The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, March 8, 1900, Page 1

g . & A w3 L) — — LXXXVII—NO. YOLUM ]— 98. SAN FRANCISCO, THURSDAY, MARCH 8, 1900. PRICE FIVE CENTS. AFTER A SHARP BATTLE LORD ROBERTS ~ TURNS SOUTHERN END OF BOER POSITION Had the British Attempted to Follow Up Their First Advantage They Would Have Met Disaster at a Second Line of Entrenchments. During the Fighting on the Banks of the Mod- der River the Attacking Imperial Troops Lose Fifty Men, Including Several Officers.: French’s Cavalry Captures a Gun and Large Quantities of Forage—Retreat Turned Into a Rout by the Pursuing Brigades. SFONTEIN, March 7.—Lord Roberts’ force attacked early this morn- ing. General French turned the southern part of the positicn of the Boers, who fled, leaving a gun and large quantities of forage and their tents. He is now in pursuit. The Boers on the north bank are also evacuating the position. ONDON, March 8.—Lord Roberts has again outflanked the Boers and Free Staters, and they are retreating rapidly to the north and east, closely pursued by a strong force of British cav- alry and horse artillery, while no less than 30,000 infantry are following in their track. For some time Lord Roberts has had a growing commando of Boers intrenched in his front on hoth flanks of the Modder River, about ten miles east of Paardeberg. The strength of this commando has been put at 4000, but as the trenches covered a space of fifteen miles, the number must have been underestimated. The Boers were faced by the Ninth, Seventh and Sixth divisions, while General French with his cavalry was at the last moment brought from the extreme left of the British line to the extreme right, facing the Boer left. The British operations opened with the cavalry working around the Boer left, covering the march of the Sixth Division. The Boers at once fell back to the north and east. The cavalry and horse artillery followed closely, and the Seventh and Ninth divisions and guards brigade also marched in pursuit. The Boers lost one gun, an immense quantity of forage and a number of tents. The retreat has degenerated in a rout. Roberts’ headquarters last night were at Poplars Drift, which is probably eight or ten miles east of Koodoosrand Drift. It is known that President Steyn within the last two or three days has been with this Boer force. He is probably still with it, so that if it can be surrounded he may be captured. The Boer tactics appear to have been elementary in the extreme, for they had no real defense on either of their flanks, although their intrenchments were intricate, while the nature of the country al- lowed the easy progress of the cavalry in whichever direction was deemed advisable. The ease with which Roberts attained his object strongly indicates that the Boers never intended to make a serious stand at this position, and that it was merely a screen to hide their real point of con- centration, or was a device to get the British to display their full strength If either of these suppositions be correct, the Boer designs were successful. From other quarters of the war the reports are favorable to the British, except in the northwestern province of Cape Colony, where the Dutch uprising is setting the Carnarvon district on fire. In Natal Buller is pushing up reconnoitering bodies of troops northward and westward, backed up by reinforcements. Scouts report that there are no Boers on the Natal side of Van Reenans Pass. A still more heavy casualty list has been received from Buller of losses during the last two weeks of February, affording evidence of the determined resistance of the Boers in the final operations for the relief of Ladysmith. The list 1ssued yesterday comprises 123 killed, 575 wounded and 54 missing. Adding these to the returns issued on Monday, it makes a to tal of 1859 for the fortnight named. Altogether, it may be estimated that no less than 6000 British troops were placed hors de combat by the operations of the relief column during the last ten weeks. General Clements has advanced as far as Oorlogspoort River. His next move will be to the Orange River bridge. Gatacre’s mounted infantry has gone to press the retreating Boers, who have two guns in position on Bastards Nek. ROBERTS REPORTS THE ROUT OF THE BOERS. t | " ONDON, March 7.—At midnight the War Office posted the following advices from Lord Roberts: S: I “Poplar Grove, March 7, evening.