The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1900-02-15
ROBERTS FIRST MOVE.
Will Lead Thirty-6ve Thousand
Britons Into the Free State.
AGAINST THE FORCES OF ORoNJE.
Kimberley IL I'm Sore Straits, the
December Death Rate Showing an
Appalling Mortality - Japan Aids
England by Transferring Wnrships

Appalling Mortality - Japan Aids
England by Transferring wnrships
London, Feb. 13-Lord Roberts has
gathered $4,000 men, with whom, ac-
ctrding to the best military opinion in
london, he purposes turning the left
o. the Magersfontein lines near ia
cobsdal, entering the Free State, COM
polling General Cronje to raise tho
siege Of Kimberley, and thus making
his first step toward Bloemfontein.
Yesterday Lord Roberts announced
the appointment of General Sir Henry
Colville, hitherto commander OF the
Guards Brigade, to the command of the
Ninth division, which is being formed
and will consist probably to a great
extent Of colonial troops. General
Cblville will be succeeded by General
Reginald Pole-Carew.
Lord Roberts tells the correspond
nts that when he gets down to bust
ness they shall have ample oppor-
tlnity to send news. His chief press
CENSOR yesterday issued new rules, and
IN future all written communications
are to go unchecked. Only kilograms
will be censored. For the next few
days little news is likely to get
through, but later there will be more
freedom. Thus says the censor, and
the last clause may be interpreted to
mean that something is about to hap
pen.
Kimberley, 90 miles away from the
Modder river position. is in sore
straits Details Of the December death
rate show that in population of A.
900 whites and 10000 blacks and NOR
tality was 60 whites and 1873 blacks per
1000. The infantile death rate was
671 per 1000 among the whites and 912
per 1000 among the blacks. EnteriC
fever was prevalent. This frightful
state of things in December cannot
have improved much, if at all, since,
and the fighting power of the garrison
must have been greatly diminished.
Meanwhile the bombardment by the
Beers has increased, and there Is i'm
minent danger ofthe town falling under
the very eyes of Lord Roberts. 1t is
believed in circles close to the war Of
fee that he will move at once.
Scouts have approached within a
thousand yards of the Boer entrench-
ments at Magersfontein. They have
found these strong and ascertained
that they are used as dwelling places.
Naval gunners are constantly watching
the enemy's lines with strong glasses,
and they declare that there is an ap-
preciable diminution in the Boer forces.
In Natal the Boer commanders south
: OF the Tugela occupy Bold's Farm and
several mines west of Chieveley. Two
thousand Beers. with three guns, are
advancing through Zululand toward
Natal. 'rr
Y The war office is making prepara-
lions to continue the stream Of troops
l for South Africa. Four large steamers
Nhave been chartered. Japan agrees to
let the Armstrong; transfer to Eng
land four naval quick firers that were
built for her, consenting to wait for
the execution of her own order until
the hostilities in South Africa are over.
Several European powers, by similar
consents as to guns being constructed
by Vickers' Sons & Maxim, enable
England to secure 100 MaXims.
Two thousand men are constantly
employed at Woolwich arsenal, and all
the guns and ammunition factories are
working night and day to execute gov
eminent orders. The weekly output
Of four firms is 100000 rounds.
Outside of the requirements for
South Africa Great Britain is accumu-
lating immense stores of war material.
considerable divergence of opinion
exists as to the adequacy of the gov
|ernment's military proposals, even
now.