Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-03-02

The country between me and Lady
smith is reported clear Of the enemy.
l am moving on Nelthrop."
6.55 p. M-General Butler wires from
Nelthrop. under today's date. that he
has Just returned from Ladysmith He
adds that the whole country south of
that place is cleared of the Beers.
1902 Z. M.-The following is the text
Of Cen Buffers dispatch:
'Nelthlope March leo p. Nj
have just returned from L3dysmith.
Except a small guard, north Of Surprise
hill The whole Of the enemy lately be
sieging the town have retired in hot
haste. and to the south of the town the
country is quite clear Of them.
The garrison We're on half a pound
of meat per man. a day, ana We're sup
plementing the meat ration by horses
and mules.
The men will want little nursing
before being fit for the field"
London, March Tao A. M.-Brit-
ons feel that they are living in the
presence Of mJmentous events. Tor
nadoes of patriotic excitement are
Whrling through the country. Even
the dullest SOUL must have been stirred
by the emotions of yesterday; and
London's 5000 coo were raised to a
high pitch Of patriotic exultation.
1t was 4 wonderful sight Old men
have nothing in memory with which
to compare the day. Some likened il
t. Lucknow, others talked Of the fall
Of Sebastopol II was a time Of singu-
lar abandon. the usual conventions Of
society ceased to control ana every
body else all joining in smiles or bel
loWings as their dispositions moved
them.
lord Lansdowne chose the psychology
ical moment to announce estimates eX-
ceeding c6l 900 go ana rather startled
,he public lay unfolding the programme
Of he war office to send out. in addi
ton to the 10000 troops now atloat.
IS 600 fresh soldiers. Lord Roberts will
ultimately have 4 force If 20 coo men.
An order has reached WoolWich arse
nal fur the construction of pa new
guns from 3-p1unders to Finch guns.
of the Sc 40 are to be naval guns. Al
ready p 900 workmcn are employed at
the arsenal ana 5000 more Will he en-
gagged. These decisions t, send out
more troops and to increase the home
armament meet with universal ap-
prevail.
The Beers seem to have got quite
away from around Ladysmith without
losing 4 gun or their baggage. Van
Reencn'S pass is only about % miles
from Ladysmith. The enemy had ar
tillery in action. Tuesday. and they
probably utilized both railroads in re-
treating. sending heavy pieces to Pre-
tOria ana lighter ones into the Free
State.
Dr. Leyds says that Gen. Jaubert is
assembling 10000 men at Winburg. 20
miles northeast Of Rloemfontein. Col.
Albrecht, according to a dispatch from
Palrdeberg. afiirms that the Beers
have 10000 men left.
Whether Lord Roberts is at Bloem-
fontein now or not he doubtless soon
will be dating his dispatches there and
using the town as his advanced base
Lord Kitchener's mission is to com
bine the forces under Gen. Clement and
Gen. Gatacre and to advance along
the line Of the railroad to Bloemfon
tein. The railway will simplify i'm
mensely the perpleXities of transport
The conditions at Ladysmith, some
Of which We're explained by Charles
Williams. yesterday, and cabled to the
United States, are now better under
stood as the military authorities no
longer retain their special informa-
ton. 1t appears that since the middle
Of January the horses have been half
starved and altogether too weak either
to drag guns or to carry cavalrymen.
Hence the impossibility Of dashing out
to help Gen. Butler attack the Beers.
These half starved animals We're care
fully saved for food.
The disposition to find fault. though
mildly. with the p1ssivity of Sir
George White disappears as the facts
become known. No one is in the mood
now to criticise anybody. although two |
or three of the morning papers gently
refer to the fact that the war office at
the outset Of hostilities rejected Lord
as unfit to be soldier, |
whereas it was he who organized the |
cOlonials.
Emperor William, Emperor Francis |
Joseph and King Humbert have tele-
grained congratulations to the Queen. !
Spencer Wilkinson in the Morning
Post says: Lord Roberts has taken |
the true measure Of the Beers and he
las thereby shown his mastery Of what |
Napoleon called the divine part Of the !
art of war
NO doubt the chapter Of British re-
verses j. now closed. lie would be a !
bold strategist who could row offer to !
The Boer leaders a plan of campaign |
ultimate success. Lord Rob
arts will soon have a force Of Go.o00 |
men. The BOer COMMUNICATIVE chief |
can now hope for but little from STRAIT |
eey. on his interior lines he is not |
strong enough. while containing one /:
British army. to strike with effect
against the other. He may possibly at
-, hold Cen Rnll11 tn. r,ac.a-