Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1900-03-23
NOT YET INTO MAFEK|NG.
Public Interest Is Eagerly Centered
on Col. Powell and His Brave
Little Band.
aETHUEH REACHES FOURTEEN STREAMS
He Captures the Travelling Bridge, Secur-
Ing ThOrOughfare Over Which Sup
piies Can BE Carried into the city
Beers Say the British Cannot Break
Through Lines Surrounding MafekinS.

London, March 20.-Neither the adj
vance by way of Fourteen steams nor
Col. Plumer's movement has yet re-
suited in bringing news OF Mafeking's
relief. From BIoemfontein and Natal
there are apparently no serious de-
yelopments and public interest re-
mains conferred in Col. Baden-Powelrs
force, undistracted by events of
greater military Importance. How
ever, it appears likely that the con-
verging of the troops towards MAIZE
king indicates a much more serious
purpose than merely its relief. Judg
ing from Lord Methuen's presence at
Warrentown and the capture of the
nearby passage of the Vaal at Four
teen streams, keen observers believe
Lord Roberts meditates an advance in
force on Pretoria by way of Rusten-
burg. This might start either from
Fourteen streams or Klerkdorp, and
would probably coincide with an adj
vance via Bloemfontein and Natal.
There is reason to fear that Col.
P1umer's rough riders will be I'M
able to carry with them adequate sup
plies and medical stores for the garri-
son, even if they succeed in joining
SOI DWELL OF lI1dC ISdSOn
Gen. Roberts announcement that
Lord Methuen reached the Vaal river
near Warrenton and secured the
travelling bridge is welcome news.
There is a group of officers serving
under Baden-Powell whose deliver
ance is eagerly awaited in London,
where they are well known. Among
them are Lord Edward Cecil. The
of prison in Pretoria at all hazards
if Gen. Roberts amid Gen. Kitchener
can neffect their purpose. The British
officers now in Pretoria have been re-
moved from the prison where Wins
ton Churchill left them, to new
quarters in the outskirts of town, I'M
der Daspoort ridge. The reasons for
this change are not stated, but it is
evident that Gen. Roberts army will
have to expose a large number of
British prisoners to exceptional dan
ger when Pretoria is invested.
News from "a Boer Source.
Pretoria, March 2O.-There are a
large number of Beers on the western
border of the TransvaaI in the neigh
borhood of Mafeking, and that town
is surrounded by a very strong cor
OOn, through winch III is Impossible
for the British to break. The federal
forces are disputing with the great
est yigor an attempted advance to-
ward the Transvaal of British force
from Kimberley.
The chief of the intelligence de-
partment, Molengraaf, announces that
the federal losses prior to the relief
of Kimberley and Ladys1nith were:
Killed, 677; wounded, 2,12S. Accidents,
sickness and other disabling causes,
he asserts, bring the total to 1881.
Burgher- Giving Up Arms.
London, March 2O.-The reports
from the Free State all indicate that
the burghers of that republic are sur
rendering in large numbers and
bringing in arms of all sorts. Lord
Roberts makes them sign an oath to
refrain from further fighting and
then permits them to return to their
farms
Gen. Pole-Carew, who is at Norval's
point, has photographed a message to
Gen. Clements that 1900 Free Staters
have surrendered at Edenburg, sta.
ton south of Bloemfontein.