of three companies
of the Royal Irish fusiliers and two COM
panies of the Ninth regiment of mounted
infantry, near Reddersburg, little east
ward of Bethany railway station, within
a few miles of this place. They were sur
rounded by a stronger force of the enemy
with four or five guns.
1.-THE detachment held out from noon,
April g. until April 4, nine a. m, and then.
apparently, surrendered, for it is reported
that the firing ceased at that time. I'm
mediately after heard the news, during
the afternoon of April 8, 1 ordered Gatacre
to proceed from Springfontein, his present
! headquarters, to Reddersburg, with all
possible speed, and 1 dispatched the Cam
eron highlanders hence to Bethany. He
arrived at Reddersburg at 1890 yesterday
morning without opposition, but could get
no news of the missing detachment.
There can be no doubt the whole party
has been made prisoners"
Severe Loss to Beers.
The war office has received the fol-
lowing dispatch from Lord Rob
erts dated Bloemfontein Thursday,
April S:
'Methuen telegraphs from Boshof Qn
the Orange Free State, a little northeast of
Kimberley as follows:
Surrounded Gen. Villebois Mareuil and
a body of Beers to-day. None escaped.
Villebois and seven Beers killed, eight
wounded. Fifty prisoners. Our losses
were:
'KILLED-Capts. Boyle and Williams,
both of the yeomanry, and two men of the
yeomanry.
"WOUNDED-About seven men.
1.-The attack lasted four hours. The
corps behaved very we'll Our force was
composed of yeomanry, the Kimberley
mounted corps and the Fourth battery of
artillery"
British Losses Heavy.
It is officially announced that the
British casualties in the Boer ambush
near Sannas Post total up $50, includ-
ing 173 missing.
To Redeem Their Promise.
London, April THE Bloemfontein
correspondent of the Morning Post,
telegraphing Thursday, says: The
Beers are apparently making an at
tempt to redeem their promise to re-
take Bloemfontein. A considerable
force has moved south through Thaba
N'Chu. Gen. Ticker's isolation at
Karee, is more apparent than real,
since the open ground north of Bloem-
fontein offers small opportunity for
Boer tactics. They may possibly en-
gage him to distract attention from
operations elsewhere. Remounts are
anxiously awaited.