Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-19
THE RELIEF OF MAFEKlNG
Lord Hethuen Starts North With q Mounted
Column.
Garrison Was ON Quarter Rations at
Last Account Webster
Davis Mission.


| day. March IS, says: The mounted force
from Kimberley proceeding to the relief of
| Mafeking, under command Of Lord Meth
| uen has arrived at Warrenton. AS the
| force neared Windsorton the Beers evacu-
ated the town. blowing up the bridge.
| The advance column. Coils. Drummond
| and Peakman comma nding had a sharp en-
gagement with 500 Beers at Fourteen
Streams. The British succeeded in driving
| the Beers off. They had only a few cas-
| ualties.
1t is reported that the rebels who re-
fused to accompany the Transvaalers when
the latter vacated Taungs and Vryburg,
north of Warrenton. are preparing to trek
| into Damaraland on the approach of the
| British. but that the Hottentot chiefs are
getting ready to bar their escape.
| 1t is reported that Commandment Elofr,
with commando. has left Zeerust for
| Commandment Schwartz, with $50 men, is
| threatening the railway near AasvOgel Kop,
| north of Lobatsi.
British patrol. which reconnoitered
| within fourteen miles of Mafeking found
| the railway uninjured and the telegraph
| wire untouched north of Pitsani.
Garrison on Quarter Rations.
| dispatch from Mafeking, dated satur-
day. March 10, says:
| THE garrison is holding its own We
1
| siege will be raised, but so far that is not
the case We are pegging along patiently
on quarter rations, supplemented by the
| occasional capture of cattle.
| our homemade gun erratically bonn
bards the Boer trenches. Horrible stories
| are current that the Beers are inf1icting
| nameiesS tortures upon captured native
| runners. These may not be true, but they
| are tending to inf1ame native passion to
| such an extent that 1t may soon be i'm
possible to hold the natives in check.
| Owing to the Beers having deliberately
| bombarded the native stadt, which Is full
| has armed the natives. but he has only al
| lowed them to act on the defensive, al
| though they have clamored to be allowed
| to go out and attack at the point Of the as
segai.
They will be prevented as long as pos
sible from infiicting reprisals on the Beers"
Wcbster Davis En- Route Home.
| LONDON, March 19.-The Naples CORE
spondent Of the Daily Mail telegraphs an
Interview he has had with Webster Davis.
| United States assistant secretary of the in
| terror. According to this, Mr.. Davis said:
When left Pretoria the Beers were be-
| coming DESTROYS of peace. President Kruger
and Gen. Joubert were the strongest OPP
| ponents of the peace party, but they were
| becoming exceedingly unpopular I do not
believe the Beers will resist much longer"
| The correspondent says Mr.. Davis de-
|
| that the general belief in Naples is that he
| is bearing peace terms and request for
| American mediation.
| DeIaRoa Bay Award.
| LONDON, March 19.-Mr. Trohane sends
to the London papers a letter he has re-
| ceived from the secretary of the Delagoa
| Bay railway arbitration tribunal. which Is
| to the effect that the award will probably
| be officially proclaimed in about a month.
The Standard. commenting editorially
upon this communication from the Ameri-
| can advocate, says:
When this protracted arbitration has
| been settled We shall be in position to
| deal with Portugal on the entire subject,
| and we may possibly secure for the Angli-
| cized Transvaal improved commercial ia
| cilties. 1t would be welcome coincidence
| If the award should coincide with Lord
| Roberts arrival at Pretoria
| Capt. Reichmann Returns to Pretoria.
dispatch from Pretoria, dated March
| Is. says: Capt. Carl Reichmann the United
| States army officer detailed to observe the
conduct of the war from the Boer side. re-
| turned here this morning from the Modder
\ river.
Report of BOer Losses.
| dispatch from Pretoria. dated March
16, says: The chief of the intelligence de-
partment Mr.. Molengraaf, announces that
| the federal losses prior to the relief of KIM
berley and Ladysmith were: Killed, ST.;
wounded, 2.129 Accidents. sickness and
other disabling causes, he says, bring the
| total to 1851.
The British officers here have been re-
| moved from the model school to new quar-
| tiers in the outskirts of the town.
The Boer defenses along the Biggarsberg
| range have been completed and are said to
] render the positions impregnable
| 1t is officially denied that the siege OF
Mafeking has been raised or the town re-
| neved