Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1900-05-19

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Phenomenal March-Notes.
London, May 1.-THE Daily Express
! publishes this morning "a three-eoiumh
New York special, signed by Patrick
O'C0nnor, who crossed the Atlantic with
the Boer delegates on the Maasdam,
under pretense of being an lrl,h-
American and Boer sympathizer. As
a matter Of fact Mr., O'Connor UNDER
stands the Dutch language. ana no
claims 10 have overheard much private
conversation. In the course OF which Mr.,
WolmaiRns Is reported az saying 10 Mf
Fischer:
II think we should he careful Of what
VIC say TO this man, as h, may he spy.
Are you sure he Is an Americana
Mr. Fischer-Thcre II no doubt of II
I can tell by his accent,
Mr.. Wessels-It would never do, OF
course. for the British 10 know that we
ara really In the last extremity, az fer
him to know that We are thinking "
staying In America,
Then resumlng the English language,
Mr.. Fischer began by blaming Cecil
Rhodes for bringing on the war, lie
said: II haven't q shadow of doubt that
Sir Alfred Alilner was sent To South
Africa 10 prepare for the spoliation Of
the Boer republics by force, II necessary.
The franchise ruse was all humbug.
President Kruger ceded 80 much At the
Bloemfontein conference that Miner
was In mortal fear lest all his requests
should he granted and lest he should
thereby lose the chance of annexing the
Transvaal."
Mr.. Wolmalans said To Mr.. Fischer In
Dutch: "Do you think We had better
tell him how Kruger broke of the con-
ference?"
Mr.. Fischer-No
Mr.. WOlmarans lin Dutch-Our
position just now is precisely that Of
Jameson at the time of the raid. He ex-
pected JOhanne sburg to rise to his as.
sistance. We expected the same Of
Cape Colony and Natal. We are bit.
terly disappointed. Tell him how
Schreiner deceived us.
Mr.. Fischer-IIe knows WE'LL as well
as we do. that Schreiner is loyal 10
Great Britain.
Resuming English Mr.. Fischer said
I've are going to win the war If II takes
years"
Addressing Mr.. Vessels. and using
Dutch, Mr.. Fischer then said: We had
better not say too much. We are get
ting badly beaten now. We are going
to America In the hope of obtaining the
friendly help of the United States in the
cause Of peace. That is what we will
say to the public. AS II matter Of fact
We have no hope whatever. We have
no cut and dried program"
Mr.. Fischer went on to say that the
brother OF Mr.. Vessels, who happened
to be In The United States and who was
acting in conjunction with MOntagu
White. believed that some sort Of peace
preliminares would he arranged; bat
!: the delegates failed in the United
States the Boers, Mr. Fischer declared,
would still not give in.
Mr. O'Connor says: The delegates
were much astOnished a I their reception
On their arrival in New York When
land was sighted Mr.. Wolmarans ex-
claimed: What shall we do when we
get there?'
London, May 11.-General Butler re-
ports his occupatiUl Tuesday of Glen
coe west Of Dundee. He also states that
the Free Staters on the Drakensberg
are greatly reduced in numbers, three
commandos having trekked north from
Hlatikulu Sunday and Monday. Other
dispa tches state that the entire Beer
force in Natal does not exceed 1000 men.
Ii this be true then the task of seiZins
the railroad almost to Laing's Mex
would not appear so difficult a task after
all. From Glencoe TO Newcastle, where
a. highway branches off to Utrecht, Is |
80 miles; to Lang's Mex is % miles more.
General Buller Is now moving toward
Newcastle. He appears to be using
$4,000 men against 5000 or 5000. His |
operations will almost certainly result !
in his forcing his way into the Trans |
vaal, possibly in time to cooperate with |
Lord Roberts advance, although Cen
eral Butler is now 252 miles from johann
nesburg, or % days march.
General Rumble is sweeping through |
the northeast Of the Free State. The |
Beers are dissolving before him, and |
some are surrendrring. Their main
lOTCe Is dSStulDitu uStWteH ckSDuTR
and Winburg but it Is without close or. |
ganization.
Lord Roberts continues passive at
Kroonstad. His cavalry are stretching
like a semi circular screen many miles |
in length. with overlapping TANKS The
railway will probably be completed to-
day.
The Kroonstad censor permits the
passage of long dispatches with incidents
prior to the occupation. 1t seems that
General French's cavalry had one lively
fight after crossing the Zand river. a
mixed squadron took a kopje and dis
mounted. The Beers suddenly fired
from a concealed position. killing many
horses and stampeding the rest. The
Beers then advanced in overwhelming
numbers and drove the squadron. cap
turing some. The Roers robbed the
dead and looted the saddles. Finally. a
brigade of cavalry drove them off. Far
ther north. the hussars charged the
Beers, killing and wounding many
with sabres and pistols.
Lord Roberts infantry marched 40
miles in seven days. General French
marched 50 miles in one day. The
Beers. when retiring. dragged 80 guns
through krOOnstad.
The British public is keenly expectant
of the announcement that Mafekirg has
been relieved. In army circles The opin-
Ion seems to prevail that this has already
been accomplished although the war
office asserts this morning that news of
the relief has not been received. The
steadfast courage Of the hunger bitten
garrison has produced n deep impress ]
Only a second ltater.