Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-02-15


Jacobsdal, entering the Free State and
compelling Gen. CrOnje to raise the
siege at Kimberley, thus making his
first step toward Bloemfontein. Yes
terday Lord Roberts announced !
the appointment of Gen. Sir Henry
Colville, hitherto commander of the
guards brigade, to the command of the
ninth division, which is being formed
and which will consist probably to
great extent of colonial troops. Gen.
ColviIle will be succeeded by Gen.
Reginald POle-Carew. Lord Roberts |
tells the correspondents that when he |
gets down to business they shall have |
ample opportunities to send news. |
The chief press censor issued the new
rules, and in the 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
happen. Kimberley, 20 miles away
from the Modder river position, is in
sore straits. Details of the December
death rate show that in a population
of $4,000 whites and 10000 blacks the
mortality was go whites and 1873 blacks
per 1000 the infantile death rate be-
ing GIL per 1000 among the whites and
912 per 1000 among the blacks. En-
teric fever was prevalent. This fright
full state of things in December can
not have improved much, if at all
since, and the fighting power of the
garrison must have been greatly di
minished. Meanwhile the bombardment
by the beers has increased and there is
imminent danger of the town falling
under the very eyes of Lord Roberts
1t is believed in circles close to the Of
five that he will move at once. Scouts
have approached to within 1000 yards
of the boer entertainments at Mayer
fOntein They have found these srcng
and ascertained that they are used as
dwelling places. Naval gunners are
constantly watching the enemy's lines
with strong glasses. they declare
there is an appreciate diminutiOn in
the boer forces. In Natal the boer
commanders south of the Tugela oc-
cupy Bold's farm several miles west
of Chievely. Two thousand beers,
with three guns, are advancing through
Zululand toward Natal.
The war office is making prepara-
tons to continue stream of troops for
south Africa. Four large steamers
have been chartered. Two thousand
men are constantly employed at the
Woolwich arsenal and all the gun and
ammunition factories are working
night and day to execute government
orders. The weekly output of four
firms is 100000 rounds Outside of
the requirements for south Afr ca,
Great Britain is accumulating- i'm
mense stores Of war material Con-
siderable divergence of opinion exists
as to the adequacy of the governments
proposals, even now. Military experts
and newspapers. while acknowledging
the difficulties to be met, complain that
nothing is said about measures necss-
Sary for immediate emergencies in
south Africa and declare that the gov
ernment's scheme is mainly directed
to a large increase of volunteers I'M
trained, unorganized men, .while moth
ing is being done to prepare a large,
we'll organized force. ready to take the
field.
To Bar Zululand Approved
London, Feb 13-The Pietermaritz-
burg correspondent of the Daily Mail
says: "A dispatch from Eshowe as
serts that a large commando of beers
is encamped near Ngutu, with so wa
CONS and nine guns. It is rumored that
this force intends to besiege Eshcwe,
the intention PROBABLY being to fortify
the Insult hills in order to prevent the
British traversing Zululand to relive
Ladysmith."
Terrific Army in Sight
London, Feb. l5.-rhe house of COM
mons was crowded in anticirat on of
the statement of George Wyndham,
parliamentary secretary of the war Of
fee, in regard to army measures
Wyndham arose, amidst cheers, when
the house went into a committee on
supply, and said he did not propose to
deal with the question of the prCsecu-
ton of the war, but would Immediately
outline some other military measures
necessary for placing the home de-
Tense on satisfactory footing The
government, he continued, had not
even considered the question of COM
pulsary service which was entirely I'M
nessary in view of the activity OF re-
eruiting for the auxiliary forces. Dur
ing the spring and summer the volun-
teer artillery would be rearmed:
mounted infantry volunteer corps
would be formed; and an artillery
army service corps and engineers nee
essary for two additional army corps
would be raised forthwith, namely,
thirty-siX field batteries and seven
horse batteries The speaker also said
1T had been decided to raise twelve ad-
ditional infantry battalions Wynd-
ham said the existing cavalry forces
would also be expanded by sven regi.
ments. There are 100000 regulars in
the country, and an increase is antici-
pated of 80 000 There were now 32S,-
600 men in the auxiliary forces. it was
estimated the increase would
be ~ $4,000. So, altogether
the country would soon have
at leost 517 600 men. Wyndham an
ticipatod the number at neare- 200 900
than N9'f million. Wvndham re-