Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1900-03-10
beers HAVELEFTNATAL
Cape Colony, Too, Is Nearly De-
serted by Them.
JoUBBRT COMMANDS THE BoERs.
They Are Seemingly Concentrating
tn General Roberts Front, with the
Evident Intention OF Opposing His
Farther Advance ON MafeI<ing.

4
London, March Lord Roberts
still pauses in the neighborhood of
Osfontein, while stores, remounts and
| fresh troops stream toward him from
the cape. The British position also
continues to improve in the minor,
spheres OF the campaign. Natal is
| clear Of Beers and Cape Colony is
| nearly so.
The Beers seemingly are pursuing
the course commended by the strate-
gists, and are concentrating to resist
the British main army. Various mes
sages from correspondents with Lord
Roberts report that the enemy are in
| creasing continually on his front, ex-
tending, as one correspondent wires,
| eight miles, and, as another says, IS
miles. The lowest estimate of their
! numbers gives the Beers from 5000 to
10000 men, with smaller bodies NOV
ing north and south of the British
lines. General Joubert is reported to
be in supreme command.
Each army is on both sides of the
Modder river. Although the Beers
have mounted eight guns on the tops
of kopjes and appear to be too far
away for inspection, the British scouts
report that they are diligently using
pick and shovel. Military opinion is
that their present position merely
screens more easily defended ones
deeper in the region.
None of the military experts endeav-
ors to fathom Lord Roberts plans. but
it is suggested that he is quite willing
to give the Beers time to assemble all
their men in order to deliver a smash
ing blow more effectively.
The round robin in favor of the an
nexation of the Transvaal and the
Free State, which is being promoted
among the supporters OF the govern
ment in the house OF commons, con-
tinues to receive signatures. The sig
natures OF the memorial to Mr.. Bal
four affirm that the time has arrived
for plain speaking inside and outside
| OF parliament, and that Lord Sails
bury's words are being construed into
a pledge against annexation and Lord
Roberts proclamation into promise
or no confiscation of Boer property.
The Transvaal agency at Brussels
threatens a rising Of the Cape Dutch
in the event of annexation, though why
the Dutch should rise then rather than
now is not explained.
Mr.. A. G. Hales, The Daily News
correspondent, who was captured by
the Beers on Feb.f9, was released at
Bloemfontein and put through the
lines near Sterkstroom. He tele-
graphs that the Beers are demoralized,
but adds that they have been treating
the British wounded splendidly.
An Orange River, Cape Colony, dis
patch says: The recent British vic
tories have had a wonderfully quiet
ing effect on the rebel Dutch, many of
whom, In the neighborhood of Douglas.
are reported disheartened and about
returning TO their homes. The COM
mando In the neighborhood OF Brits-
town has been given carte blanche by
President Steyn to raise as many re-
cruits and TO do as much damage as
possible. The rebels in the neighbor-
hood OF Kenhardt are particularly ag-
gressive, acting on the superstition that
the troops of Lord Roberts are fully
occupied in the Free State.
A dispatch to The Daily News from
Modder River dated Monday and de-
scribing the Boer position in front of
Lord Roberts says: The Beers seem
TO like to be busy entrenching. They
have mounted eight guns on high
i kopJes. 1t is marvellous how they drag
these weapons into such positions. 1t
Is reported here that at a recent
emergency meeting of the Free State
Rad, at Bloemfontein, a radical diff
ference of opinion developed. the ma
1orlty favoring peace at any price, but
the minority, including President
Steyn, advocating fight to the end.