New-York tribune., 1900-12-24
BOER RAIDERS CHECKED.
KITCHENER REPORTS ON SOUTH AFRI-
CAN OPERATIONS.
MOVEMENTS OF THE TWO BODIES OF IN
VADERS-FRENCH AND CLEM-
ENTS FIGHTING

London, Dec 23.-The War Office has received
the following dispatch from Lord Kitchener
dated Pretoria, December %:
So far as it is possible for to form an
opinion from the reports of officers the spot,
think the Boer movement into Cape Colony
has been checked OF the two forces that en-
tered the colony the eastern is still north of the
Zoutpansberg Range, while the one that en-
tered west appears to have been turned in the
direction of Britstown and Prieska- Our troops
are getting around both bodies, and a special
column is also being organized. which will be
dispatched Immediately when know where its
services most wanted
The Beers have not received much assistance
in Cape Colony, far as my information goes.
We have armed some OF the colonlsts' VINO are
assisting our forces. Railway and telegraph
communication has been much interrupted by
the very bad weather.
De Wet is in the neighborhood of Senekal.
General French in conjunction with General
Clements, attacked a force under BeyerS south
Of the Magaliesberg. The Beers broke away IN
a southwesterly direction toward Potchefstroom,
and followed by General Gordon with a
column of French's force.
Yesterday evening about hve o'clock Siem
Mex, but do not yet know the result
A later dispatch from Lord Kitchener. dated
Pretoria, December %. says:
The western column of Beers occupied Brits-
town and cut the railway south or DE Aar juno
tion. The enemy is being followed up.
General French has been in contact for two
days with the commanders of Beyers and De-
larey south of the Magaliesberg. He is pur-
suing them. The enemy have lost CONSIDERABLY,
and Commandant Kreuse and others have been
General Colvile engaged two separate com
rnandoes on December 21 near Vlakfonteia, with
slight losses, the enemy retiring.
London, Dec 24.-Lord Kitchener's dispatches,
breathing a confidence hardly justified by their
contents are almost the only available news
from the seat of hostties in South Africa, but
| kilograms from Cape Town depict the situation
| in anything but roseate views.
Without believing the assertion Of the Trans
vaaI agency in Brussels that six thousand Beers
have invaded Cape Colony, it is quite evident
that the invasion was serious and well planned
affair. In connection with this correspondent
sends an extremely interesting letter, dated
Bethulie December l. describing General De
Wet and his doings He says:
De Wet has never been taken seriously enough.
It is of little use to pursue him, as he fights a
| rear guard action and gains twenty miles whIe
he is being fought. He is a porn nnllilary genus
| whose wonderful powers have kept up TINS phe-
nomenal resistance.
once he fails, the whole thing could be crushed
in a fortnight He has every single commando
under his supervision. All his patrols ana
columns march and countermarch on his order
The forces under his command have been re-
duced by his strength of VIII to properly OF
ganized army, moving at his word The sooner
the British rid themselves of the idea that DE
Vets forces are a mere rabble, wandering AIM
Iessly the sooner they will grasp the need or the
| determined effort which is necessary TO capture
him.
The Cape Colony Cabinet had an important
sitting yesterday Sunday. 1t appears that the
| Beers have destroyed a railway bridge ninety
| feet long about twelve miles south of De Aar
| and that no Cape mails have arrived at Bioem-
| fonten for three days.
Further anxiety has been caused in cape TOWN
by the discovery that during the last two months
| public bodies in out of the way places nave
| reausitioned supplies of dynamite The Colo
| NAL Government is now endeavoring to recover
| possession of these explosives and is removing
all stores of arms and ammunition from sus-
| pected depots.
Other advices from Cape Town represent the
| Dutch element in Cape Colony as greatly elated
| over the southwark progress of the Beers ana
as boasting that the whole district or Vlctor1a
| West will join the raiders. 1t is suspected IN
| Cape Town that the force travelling from Zout-
pans Drift is not body of Beers, out one OF
colonials. Fastening to join the invaders
The Pietermaritzburg correspondent or Ihe
Daily Mail" says
The Beers are active between johannesburg
and Pretoria, exchanging shots with the BTlush
outposts and It is reported that partles OF boeIs
To1oa