The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-03-01
DUE TO THE VERY BAD WATER.

LONDON, March -1.-4:15 A. M.-Gene-
Pieter's Hill brings the rescue OIL Lady
smith near but the War Office intimated
late last evening that an immediate an
nouncement of relief need not be ex-
pected The going to and fro at mid
night of officials and messengers sug-
gested that important news had been
received.
AS his message reveals, General Bull
ler's successful attack came after the
hard fighting OF Friday, and it was i'm
provised and its execution begun during
the armistice OF Sunday. In proposing
the armistice the British commander
stipulated that both sides should be free
to move, but that neither side should 90
any shooting. He was, therefore, WITHIN
his privileges in Immediately beginning
to transfer his troops.
General Buffers tidings come weighted
with his long list of casualties. His
losses in the four attempts to get Gene
raj White out aggregate four thousand
I.adysmith is in desperate straits
Charles Williams, the military expert
says he learns on very high authority.
presumably that of Lord Wolsley, that
General Whites force is almost at its
laSp gasp.
BAD WATER.
.fThis is not SO much" says Mr.. Will
lams, ION account Of any lack of pro-
visions or OF ammunition, neither OF
which is yet exhausted, as because of the
poisonous nature of the Kip river water
and the evil effects OF the heat; Even
those who have escaped fever, dysentery,
and diarrhoea are in u state OF low Vi
tality. They can still man trenches. and
would probably hold their own against
a last desperate assault, but they can
initiate nothing. General Butler now
knows that as units they would be of no
use to him for months.
''rhe water of Kip river is not avail
able for drinking. and to boil it is impos-
Sible because of the scarcity of fuel. 1t
is thick with putrid animal matter. Tea
made of it has a suspended fibre, some
thing like beef tea. 1t is caused by the
sewage from the Boer camps.
Mr.. Williams adds that when news like
this passes under the thumb of the censor
it more than offsets whatever jolly news
may be photographed from Ladysmith.
BUILD RAILROAD.
There is no authoritative indicat ton as
yet of what Lord Roberts will do next.
1t seems likely thtlt q DTdncn IdIl.odu
will be built across the veldt to lessen
the difficulties of transport. Colonel
Girouard. who built the Scudan railroad,
is with Lord Roberts. The strain of the
Western railroad is seen from the fact
that the population of Kimberley, two
weeks after the relief, continues on re.
duced ratiors.
Lord Roberts troops thus far have
been only partially fed.
It is quite clear to technical heads!
that those who talk of an immediate and
rapid advance far into the Free State
do not realize the transport conditions.
The Bocrs, as it now appears, have built
a railroad from Harrismith to kroom-
stad to facilitate irhe movement of their
troops between Natal and the Free State.
Mafeking was holding out on Febru-
ary 26th AIT that time the Beers were
showing unusual activity and firing in
tiam1nable shells. The Beers who hold
positions south of the Orange river have
been weakened.
Lieutenant Barentz, writing on behalf
of himself and other Scandinavian pris-
oners, affirms that there are no mer-
ce,1aries in the Boer army and no vol
unteers who receive penny for their
services.