The silver blade. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1895-1903, 1900-03-31
TO R[1AKE BLOEkFON7EM'
BoERs ARE CONCENTRATING
Fifteen Miles NOrth-Big Battle I'M
minent - Lord Roberts Sends
Troops FOrward-Farms Are Raid-
ed-Funeral of JOubert.

London, March 31.-The Beers are
concentrating in force about Is miles
north of Bloemfontein, in the rear of
Glen, and Lord Roberts is sending for
ward troops to engage them. The Sew
enth infantry division and part of
French's cavalry have been sent to join
the Fourteeth brigade and the two cav
airy regiments that are holding Glen
and it's environs.
1t does not seem probable that the
Beers will give serious battle in the
fairly open country north of Glen. Still
their evident strength indicates more
than corps of observation. In small
affairs the Beers are daringEy aggres.
sive in all parts of the field of war.
The johannesburg mounted police, es.
teemed by the Beers to be their best
mounted commando, are raiding the
country near Bloemfontein, harassing
the farmers who have given up their
arms to the British, and carrying off
cattle. There is a Boer report from
Natal that a Russian soldier of fortune,
Col. Ganotzki, with a hundred horse
men, is operating near the British out
have reoccupied Campbell and are in
strength near Taungs and Barkley
West. They shelled the British camp
at Warrenton Wednesday, but moved
out Of range that night. Yesterday
Thursday two British guns enfiladed
the Boer trenches, Quieting their Maui
sers.
Lord Methuen and the forces that had
been operating in the Barkley district,
have been recalled to Kimberly by Lord
Roberts. No explanation has been CIV
en-, but the mounted troops are dissat-
isfied at having been ordered back
The Beers and disloyalists at Ken
hardt have been dispersed and caused
to retreat. Gen. Parsons is about to
enter the town unopposed
Lord Roberts is making extensive ar
rangements to police and safeguard all
the Free State towns and territory oc-
cupied. Dispatches from Maseru assert
that the Beers who returned to Lady
brand from Coloolan have taken up
positions and sent pickets far in every
direction to watch Basutoland, in the
expectation that part of Gen. Buffers
army will invade the Free State on
that side.
According to Pretoria advices, Mafe-
king was bombarded for seven hours
on Tuesday
1t is reported in London in we'll
informed quarter that Lord Kitchener
will be offered the post of commander
in-chief in India, succeeding the late
= Sir William Lockhart, SO soon as de-
cisive successes have been obtained in
the Transvaal, and that Gen. Sir Archi-
bald Hunter will succeed him as Lord
Roberts chief of staff. The Indian
newspapers have been urging Kitchen
er's appointment.
President kruger's Plans.
London, March 31.-The Bloemfon-
tein correspondent of the Morning
Post, telegraphing Wednesday, says:
President Kruger boasts his intention
to retake Bloemfontein within a week
and it appears probable that the Beers
are advancing in force southwark.
Simple Funeral of Joubert.
Pretoria, March 81. - Gen. Joubert
was taken i'll Sunday morning. He
was at his Office the previous day. He
suffered great pain, but became uncon-
scious some time before death. The
complaint was acute Inflammation of
the bowels. The body will lie in state
one day and will then be taken by spe-
cial train to the farm at Rustfontein,
near Wakkerstrom, where it will be
buried quietly. as Jonbert often request
ed, and without military hOnors.
Floor Fell in Upon Them.
Na,r Xo,lz AIorah QR -Thro,lnh tho