The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1900-01-17
CANADIAN ROUGH RIDERS FOR AFRICA.
EXPERT MARKSMEN.
Lord Slrathcona viii Provide al His Own Ex-
pense 400 Horsemen al Cost
Of 100000.

Lord Lansdownc, Secretary of State
OF War, accepted on Saturday the offer
of Lord Strathcona, Canadian high com
missioner in London, to provide, dis
tinct from the Canadian contingcnts, a
force of at least 400 mounted men from
Manitoba, Northwest territory, and
British Columbia. and TO arm, equip
and convey them to South Africa at his
own expense. All will be expert marks
men, rough riders and scouts. 49,.
1t is estimated that the offer will in
volvc an expenditure OF ( 100000. The
war office regards Lord Strathcona's
proposal as an extraordinary proof OF
colonial patriotism.
Ottawa, Jan I4-Lord Strathcona is
chancellor of McGill University, Mon
treal, resident governor OF the Hudson
Bay Company, president OF the Bank OF
Montreal, and director in the ST Paul,
Minneapolis and Manitoba and Great
Northern railway lines. His lordship,
when he was Sir Donald Smith partici-
pated largely in the growth OF the north
western section OF the United States,
and freely invested his capital in Amer
ican securities. When Lord Strathcona
landed on this side OF the Atlantic he
was the poor but adventurous son ot a
Scotch gentleman, and he plunged into
the life OF a pioneer with pleasure. lie
grew Zip with the country, and by wise
thrift soon amasscd a great fortune.
His home at Montreal is one oi the
show places of that city. As peer OF
Her Maicsty's realm he has n residctcc
in England which is none other than the
ancestral domain of the Lyttons i'll
Hertfordshirc.
A dispatch from Ladysmiti, dated
Friday, January IL, says: The besiegers
have been quiet for two days, but can
be seen in active movement on the dis.
tant hills. We have perceived two small
bodies galopng with two machine
guns. The Boer heavy piece on Bull
wana hill has not been fired Tor two
days. More Boer dead have been found
at the base of Caesars camp. All is
we'll here.
The Beers are fortiying positions
north and west of Ladysmith, doubt
less with view Of securing a safe line
Of retreat should their opposition to
Gen. Buffers advance fail. They still
surround Ladysmith in large numbers
and may be contemplating another at
tack. 1t is known, however, that they
are greatly depressed by their heavy
losses. Prior to Saturday they were
perfectly confident of their ability to de-
feat the garrison and to take possession
of the town
There is a Boer commando in Zam-
baans country, Zululand, within a
days march of the sea, with wagons.
1t is believed to be waiting for supplies
and ammunition secretly landed near st.
Lucia bay. The Bocrs have looted all
the stores and mines in the Swaziland
territory, and the ruined natives arc
completing the destruction.
President Kruger. in the course OF a
stirring address just issued to the
burghers, affirms that Providence is on
their side, that their cause is just, and
that they must succeed.
The Boer successes have been fol-
lowed by tremendous outburst OF en-
thusiasm and Boer sympathy in the
western part of the colony. Reports
from Paarl say the whole district is
made hideous at night by bands OF
young men parading in the villages and
singing the Transvaal Volkslied, while
the children are everywhere practicing
the national song OF the republics. The
following are specimens OF statements
believed by the western Dutch: Butler
and Rhodes are prisoners" and ''two
thousand Beers secretly sailed and cap
tured Cape Town"