Jasper County Democrat, Volume 3, Number 5, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 May 1900 — ROBERTS CROSSES THE VET. [ARTICLE]

ROBERTS CROSSES THE VET.

Campe at Sinaldeel, XVhilc Gen. Hamilton Occupies Winburir. Lord Roberts’ march on Pretoria still continues. The British field marshal, with eleven divisions, encamped Monday at Smaideel. The occupation of this village was accomplished after some clever maneuvering, which resulted only in nominal casualties on the British side. The capture of Winburg by the British is confirmed. By the occupation of Winburg Gen. lan Hamilton puls himself nearly parallel with Lord Roberts, and only twenty-nine miles eastward, while he has the additional advantage of being connected with his chief by means of the ruilroad which runs from Smaideel,, or Winburg road station, as it is sometimes called, to Winburg. The only feature of the carefully devi’sed plan of general advance that is not disclosed by the swift developments is that part Gen. Buller has elected to take in the operations. At present there are no indications of any movement on the part of the Natal army. Two guns are said to have been captured by Gen. Hamilton, while Gen. Hutton's troops took a Maxim and twentyfive prisoners at Smaideel. The Boers are represented ns fleeing toward the Zand river, in the direction of Kronstad. Lord Roberts appears to intend to leave the Boers about Thabanchu to be dealt with by Gens. Rundle, Chermside and Brabant. It is hinted that the British commander of the forces in South Africa wishes to demonstrate that hescan cope with the main Boer army along the Orange Free State railway with only a fragment of his whole force. Londoners are severely criticising the Government because of its failure to grasp the seriousness of the Ashanti rebellion. It is declared that the Government is deliberately minimizing the gravity of the situation in order to avert n general clamor for heroic measures to suppress the uprising.