The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1900-03-12
[NGLAND'S CONDITIONS.
Balfour Promises to Give the
House the Terms Of
Peace.
Ipx cable to rhe Asaoclated prega.l


LONDON, March u, 1900-At the pres
ent rate of progress Lord Roberts should
be in Bloemfontein Wednesday, March
A. though all calculations may be upset
by the development of more strenuous re-
sistance than the Beers have SO far at
tempted. The distance between Lord Rob
erts and the Free State capital is now
so small, only about twenty-five miles,
that 1t is apparent the Beers either con-
template making a determined stand on
the outskirts of the town or, for strategic
reasons best known to themselves, are al
lowing Lord Roberts to occupy it after
merely harassing his advance. The nu-
merical superiority of the British troops
leaves no doubt in the minds of the critics
here that Lord Roberts will accomplish
his temporary objective, the occupation
Of Bloemfontein.
The Commander-in-Chi latest de-
spatch announcing that General Gatacre
is at Bethulie Bridge and the specials
saying General Gatacre commands the
bridge approaches puts the Beers in that
vicinity between two British forces, Aas-
vogel Kop, when Lord Roberts sent his
last cable message, being one hundred
miles almost due north of Bethulie. How
ever there is a large .expanse of plain
between them and the main body of the
Beers now confronting Lord Roberts, with
it's ceaseless activity, may be quite able
to cover the retreat of the Burghers con-
fronting General Gatacre. Once the Brit
ish are in possession of the railroad from
Bethulie to Bloemfontein the junction at
the Free State capital of Generals Cat
acre and Roberts would be a matter of
very few days.
Commenting on the fact that Lord Rob-
erts found the Beers holding positions in
a part of the country supposed to have
been left open, the 'HSt. Jamess Gazette
says
mo more damning indictment was ever
preferred against any cavalry.
Rumors of the relief of Mafeking con-
tinue to circulate but fail of any con-
firmaton.
From Natal, which General Butler so
enormously declared was clear of Beers,
and from Cape Colony, where General
Kitcheners stern hand is upon the re-
bellion, there is no news of any impor-
tance.
The Lord Mayor, Mr. A. ]. Newton, has
directed that the Irish flag be hoisted
over the Mansion House on st. Patrick s
Day, in recognition of the bravery of the
Irish troops in South Africa.
The Earl of Warwicks eldest son, Lord
Brooke, has volunteered for service In
South Africa and starts for the Cape
Saturday. He will be attached to the
Cavalry Staff.
In the House of Commons, today, Mr
A. j. Balfour the First Lord of the Treas
ury and Government leader, replying to
question as to whether, consistently with
public interests he could state the essen
| tial condition on which alone the Govern
ment would entertain peace proposals
| from the SCUM African Republics, prom
| ised that papers in this connection Woulo
| shortly be presented to the House.
| Being asked if there was any founda-
| tion for the report that President ISrue-
| ger had addressed communication to the
| Government, Mr.. Baifour reiterated his
| promise that papers bearing on this sub
| 1ect would be presented to the House
| within short time.
At the commencement of the debate IN
| the House of Commons tday on the
Army Estimates, the Parliamentary Sec
retary for the War Office Mr.. George
Wyndham, declared that recent events
| did not Justify, at the present time, any
| diminution in the provision for the
| further conduct of the campaign in South
| Africa. The financial cost of the war,
he declared, was not Immediately altered
by fluctuations of allure or success. Ii
would be rash at present to think that
the number of monts the British Army
| would remain in South Africa was ike
| ly to be materially shortened. 80, tne
| Government estimates included what was
believed to be enough money to continue
| the efforts at full pressure for another
six months and at half pressure Ior SIX
months thereafter.