The sun. (Wilmington, Del.) 1897-19??, 1901-06-25
.BOER FORCES GROWING.
A Budget Of News Of the South
:, Africa War.
BRITISH OUTLOOK GLOOMY,
London Newspapers Informed by
Correspondents That the situa-
ton Has Not Improved Since
the First of May.

: London, June "a. - Whatever may
have been the extent of the gradual
attrition of the Boer forces and re-
sources and the consequent improve.
ment of the British position in South
Africa during the past month, the gen
eral situation has been so little altered
since the end of May that reports sent
by English correspondents may prob
ably be taken TO represent the condit
tion of affairs now as accurately as
when they left Cape Town. The CORE
spondent of The Daily Mali at Cape
Town sends a statement that is calcu-
lated to dispiiit the most optimistic
Englshman il it can be regarded as
well founded. The letter was written
about three weeks ago. The CORE
spondent of The Mail says:
'.'rhe Boer invasion of Cape Colony
Is developing in rather serious man
ner The Boer bands are getting re-
cruits, and what is more, they are
getting horses. They picked up no
fewer tlwn 800 at the remount camp
near Colesberg less than a week ago.
The invaders are swarming all over the
eastern and midlands districts. They
number anywhere from 1000 to 10000
and are having a merry time. They
wreck trains, kill colonists and play
havoc generally"
Recording the capture and sacking
of Jamestown by the invaders, this cor
respondent says the amazing feature
of the incident is that jamestown is
comparatively close TO Aliwal North,
where there We're 5000 British troops
and an abundance of guns and trans
ports. He continues.
"A glance at the map will show that
n large portion of the colony is vir-
tually in the hands of the enemy. From
Dorflrecht to Willowmore and across to
Kenhardt and on to Namaqualand the
Boer is the man in possession.
Great Decentralization.
THE slow progress Of the campaign
from the British point of view causes
deep dissatisfaction. The authorities
allow next to no news to be published
and it is only by interviewing recent
arrivals from the front that one can
get any real conception of what is tax
ing place"
Tie correspondent of The Standard.
writing from Pretoria under date of
May 80. speaks III almost as gloomy
vein in regard to the operations Of
General Sir Bind0n Blood in the north,
east 1'ransyaal. He says:
General Hoods movement cannot
fairly be regarded rs having proved
that III the main the intention was al
together ahortye."
This is faint praise bestowed on the
operations. while the correspondent ad.
mits further on that if the primary Oh
ject was to inclose commandant Gen
eral Botha il was frustrated at the
very outset
After describing the scheme which
alone seemed 10 offer hope Of success
the correspondent writes: "Infortu
natelH. We 10 not appear TO have troops
available for so huge il movement
Quite 610U1 men, half Of them mount
Cd infantry and cavalry would he ~
aured 10 cover HE vast area described
Where the two hundred ANA forty thou
sand odd men now in South Africa AZ
distributed II Il mystery 10 all eXceI
those 1T headquarters But the emo
nous extent Of country now held Il,
MS, the large number Of posts ana tn
very extensive lines Of communicate
which il Is necessary 10 maintain am
the military operations from one en-
Of the country 10 the other donbtlps.
explain the paucity of men ayalabh
for action on Il large scale Lord IIitcl.
ciier might have l0O0on additional mo-
~ his disposal and yet have. none ID.
many 10 spare for mobile work"