Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1900-03-24
"BOBS" WILL MOVE
ON PRETORIA soon
British viii Advance on the Trans
vaal Capital After Short Rest
at BIoemfontein,
PROCLAMATION TO FREE SKATERS
Requested to Deliver UP Their Arms
and Assured They Will BE Treat
ell Fairly by the British
Campaign Elsewhere.

Londbn, March II, 4:20 a. m.-With
the railway communication to the
Cape intact, Lord Roberts will, in a
very few days, be in a position to be-
gin thd advance on Pretoria. His deep
political intuition, combined with MS
bold strategy, is having the result de-
sired ID the southern sections OF the
OrangclFree State, which are quoting
down.
Matching is now the only point for
ANXIETY, and as it is known that a
force lbs left Kimberley its relief may
be announced before many days pass.
The efficiency Of the relieving column
is heightened by the fact that II Is
partly composed Of regulars.
n thp. 'obbies of parliament last
evening Twas. rumored that Lord
Roberts was about to issue q procla-
ma ion that the former system OF gov
eruutnt in the Orange Free State Is
aDo.ithed and promising Free Staters
who Immediately surrender due con-
sideration.
II is understood that all the CONT
mental powers, with n exception
uncompromisingly refused TO inter
venc. The exception was Russia
whose reply was couched in less hrm
language, although, like the others,
she declined to interfere. 1t is sald
that the pope was also appealed TO-
but that he declined to do anything
beyond writing Il letter to the queen
appealing to her TO stop h further
effusion Of blood. DR.. Leyds' efforts
with King Leopold were quite futile
Lord Roberts has sent the following
dispatch to the war office:
"Bloemfontein, March 16.-General
Clements crossed the Orange river
Yesterday. Repairs to the railway
bridge at Novaps pont have COM
menccd. and it will shortly be ready
for traffic. General Polc-Carcw tele-
graphs his arrival at Springtonteln'
so that Blormfontcin now is practlcal-
" in communication with Cape Town
NV proclamation is already having an
excellent effect. Several hundred
burghers have expressed their inten-
( ton to surrender their arms and re-
turn to their occupations.
"Thc resident commissioner of Ba-
sutoland reports that 500 Beers lately
arrived from Bloemfontein, and that
n further contingent from AhWal
North was only waiting to know the
terms of my proclamation to surren-
der. They had refused to attend a
council at ~Kroonstadt, to which lresl-
dent Steyn had summoned them.
London, March 19.-Lord Roberts
at Bloemfontein and the manifest
success il handling the civil problems
eouanimity with which the residents
of the capital of the Orange Free
State accept British occupation mo-
mentarily eclipse interest in the mil
itary situetion, 1t is believed q
that the commandments OF -
British forces i'm South Africa will
soon push on TO Pretoria, but Great
Britain is quite content to listen for
n few days to the acclamations OF the
people of Blocmfontein and permit the
troops to enjoy a few days rest before
expecting further success. Roberts
made a quaint speech to the guards at
Bloemfontein today, when in his first
CONGRATULATIONS words he expressed
pride in their splendid march of thlr-
weight miles in twenty-eight hours
and gave ample assurance Of his ultl-
mate design. -,
Through a small mistake" said
Roberts," was not able TO march in
to Bloemfontein at the head of your
brigade, as | intended. ! promise,
however, to lead you to Pretoria"
Gatacre is holding Bethulie and the
whole line of railroad south OF
Rloemrontein is now in the hands of
the British. Brabant's column, hav-
ing crossed the Orange river after a
forced marcI at Aliwal North on Sun
day, and Clements column being
across at Vanzyl, the three columns
will form an army of 10000 to $4,000
men, which is expected to replace the
forces Of Roberts at Bloemfontein as
he pushes northward. just where the
Beers will attempt to oppose the
march is an important question, but
it cannot be easily answered unit
Joubert is more definitely located.
Proclamation to Burahcrs.
Blocmfontein, March 1s.-GeneraI
Prettyman is succeeding admirably as
governor Of the town. He issued q
proclamation today Requesting the
hurghers within n radius Of ten miles
to deliver up their arms, assuring
them they would be paid for confis,
cation Of their property.
IOru IlODeTlS is dbDul W ISSut q
fresh proclamation which it is consid
cred will have the effect of disarminG
further opposition upon the part Of
the Free Staters. Ceilings has beer
appointed landdrost vice P~aphenfus
deposed, and Frazer will act as mayor
Great quantities of stores captured a
WasserfaH have been recovered. The
British also secured twenty-six en-
gines and the line has been cleared tC
Kafir river. RumorS are current tina
former President Steyn is willing tC
surrender. Much unrest exist!
among the Dutch population. The
burghers described the soldiers as 10
Gusts, saying they are innumerabl'
and of identical character with them
Bloemfontein, Tuesday, March H.
AS Roberts was being conducted t.
town today by the d~eputation of off
Gals which had gone out 10 meet hin
he was greeted by a great crowd o
people cheering and waving handker
chiefs. English songs were sung, tn
union jack. with a four-leafed sham
rock embroidered in the corner b,
Lady Roberts, was raised over tn
presidency and cheering was tremen
dous. Roberts appointed General Pret
lyman governor and released four me
who refused 20 fight against the Brit
ish. The troops necessary to man tn
Cuban and Puerto Rican Census.
The preliminary figures of the new