The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1900-04-05
KRUGER'S LAST BOAST.
INTENDS TO Rr.FAKE BLOEMFON.
TEAM WITHIN A WEEK.
Beers Probably Advancing IN Force
in the Vicinity cG Bloemfont tetn
Absolutely Necessnry as Military
PrecautiOn General Joubert's
Death.

Death.
London, March So a. m.-The Beers
are concentrating in force about fifteen
miles north Of Bloemfontein in the rear
of Glen, and Lord Roberts is sending for
ward troops to engage them. The Sew
enth Infantry Division and part Of Cen
eral French's cavalry have been sent Up
to join the Fourteenth Brigade and the
two cavalry regiments that are holding
Glen and its environs. 1t does not seem
probable that the Beers will give serious
battle in the fairly open country north OF
Glen Still, their evident strength indi-
Gates more than a corps of observation.
In small affairs the Beers are daringly
aggressive in all parts of the field of war.
The johannesburg mounted police, es-
teemed by the Beers 10 be their best
mounted commando. are raiding the
country near Bloemfontein, harassing the
farmers who have given up their arms to
the British and carrying off cattle. There
is a Boer report from Natal that a Rus
sian soldier of fortune, Colonel Ganotzki.
with a hundred horsemen, is operating
close to the British outposts on the west
ern border.
The Beers have re-occupied Campbell
and are in strength rear Taungs and
Barkley West. They shelled the British
camp at Warrenton Wednesday, but
moved out of range that night Yesterday
cThursday) two British guns entlladed
the Boer trenches, quieting their Maui
sers.
Lord Methuen and the forces that had
been operating in the Berkeley district
have been recalled to Kimberley by Lord
Roberts. No explanation has been given
for this, but the mounted troops are dis
satisfied at having been ordered back
The Beers and disloyalsts at Kenhardt
have been dispersed and caused to re-
treat. General Parsons is about to enter
the town unopposed.
Lord Roberts is ma king extensive ar
rangements to police and safeguard all
the Free State towns in the territory occu-
pied Dispatches from Mazeru assert that
the Beers who returned to Ladybrand
from Cloclavan have taken up strong po-
sitions and sent pickets far in every di-
rection to watch Basutoiand, in the ex-
pectation that part of General Buffers 8
army will invade the Free State on that
side.
According to Pretoria advices Mafe-
king was bombarded for seven hours on
Tuesday
1t is reported in London, in a well in
formed quarter. that Lord Kitchener will
be offered the post of commander -in-chief
in India succeedr the late Sir William
Lockhart so soon as decisive successes
have been obtained in the Transvaal and
that General Sir Archibald Hunter will
succeed him as Lord Roberts chief of
staff. The Indian newspapers have been
| urging Kitchener's appointment
London. March 30.-The Bloemfontein
correspondent of the Morning Post tele-
graphing Wednesday. says: president
Kruger boasts his intention to re-take
Bloemfontein within a week and it ap-
pears probable that the Beers are ad-
| vancing in force southwark"
Pretoria, March 2S.-General Joubert
was taken ill Sunday morning He was at
his office the previous day. He suffered
great pain. but became unconscious som
time before death. The complaint was
acute Inflammation Of the bowels The
body will lie in state tomorrow and will
then be taken by special train to the
farm at Rustfontein. near Wakkerstroom,
where it will be buried quietly. as Jou-
bert often requested, and without military
honors. Michael Davitt has gone to
kroonstadt.
Aliwal North. March 2s-General Bra
bant and his staff have returned from
RouxVille and are now actively engaged
| In holding the southern frontier Of the
Free State. Detachments are being sent
| to strengthen the positions which have
been occupied. 1t is evident that Com
| mandant Olivier. now moving north is be-
| ing closely watched by Sir Godfrey Lang
| don, the Basutoiand commissioner who is
| in communication with General French
London, March 30.-A dispatch to the
Daily Chronicle from Bloemfontein, dated
March 2Sth. says: The Beers are active
| north of Glen, about fifteen miles from
here. 1t is reported that they are con-
| centrating in considerable force. Rein.
! forcements of all arms are being sent ur
| from Bloemfontein, including the Sew.
| enth Division and portion of General
| French's cavalry. The Johannesburg
| mounted police are still raiding cattle and
| harrassing the disarmed burghers who
are returning to their farms.
| London, March ga dispatch from
Bloemfontein. published in the Times
| dated Wednesday, March 28th, dwella
upon the necessity for not making q
| premature advance from this capital
This correspondent. who on several oc-
| casions seemed to have been chosen as
| the mouth-piece OF Lord Roberts, ca
bles:
1T should be clearly understood tina,
the present halt in the vicinity OF
| Bloemfontein is absolutely necessary a:
| a military precaution. 1t should be
| borne in mind that we are about t
enter On a new phase Of the operations
| with the main communications through
a recently occupied hostile country, and
| that the recent successes necessitateC
a great expenditure of horse power
| Here and in Natal we shall move OF
the commencement Of the South Afri
can Winter and must be prepar ed t.
face the effects of the first frost upor
such animals as may be affected Will
horse sickness. 1t would be suicida
to push troops forward until they ar,
equipped to meet the exposure of Win
ter. Horses, clothing and food W,
must have"
"A deputation cf Dutch Church minis
ters had an audience with Premie
Schreiner at Cape Town to-day TIL
ministers urged the separation Of tn
sick and well Boer prisoners and aske,
that the sick be not sent to st. Helena
| Mr.. Schreiner replied that he had n
power in such matters, but would US
his friendly offices. He added that h
had made strong representations to tn
imperial government against sendinl
the prisoners to ST. Helena. but withou
success.
1t is reported that the prison trans
ports will sail foR st. Helena at the en-,
Of this week.