The sun., 1900-04-06
Battling At AAFEKING
The Garrison Fails to Cut Its
Way Through to
Freedom.
PLUMER Is ALSO REPULSED
He Leaves Twenty Men Dead on
the Field OF Battle, and the
s Beers Take Several
Them Pris- @
oners.

\ berones, Bechuanaland, dated March 2S,
says:
Colonel Plumer, with force of Brit
ish mounted infantry, started on Il -dar-
Ing march Sunday, March %, with the
e object of threatening the Boer lines of
Communication. After two rapid night
marches through Transvaal territory they
arrived, at dawn, March 2T, within II
miles of Zeerust and distinctly heard the
bombardment of Mafeking. Having rec
" onnoitered the country, with the view
of future operations, without sighting
single white man, Colonel Plumef crossed
the railroad south of Lobatsi, which he
found in possession Of Boer force, and
Returned. Thence, finding the railroad
damaged by General Snyman's main
force, he returned to the vicinity of Ma
feking. Rumors reach here that Il relief
column is approaching AIafeking from
tie SOUTH"
a special dispatch from Loulenco
N Marques says sharp fighting occurred
April . in the neighborhood of Mafeking.
= The garrison made a sortie, while Colo
mel plumer's cavalry attacked the Beers
X at Ramathlabama. Both attacks We're
q rcpulsed. Twenty Of Colonel Plumer's
men were found dead on the field and
six men We're taken prisoners. The fed
eral losses were small.
A dispatch from Mafeking, dated
March %, says:
"There has been little excitement dur
ing the past week. The Boer shell fire
comes in fitful gusts and has little effect
The British casualties are almost, nil
y The Beers seem to be breaking up their
main laager westward, but have taken
up an intrenched position northward,
with the view of preventing the approach
of a relief force. The sharpshooters
keep up Il steady interchange of fire. 1t
is rumored that relief is near.
"Mshete, a native chief southwark, has
broken out against the Beers. There
was heavy firing in the direction of his
chief kraal March ID"
A Speech by Steyn.
dispatch from Pretoria, dated April
2, says:
In his speech at the opening of the
4 Free State raad President Steyn de-
clared that in spite of the surrender of
Bloemfontein he had not lost hope of the
triumph of the republican cause. The
war. he added, was forced upon the
Transvaal, and nothing remained for the
Orange Free State but to throw in its lot
with the sister republic, in accordance
with the terms of the treaty. The war,
he continued, was commenced with the
object of maintaining by arms the inde-
pendcnce bought with the blood of the
forefathcrs Of the nation and had been
so successful that it had caused the great
est wonder throughout the world and
even to the Bocrs themselves"
After paying Il tribute to the memory
of General .Ioubert President Steyn said
that the British. Notwithstanding their
overwhelming numbers, were violating
the flag of truce and the Red Cross, and
he was compelled to report the matter to
the neutral powers.
The president further remarked that
the attempt to create dissensiOn among
the burghers by the issuing of proclama-
tions had failed.
Referring to the correspondence be-
tween the South African presidents and
& Lord Salisbury, President Steyn proceed
cd:
Not only We're these efforts made, but
the republics had dispatched deputa-
4 tion to Europe and America in order to
r bring the influence of neutral powers
Y to secure cessation of the blood
shed. and | greatly desire that these eff
forts be crowned with success"
After saying that the government had
raised temporary loan with the Trans
yaal President Steyn concluded with a
prayer that the Free State be preserved
from being forced to give up its dearly
loved independence
Detached bodies of Boer horse, num-
herring from 800 10 1000 each, have ap-
" peared at several places to the southward
and eastward of Bloemfontein, threaten
ing the railroad. But communication by
wire and rail is not in the least affected
One of these forces is near East Spring
fontein, on the Bloemfontein railroad,
and GeSsral Gatacre's forces are report
ed to he about to engage it. Lord Rob
crts, except to safeguard the railroad,
seemingly declines to send columns chas-
ing Boer bands.