Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1900-03-08
THE WAR IN AFRICA.
Dpller's Taking Pieter's Hill Brings
Ladysmith's Relief Nearer.
LlDYSMITH IN DESPERATE STRAITS.


near, but the war Office intlmaied
last evening that an immediate an
nouncement of relief need not be ex-
pected. Gen. Buffers tidings come
weighted with long list of casual
ties, His losses in the four attempts
70 get Gen. White out aggregate
1900
Ladysmth is in desperate straits.
Charles Williams, the military expert,
Saws he learns on very high author
1ty--presumably that of Lord Wolse-
ley--that "Gen. Whites force is al
most at It's last gasp "'rhis is not
10 much" says Mr.. Williams, ION ac-
count of any lack of provisions or OF
ammunition, neither Of which is yet
exhausted, as because OF the poison
Gus waters Of the Kip river and the
evil effects Of the heat on the Ter
rain IN which the garrison must re-
side
There is no authoritative indica-
tion yet Of what Lord Roberts will
do next. II seems likely that a
branch railway will be built across
the yeldi to lessen the difficulties of
transport. Col. Girouard, who built
the Soudan railway, is with Lord Rob
krts. The strain on the western rail
way Is seen from the fact that the
population of Kimberley. two weeks
after the relief, continues on reduced
sations. Lord Roberts troops thus
for have been only partially fed. 1t
40 quite clear to technical heads that
those who talk of an Immediate and
rapid advance into the Free State do
not realize the transport conditions.
The Beers, as it now appears, have
built q railway from Harrlsmith to
KyO0mstadt to facilitate the move
msnt Of their troops between Natal
end the Free State.
Nafeking was holding out on Feb
mary 10. At that time the iloers
were showing unusual activity and
Airing inAammable shells. The Beers
who hold positions south Of the Or
ange river have been weakened.
~hst Many Boer Prisonsrs Think.
Paardeberg, Feb. yesterday
wee observed as Il tacit armisiice. The
Beers freely showed themselves to
~ British troops. Our horses are
aew thoroughly rested and full ra-
Aloaed. This correspondent has con-
yerped with many Boer prisoners,
both Free Staters and Transvaalers.
All seemed convinced now that the
war must end in o British victory.
They had never before believed that
the British would be able to advance
except by railways and they had sup
posed thut the efforts to relieve Kim
berley were due TO the necessity of
securing the MISUNDERSTANDING
line, whence the advance into the
heart of the Transyaal would be easy.
Bosrs U.ing Illegal Bnlist.
London, March Winston Church
VI, in dispatch from Colenso, dated
Tuesday, says: "rhcre is abundant
proof of the Beers using II large pro-
portion of Illegal bullets, no fewer
than live different kinds of explod-
ing or expanding bullets having been
found. He also asserts tha, the Beers
ere employing armed Kaiiirs, and
Odds: j have always tried to be fair
toward the Beers, but after making
every allowance il must be said that
they show when in distress Il very
dark, cruel and yengeful underside of
character"
Tho Gallant Conduct Of Canadians.
London, March IA dispatch to the
Morning Post from Paardeberg says;
"The Canadians We're only prevented
from carrying Gen. Cronies lager at
the point of the bayonet by impera-
tive orders to the contrary. Their
gsllantry Is the universal theme Of
conversation. We captured 5000 small
arms. Our tremendous shell fire had
scarcely any appreciable effect on the
Boer trenches, Their wounded dur
ing the week numbered about 80. The
number Of their dead we have not as.
certained,
Dlosrs Said to Treat Prisoners BADLY.
London, March 1.-The pietermar-
itzburg correspondent of the Daily
Telegraph, under date of Tuesday,
says: "Mr. Gutridge, contractor,
who resides at DUNDEE after being
kept m Imprisonment az rrcrorn ,ur
FIVE weeks, was put beyond the Portu-
guese border lie describes the treat
ment Of the British prisoners as dis.
graceful, Fever had broken out be-
fore he left and Boer doctor told
him that the government would not
elbow adequate medical supplies
spsn.sr Wilkinson's Comment
London, March l,-Spenser Wilkin-
Von, commenting on Gen. Buffers OPP
eratjons, says ut hardly seems as
though Tuesdays attack had covered
more than an advanced position, COW
ering the l,oer main lines of invest
ment, or that the Beers have aban-
doned any part of these lines. Other
wise Gen. Butler and Sir George White
would have met the same night, The
next attack ought one way or the
other to be decisive"
Bosrs Offsr to Surrender
London, March IA special dis
patch from Cape Town, dated Tues
day, says; "The Beers AT Barkly East
have offered to surrender on condition
that the safety of the rebel Dutch is
assured. The British. however, in