Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1900-05-16
SOUTH AFRICAN WAR
THIRD STAGE OF THE GREAT
CONFLICT BEGINS.
Lord Roberts Army Now Advancing
Toward Pretoria Beers Fight Stub
s.ornIy, but Are Gradually Forced
Back President Steyn in the Field.

The third great stage of the South At
rican war began when Lord Roberts be-
gan his advance from Bloemfontein to
Pretoria The first stage may be said
to extend from the beginning Of the war
last October to the arrival Of Lord Rob
erts in South Africa. The second in
cludes the relief Of Kimberley, the cap
ture Of Cronje and the occupation Of
Bloeinfontein. And now after long
rest Mt the Free State capital Lord Rob
er,s has entered upon bis third stage,
which has as its goal the capture Of Pre-
.oria. the capital Of the Transyaal.
Before the present British advance the
Beers are falling back in good order TO
some point where the nature Of the
ground viii enable them to oppose their
forces TO greater advantage to the army
OF Gen Roberts Just where the Beers
have elected TO make their stand is I'm
known. bet il is practically certain that
from that point on to Pretoria they viii
dispute every inch Of the way with Lord
Roberts Meantime there is no news
from Natal Gen. Butler might as well
be in India or England 50 far as active
operations are concerned, but doubtless
he is passive By Lord Roberts wish and
will wae, an aggressive campaign when
the proper time comes. The situation at
Mafekinp is unchanged apparently. The
Boars are still besieging it. while the
pill eky garrison still holds out
NJ. crossing of the Zand river by the
British appears to have been effected
sooner than even the most sauguine ex-
pected. Lord Roberts advance force.
consisting of from 10000 10 1900
mounted men, besides infantry, artillery
and the naval cor sent, appears to be
sufficiently erful to oyerwheim any
opposition the burghers can offer,
London finds pleasant reading in the
details of the forcing of the Zand and the
chase of the Beers in the direction of
Kroonstad. The series of turning move
ments devised by Lord Roberts seemed
TO strike CONSERVATION into the hearts
Of the burghers as wing after wing OF
taeir army was shattered by the charges
IT the British cavalry and 'Inted in
fantry The Boer line was e twenty
miles across the country but the best
defensive execution was done by the ar
titiery section of six guns. The East
Lancashire and Sussex regiments, under
Gen. Tucker, made a dash on the Boer
artillerists. and in the face Of a raking
fire from the battery compelled the burgh-
ers to retire This charge completed the
ront Of the Beers Their main trench
was captured and all their positions on
the ridges commanding the advance feD
into the hands of Lord Roberts men.
Tie censorship makes it impossible for
London war experts to figure with cer
tainty what may be Gen. Buffers pro-
gram Gen. Hunters advance north o+
Fourteen Streams with the Mafeking re
lief column has been uninterrupted Ii
will not be surprising to learn that there
has been an important engagement at
Thabanchu, where it is reported that
President Steyn is in command of 10000
Beers Gems. Rumble aud Brabant are
facing this force
L is said that Steyn's division is at
Mequatling's mex This army has been
raised by drawing men from the north
eastern part of the state and from Har-
rismith. lie is also reported to have got
men from the Ladyhrand district The
Beers evidently consider it important to
check the advance of the British into
Seneka, F'icksburg and Bethlehem dis
tricts
The South > erican Review asserts that
member of le 'gislature of Cape Col
ony offered n nne' 10 q man TO shoot Sir
Alfred Miner, ,he British high commits
sinDar