—We had a very successful day and have completely rout- b24 ed the enemy, who are in full retreat. The position which they occupied was extremely strong and cunningly arranged with a second una of entrenchments which would have caused us heavy loss ¥ had a direct attack been made. “The turning movement was necessarily wide, owing to the nature of the g'round, and the cavalry and horse artillery horses are much done up. «“The fighting was practically confined to the cavalry division, which, uul\n.l did exceedingly well, and General French reports that the horse artillery batteries did great execution among n,. e “Qur casualties are about fifty. I regret to say that Lieutenant Keswick was killed and Lleu- tenant Bailey was severely wounded, both of the Twelfth Lancers. Lieutenant De Krespigny of the Second Life Guards was severely wounded. Remaining casualties will be telegraphed to-morrow. “Generals De Wett and Delarey commanded the Boer forces.” The following was received from Lord Roberts earlier in the day: “QSFONTEIN, March 7, 4:30 p. m.—Our operations to-day promise to be a great success. The enemy occupied a position four miles north and eleven miles south of the Modder River. I placed Gen- eral Colville’s division on the north bank and General Kelly-Kenny’s and Tucker’s division, with cav- alry, on the south bank. The cavalry division succeeded in turning the enemy’s left flank, opening a road for the Sixth division, which is advancing without being obliged to fire a shot up to the present time. The enemy are in full retreat toward the north and east. They are beirig closely followed by cavalry, horse artillery and mounted infantry, while Tucker’s division, Colville’s Ninth division and the Guards brigade, under Pole-Carew, are making their way across the river at Poplars Dfl!t, where I propose to place my headquarters this evening. “QOur casualties will, I trust, be few, as the enemy were quuupr-p.ndm-m-ww the flank and having their communications with Bloemfontein threatened.” RS00000000000000054008 SH00000000000000000000000: Jm R e e e T i e AR 0000 A T AR A A AT A 0. 0. 4 the probability of war. P likely to produce bad blood. taken at a disadvantage. and more will be sent shortly. cial answered: avolds a contest for supremacy. ARIS, March 7.—An extreme tension exists in the Angl An important officlal, who posse disposition is too evident to be misunderstood. them, though Isolated, to maintain a long campaign. General Gallien, who will deal with any expedition England may send against them. ““We don't mind the publication of the *act. caution and are now quite prepared to meet her hostilliy. France Is ready for any RUSHING REINFORCEMENTS TO GENERAL JOUBERT. From all points in the Transvaal and Orange Free State every man and boy able to handle a rifle, whose presence is not absolutely necessary elsewhere, is hastening to the nearest station to take the train for Winburg, where the Commander in Chief of the Republican armies is preparing to resist Lord Rob- erts’ further advance, and where a great, but not necessarily decisive, battle may be looked for at an early day. Not a few women are to be found in the Boer ranks. Special Dispatch to The Call. flmflwmwfl#flflfiwfl**&wfl%% 'r @vesedese e oo @w+m%mmfl+o—o—owflfl+&flflfl&‘ FRANCE PREPARED TO FIGHT GREAT BRITAIN rench relations, and French official circles are considering ses the, confidence of the Ministry, day that it would be useless to longer deny the fact that Great Britatn aims at attacking France. been evident some time that the English press was obeying instructions in making the most of every trifling offense glven by the French press, while ignoring the graver insults from the press of other countries. Britain's late preparations are known to be solely directed against France. met with a corresponding precautionary step by France. dispute, but moderation, though apparently -all the moderation was wasted in England’s present temper. preparing for years, and Is now ready to resist British aggression. The correspondent remarked these were mme'lha.l startling statements and added he did not wish to cable anything told a correspondent to- He added it had Moreover, all of Every step England has taken has been It was not weakness that made the French yield in the Fashoda France has been The diplomatist in reply said: “I have put the case none too strong. Remember we do not wish for war, but England's Consequently we have made all necessary precautions to avoid being Stores and ammunition have been accumulated In the colonies in sufficient quantities to enable There are 30,00 white troops in Tonquin and 50,000 in Algeria, under In Madagascar there are nearly 10,000, These will occupy strateglc positions from which the whole British army will be unablé to move them. Everything is ready and we can now fold our arms awalting England’s first move.’ The correspondent again said he hated to send news of this character, lest it prove mischievous, whereupon the offi- Realizing England's public opinion, we have taken every pre- eventuality and courts rather than Publication will do more good than harm. English opinion has misunderstood French moderation, and you had better acquaint it with the true state of the case. The French fleet possesses safe refuges, from which, the opportunities offering, it will be able to cover movements against England's weak points, known, should war be declared. Stranger things have happened than seeing the tri-color in London and Cairo. Remember, however, we do not wish for war unless it is forced on us, but once forced we will give a sood account of ourselves.” which are perfectly RETREAT OF THE BOERS WAS DUE TO'A MISTAKE BOER CAMP, BIGGERSBERG, Satur- day, March 3.—The Federals have, fallen back on the Biggersberg chain that crosses Natal south of Dundee. The re- treat from Ladysmith was due to the mis- take of a certain commandant, in ordering his men to retire from the key of the posi- tion without any reason for the move. On the receipt of bad news from the Modder River Wednesday it was resolved to send the wagons back to Biggersberg, and soon long strings of ox wagons lined the roads. Over a thousand wagons took the west- erly route to the laager southwest of Ladysmith. Another convoy was sent to the foot of the Drakensberg. A large number of tents captured from the Brit- ish ‘at Dundee and also -the ammunitiion were abandoned. The chief difficulty wis in dismounting “Long Tom."” The Boers were independent of the rail- way, as is shown by the fact that not one of their 2000 wagons went by rail. All traveled by road, together with the field batteries. Only the heavy guns, the in- fantry and wounded went by rail. When the last train had left Elandslaagte a workmen’s train followed, carefully blow- ing up every bridge and culvert between Ladysmith-and Glencoe, and when this had been done setting fire to the Elands- laagte colleries. Thus the British, with Natal's southmost collferies in their hands, are unable to draw supplies therefrom. Unmmnwmmtmmm llieries sending lurld flames to heaven, t.hl buuocl wagons wound over the hills, where before none existed, and the four months’ siege of u‘{:‘“ was raised. Itis hnpo-lblo as yet to give the burgher casualties, owing to the dis- organization of the ambulance service and the circumstances of the retreat. . COST OF THE FINAL RELIEF OF LADYSMITH LONDON, March 7.—Another list of the casualties sustalned by General Buller's forces from February 14 to February 27 shows: Killed, 123; wounded, 573; missing, 54. Of these the losses of the Inniskiliings were as follows: Killed, 54; wounded,162; miss- ing, 22. Dublin Fusillers—Killed, 15; wounded, 97; 1nissing, 18. Connaught Rangers—Killed, 19; wounded, 105; miss- ing, 8. Royal Irish Fusiliers—Killed, 11; wounded, 63; missing, 28. Scots Fusillers —Kllled, 18; wounded, 68; missing, none. With the list of casualties issued Mon- day this makes the total cost to the rank and file in the final rellef of Ladysmith 1859 men. (g b BRITISH TROOPS HAVE INVADED THE TRANSVAAL LONDON, March 7.—A special dispatch from Durban says a flylng column of Brit- ish troops from Zululand has entered the ‘Transvaal, and has been daily skirmishing with small parties of Boers. ' The force consists of mounted infantry, Natal -emm and artillery, all commanded by Prendergast. = The column first cmod the border on February 28. . It now occuples an intrenched position on Catasa Hill, nive miles within the Trans- DECISIVE BATTLE * IS NOW IMMINENT LONDON, March 8—A dispatch to the Times from Modder River, 8ated yester- day, says: ‘“The Boers occupy an extensive portion between ourselves and both Bloemfon- tein and Winburg. They include the bulk of the Natal forces and are under Gen- eral Joubert himself. Only sufficlent men have been left behind to hold Van Ree- nans Pass and Laings Nek. Extensive desertions are reported during the trek. “An engagement is imminent which probably will be decisive as to the whole war.” STUDENTS BREAK UP A “STOP-THE-WAR” MEETING EDINB[’RGB. March 7.