The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-02-15
LonD Rosxnrs ON TIE Movr.

ynnn DnpRprs nv THE MOVE
-
Lord Roberts has A. length begun his opera
tIons for tho rslief NJ Kimberley In the manner
Anticipated Yesterday. comprehensive turn
ING movement commenced on Monday by
the seizure Of Dekils Drift on the Riet River
ives, Of Janobsdnh, nv Gen. French whose name
appears for ina ar,t time AZ being In command
Of the mounted division formed from the regu-
lar CA ynlry and mounted Colonial contineents
with horse artillery. Gen. French appears
to have moved on Tuesday from Dekils Drift
ON 10 Kiln Drift twenty-five miles distant
on the Modder River with the main body oil his
force, having sept one Of his three brIgades to
make n fslnt al Rondeyal Drift, four N lilies west
Of Kip Drift. Rondeval Drift was seized. as
also a drift between It and Kip Drift. The
force that crossed at tho latter occupied the
hills north OF tho Moddor River. capturing
three OF the Boer laaeers: the brigade sent 10
Rondeval Drift Ia reported TO have captured
two others. From the description given OF
Gen. French's movements their rapidly ap-
pears to have taken the Beers by sur
prise. as no fighting OF any consequence
seems TO have taken place, and the capture OF
80 many Of their camps seems to Indicate that
the commandos to which they belonged were
absent in some other direction. The sixth In
fantry Division was at Waterfall on the north
aide OF the Riot River. moving up In support OF
the cavalry. ard the Seventh Division was al
Dekils Drift ready to go forward. No details
are yet TO hand OF the composition ofthese new
organizations. there having been apparently q
complete dislocaion OF the old commands ana
a general reorganization for the special work
Just undertaken.
The trying character OF the marching - IL
lustrated by the fact that the nrst day 'our
officers and nfty-thrse men had to be sent
back In OK wagons to the railway. prostrateu
by heat exhaustion.
Tho object OF this new movement Is ap.
parently to gain possession Of the direct road
from Jucobsdahl to Kimberley. 80 avoiding the
strongly fortified Boer positions on 'he
originally iptcnded line Of march from
| Modder River Camp. The distance OF Kip
Drift. where Gen, French has crossed the
Modder River. to Kimberley II ABOUT
twenty miles. and there Is no 70
lead to the belief that the Beers have any III
trenched positions on that road except their
WORKS Immediately round Kimberley. Assum-
ing that the immediate objective OF Ten
| French Is Kimberley. there Is no reason why
the relief OF that place should not be enecteu
in the next day or two. unless the boor Cen
eral Is able to recover from tho hrst surprise
and has tho force TO arrest the FORWARD
march OF the British column.
The Beers that have been holding the POSI-
tions between the Modder River Camp and
Kimberley are now entirely cut of from their
| communications with Jacobsdahl. from where
| they derived the bulk OF their supplies. and II
they do not succeed In arresting Gen, Frenchs
advance. will have to retire to the westward
and leave the way open for a movement M the
railway line from Modder RIVER camp 10 MINI
berley. Tho reported expulsion OF the loyal IN
habitants from Barkly West was probably car
ried out in view OF the possible abandonment OF
the Investment OF Kimberley: and should II De
unable to return into the Free state south o.
Kim berlev. Gen. Cronie's force must fall back
\. ~ ,o,a ,rom RadIoY 70
70 tne northwest w .ne ioa, '"
Barkly West across the Wal River. or rounn 10
tho por,b n, Kim herlev n the British mounted
troops are not ahead OF It.
The flrst impression resulting from a careiu