The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1900-02-13
10 ENTER FREE STATE;
General Lord Roberts Will Lead
Thirty-fve Thousand Men
AGAINST THE FORCES OF oRoNJE.

Kimberley Is in Sore straits, the
December Death Rate Showing an
Appalling Mortality Japan Aids
England by Transferring warships
London, Feb. 13.-Lord Roberts has
gathered 1000 men, with whom, ac-
coEding to the best military opinion in
London, he purposes turning the left
OF the Magersfontein lines near ia
cobsdal, entering the Free State, COM
polling General Cronje to raise the
siege of Kimberley, and thus making
his first step toward Bloemfontein.
Yesterday Lord Roberts announced
the appointment Of General Sir Henry
Colville. hitherto commander of the
Guards Brigade, to the command Of the
Ninth division, which is being formed
and will consist probably to a great
extent of colonial troops. General
Colville will be succeeded by General
Reginald Pole-Carew.
Lord Roberts tells the correspond
ents that when he gets down to BUSH
ness they shall have ample oppor-
tunity to send news. His chief press
censor yesterday issued new rules, and
In 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 hap
pen.
Kimberley, 20 miles away from the
Modder river position, Is in sore
straits. Details of the December death
rate show that In population Of H.
900 whites and 10000 blacks and NOR
tality was so whites and 1873 blacks per
1000. The infantile death rate was
GIL per 1000 among the whites and 912
per 1000 among the blacks. Enteria
fever was prevalent This frightful 4
state Of things in December cannot
have improved much, If at all, since,
and the fighting power of the garrison
must have been greatly diminished.
Meanwhile the bombardment by the
Beers has increased, and there Is i'm
minent danger ofthe town falling under
the very eyes of Lord Roberts. 1t Is
believed IN circles close to the war Of
lice that he will move at once.
Scouts have approached within
thousand yards of the Boer entrench-
nents at Magersfontein. They have
'ound these strong and ascertained
hat they are used as dwelling places.
Naval gunners are constantly watching
he enemys lines with strong glasses,
md they declare that there is an ap-
diminution in the Boer forces.
In Natal the Boer commanders south
II the Tugela occupy Bold's Farm and
everal mines west Of Chieveley. Two
thousand Beers, with three guns, are
ldvancing through Zululand toward
Natal.
The war Office is making prepara-
ions to continue the stream of troops
or South Africa. Four large steamers
ave been chartered. Japan agrees to
ct the Armstrong; transfer to Eng
and four naval quick firers that were
uilt for her, consenting to wait for
he execution of her own order until
he hostilities In South Africa are over.
everal European powers, by similar
onsents as to guns being constructed
y Vickers' Sons & Maxim, enable
'ngland to secure 100 Maxims.
TWO thousand men are constantly
mployed at Woolwich arsenal, and all
ne guns and ammunition factories are
orking night and day to execute gov
rnment orders. The weekly output
four firms is 1900, 900 rounds.
Outside Of the requirements for
outh Africa Great Rrjtain 10 accumu
ting immense stores of war material.
considerable divergence of opinion
sists as to the adequacy of the gov
'nment's military proposals, even
Nv.