—A “stop the war” meeting, ion to which was regulated by ticket, was held In this city this evening. J.ong before the hour fixed for the meeting university students se- cured possession of the hall. It is sald that 600 gained entrance by counterfeit tickets and the audience was so unruly that the doors were barricaded inside and outside. James Keir Hardfe, chairman of the Independent Labor party and editor of the Labor Leader, endeavored to speak, but all to no purpose. Finally he an- nounced that the principal speaker, Cronwright Schreiner, was outside. - The meeting was thereupon abandoned mm.rmotm-nd-mnmm andl&“mtm Nm arTests were made, A man w identity has not been rS «ow»«—o—o—w'«o%—w&*a +0 000t 6 R B I ] o | learned was beaten severely outside the hall by the crowd, under the impression that he was Cronwright Schreiner. He | fainted, fell and was trampled upon. Ulti- | mately he was rescued, insensible, by the police. The students finished the anti- | peace demonstration by parading through the principal streets. | USELESS SLAUGHTER | DUE TO BULLER'S TACTICS | LONDON, March 7.—The aftermath of | Splon Kop brings countless criticisms | from correspondents at the front. Ben- | nett Burleigh in the Telegraph writes: “You can rely upon it that no one more tthan General Buller deplores the mistake | which led to the foolish evacuation of that | key of the Boer position. When the gen- | eral retreat was ordered Buller waited by | the single, part pontoen. part trestle | bridge untfl everybody was got safely | across. The day previous he had critically trt4xnmlned the positions held upon the | left, and had been repeatedly under the fire of the snipers. | of the generals and several of his staft | had to get him to retire behind cover, as | they thought he was unnecessarily risk- | ing’ himselt.” | The Globe’s correspondent is particu- | larly bitter about Spion Kop. “No one | knows,” he writes “who gave the order to | retire: the whole business is inexplicable. | We met a staff officer on the way: he asked us what we were doing: we knew nothing of the order, but presumed we had better continue on our road. And so . We gave a victory. The whole of War- vision had retired. Call it what you like, it is a sad and deplorable busi- | ness. There is no explanation: no one was | more surprised at our action than the Boers themselves; indeed. their officers openly expressed thefr surprise to doctors. | If, owing to some unknown reason, it was really necessary to take Spion Kop (al- though it was said to be decided weeks ago that it would be an act of folly to at- tempt to do so), why give it up after sacrificing so many lives to take ft? It is a question which will have to be answered very soon. A well planned strategical movement was to be carried out, and | every onme felt satisfied that it would be | successful. In the middle of it the whole | plan s abandoned, and troops are de- | tailed from all sides to perform a hercu- | 1ean task, fraught with danger and disas- trous in results.” Bennett Burleigh relates this grewsome incident, which includes a serious instnua- tion against the Boers:.. “The colonial - imperfal lght infantry went’ into action upon Splon Kop at 9 a. m. and remained upon the mountain i1 8 p. m. Out of S0 men they had thir- ty-nine killed and ninety wounded. Most of these volunteers were Outlanders, and at least six of them, whose bodies were afterward recovered. had been clubbed to death by the Boers.” CAPE DUTCH ACTIVE ON'THE PEACE QUESTION CAPE TOWN, March 7.—A great move- ment is In progress among the Cape Dutch to obtain a settlement of the South -African question- consistent ' with the maintenance of the independence of the republics. It is doubtless argued that the Dutch, having remained loyal, are en- titled to a hearing at the settlement. The argument would have more force if the Dugch had not risen In every district where there was a reasonable chance of success, and it is certain that the whole British community and the actively loyal Dutch are opposed to any settlement short of annexation. A proposal has been made by a depu- tation of the Dutch party to visit Eng- land shortly In the Interest of peace. The remainder of the Canadian artillery has gone to the front. Squadrons A and B of Kitchener's Horse, that were Indeed, at least one - ed missing, have returned to clm ey were cut ou with !qu.dmn E on 13, but they e although l lou their way .fl.vrv-rd on the veldt. ron E are pmonen at Pretoria. DETERMINED TO FIGHT TO THE LAST MAN LONDON, March 7.—A. G. Hales, the News correspondent. who was cap- tured by the Boers and recently re- leased, sends the following from Sterk- stroom Camp: “When a prisoner at Bloemfonteln I had an Interview with Steyn, President