The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-03-14
IN SOUTV AFRICA.

Keeping to the southelsterly direction In
which he started from Poplar Grove on satur-
day. Lord Roberts arrived on Monday at Nen-
%tersvloi. whore the Knal Sprult bends to the
eastward. seventeen niles southwest OF Bloein-
fontein, From there he pushed forward two Of
the cavalry brigndcs under Gen. Frcnch with
orders. " possible. TO seize the Bloemfontein
railway station and secure the rolling stock.
This Gen, French seems 10 have been unable
TO do, ms he reports that he had met with con-
siderable opposition and had only succeeded In
occupying two hills near the station COM
handing he city, six miles to the south. In
n despatch OF yesterdays date. Lord Roberts
reports thnt the telegraph line 10 the north
ward had been cut md the railway broken up
AZ he found Il necessary to call IN his third
cavalry brigade and the mounted infantry
from Petersburg. IL would appear that the
Beers have been discovered to be In greater
force than expected. which IL probably owing
TO the arrival Of commandos from the Orange
River.
From the change in his line OF advance from
Poplar Grove. II il evident that the informa-
ton In his possession OF the strength u the
Boer positions on the Modder River deter
mined Lord Roberts to give up the march
against their right flank with the object Of cut
ting them of from their line OF retreat to the
north. Anxious for various reasons. among
them the bad state OF his cavalry horses
and the difficulties OF tran port. 10 avoid
the delay unavoidable IL he continued
the march direct to his front. he
suddenly DETECTED the advance Of his
left wing TO the souths asst across his front by
the kaal Spruit. covered by his cavalry and
supported by the division at Petersburg. and
30 ~clcverly evaded the Boer positions on the
Modder and on tie ridges aud hills west Of
Bloemfontein which were reported to be very
strongly held. This mobiles very consider
ably the magnitude Of the success OF the entire
movement. as the Boer line OF retreat to the
north Is clear, and there has been ample
time for all so disposed to trek to-
ward the Transvaal. besides enabling the
railway stock to be moved beyond danger. Tho
possession OF Bloemiontein. which should be
occupied by the British to-day, has no political
importance beyond ito name II the executive
government has been transferred to some
other point in the north: but as It gives Lord
Roberts an easy line Of communication with
the south for his supplies. so soon as the neces.
sary repairs 10 the railway are effected. its
military advantage is obvious The destruction
VI tHs TWO runway DTluEts, at NOTNtlS fuIlt
and Bethulie. however. may impose some de-
lay before free and uninterrupted communica-
ton Is opened up: in the meantime provisions
will have to be brought from the railway to the
westward over more than a hundred miles Of
track across the veldt in OK wagons and army
TRANSPORT carts. Later provisions may be OBJ
tanned from Basutoland.
The effort OF the Presidents OF the two re
publics to obtain a statement of terms from tho
British Government that would have given
them an opportunity to make peace has failed.
as must havc been ~foreseen from the first.
Lord Salisbury's reply to the note Of the two
Presidents. leaves 1t no longer In doubt that
his Government aims nj nothing less than the
extinction Of he republics. and their absorp-
ton in the British Colonial system. Assuming
that the Presidents were speaking the minds
OF their people. there is then. as they said. moth
Ing left for them but to persevere to the end in
the course already begun.
statement from Cape Town. gives the total
strength OF the British forces landed and
raised in South Africa up TO Jan. 20, AT 102.95G
men. 1887 horses. ~ machine guns aud
2l2 field and siege guns. No account OF cas-.
ualities is taken in the above. and the 5000
horses and $4,000 mules which we're imported
from India, Australia. America and Europe up
to that date are reckoned separately.