The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1900-03-20
WILL B0ERS
SURRENDER?
Kruger Said to Have Re-
marked that Ills Army
Could Not Hold Out
Another Month.

| London, Tuesday, March 20. With tho
exception OF an account of a small skir-
| risk at Fourteen Springs on Saturday, no
| nows reached London yesterday Of any
| fighting in South Africa,
1t appears that II strong force is to be
| placed at Lord Mcthuen' $ disposal which
| 1t is not thought will be used for The re-
| lief If Ma'eking, for a column from KIM
berley is already keeping the Beers en-
plLyed to the south while from the north
PIumer is still making his way south.
H. Is considered probable that Methuen's $
force is to make II simultaneous advance
with that of Roberts by way Of Klerks-
dnrp. Potchoistroom and krugersdorp TO
Johannesburg, partially following tho
route Of the jameson expedition.
Tho LadFsmith garrison should be
ready for work about the beginning of
April. General Butler win then have II
force of four infantry divisions and one
calvary division. besides q largo number
of colonial and mounted infantry, in all
about 4o,00) men and 10 guns and will
be stronger than the whole Boer army
now loft.
His tas.; will be to turn the B,ggarsberg
and advncb direct upon the Trausyaal,
occupying the attention of IL large number
OF Beers while Roberts moves en- Pretoria
BY that time Roberts will have been rr.nn
forced by Ciementa, GataCre and Brabant.
and will have about $1,000 men aud zoo
guns.
With the country to the roar paciied,
with u railway running direct to Cnpe
Town. Port Elizabeth ard East London
aciiatiDg the transport service, the ad-
vance may be exceedingly rapid.
Aitug ether it Is considered that lord
Wolscleys's reported forecast hat tho
British troops will reach Pretoria by the
middle of May may bo justified. The dis
tance by railway from B!oemfonten to tho
Transraal capital is about 800 miles. Sc
riuuS resistance is not expected south Of
ii n5tnd, AS the railway in that noish-
burnouu has been destroyed by tho
Freu Statcrs. Allowing fol commanders
lott to oppose Builers and Beers, it is calcu
latod cannot tuce Roberts Nth more than
10000 men.
Free S'atcrs continue to surrender All
dispatches state that they are acquiescing
in the change Of government AID return
ing to their farms. Tho war seems prac-
tcnlly ended SO far as Steyn's feloW-citi-
zeDs are concerned
l,cpurls from America thai the halliger-
enls may be asked by Germany TO guar
au ec the immunity Of Johannesburg is
not taken seriously here, Fer tho sake Of
Brit! Sh capital there will be no more harm
dnnc than can DO helped. Dispat ch@s from
European capitals THIS morning on this
sucjert differ considerably, Somo state
that such such action is likely. owing to
the great foreign financial interests there,
others declare llatly that no Initiative Will
be taken by any European power
Up 10 O'Clock this morning no deilni'e
nows from Nnfoking hal bnen received in
London. A bollef, founded upon private
to'egrams, prevailed in Caro- Town that
the Beer, have raised the siege,
An interview With President Kruger
sent by mail from Pre- oria February 10 by
way Of Paris. AMI thus escaping the Brit
iSh censors. throws great deal OF iignt on
the South African war. io said the fight
was one of liberty Or death. and that
''oyery American should be wi Ii us In
this struggle for liberty" Tho resident
declared thrt lie expected no aid from
other patiuns.
He to the size of tho Boor army, Prcsi-
dent kru ger said it was then 10000, 'hut
with Gods aid we can prevail since that
,iIno the loss of General Cronje'I army
and other casualties have amounted to
about 500 80 that ncco rding to President
krugers statement, the Buers have only
about $4,000 men with which to combat
Enslands Amy of 100000 This figure Is
believed in London to be correct. Unity
two thousand additional British troops
are now on tho way te South Africa.
Pro ident Kruger says the war was
lptcou upon GDe BOera DV FhBlanu, ihis-
led by Cecil Rhodes and the mining mil
lonnres who want tho county" The
Trausv0al. he declared, wns willing to
make peace at any time, but only on the
basis of absolute Independence.
The Russian answer to President krr.
gers request for intervention, it is said.
will soon ba made public. st Peters,
burg dispatch states that the note is ,'di-
rected with due precaution against Eng
land" and that is certain to make deep
impression.
seJnhn Ecdmond declared in Parliament
that 'the conscience Of Ireland rovoltod'
at the additional war taxes put upon her.
Sir Michael Hicks Beach, Chancellor oil
tho TX 'hcuuer, said tho total applications
for the war loan Of $780, COO, coo amounted |
to Sl,BiL SOC, OO0
Houses for sale in every section OF tho |
city. ! have them from Sll.OJO to 500,