The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-03-09

ed infantry and seven horse batteries.
ENTRENCHING AT BIGGARSBURG.
Ladysmith, March 8.-The Beers are
entrenching at Biggarsburg. The scouts
report that all the Natal Dutch farmers
have fed from the surrounding country.
BOTHA PROMOTED.
Boer Camp, Biggarsberg, Monday,
March Sat a general council of war,
held today, Louis Botha was appointed
lieutenant general for Natal and Lukas
Meyer Schalburger, David Joubert, Dan
iel Erasmus and J FouTie, were ap-
pointed major generals. The selections
have given lively satisfaction to the
burghers.
NO DEFENSE OF BLOEMFONTEIN
New York, March 9.-A dispatch to
the Tribune from London says:
General Delarey may make a stand at
Abrahams Kraal. but the concentration
of the Dutch forces among the hills
north of Brandfort is more probable.
The British occupation of the Free
state capital is not likely to be serious
ly contested.
The transport arrangements for the
supply of Gen. Roberts army during
the long march from the railway base
have been excellent and the principal
cause of the delay is the condition of
the horses. Gen Kitcheners work as an
organizer is apparent in the mobility
Which the British army has suddenly
acquired. Officers. in their letters to
friends in England have explained This
| mystery. Gen. Kitchener, during his
first month in South Africa went up
and down the lines, inspecting every de-
tan OF the system of supplies, visiting
| Methuen'S, French's and Gatacre's
| headquarters, making changes at De
| Aar, Belmont and other points and
! Transforming the entire transport SER
wee. Every square peg in a round hole
/ came out and efficient men were put in
/ the place of daWdlers and blunderers
/ The energy of this remarkable man
was shown IN every branch of the ser
wee. He had not been in Cape Town
/ 4S hours before all officers idling about
/ the clubs and hotels under the pretense
! of sick leave were sent on their way to
reJoin their commands Gen. Kitchener
went everywhere and saw everything
/ ana when Gen Roberts was ready to
start for the front victory was already
! organized.
DEFENDERS OF LADYsMTTH.
Durham. March 9-The naval brigade
| from Ladysmith arrived today in com
mand OF Captain Lambeton. They
| mum Der about 200 and We're enthusiast
| tically received. The railway station
! was lined with men from H M. S Ter
rible and the meeting of comrades
caused many touching scenes. When
| the SunnerS who played such an impor-
| tant part in the defense Of Ladysnith
marched down the streets headed by
/ the band and flags of the Terrible and
| carrying the tattered Union Jack from
| H. NJ s. Terrible which had flown
cheering was enormous. The crowd
which assembled was tremendous
Lunch was prepared and served in a
/ shed adjacent to the railway station,
/ and the men ate heartily. The major
ity of them looked well, but show ed
| signs of the rough work and fatigue
| they have Undergone.
Their uniforms bore many tokens of
the wear and tear they had been sub
jected to.
After lunch, headed by Captain Percy
| Scott, the naval cOmmandant at Dur
ban. the men marched to the place of
ernbarkation for Simonstown
THINK THEY SEE PEACE SIGNS.
London, March 9-From various
| quarters come signs of possibility of
| peace in South Africa being shortly
| within the bounds of practical politics.
| All the dispatches from Lord Roberts
| headquarters including those of the
commander in chief himself, indicate
the lack of a guiding spirit among the
Beers and individual decentralization,
pOrtending disintegration unless speed
lily stemmed.
The flight of the burghers from Pop
! lar Grove, according to all accounts
was wholly inglOriOus. A Times dis
patch from Poplar Grove under yester-
days date goes so far as to assert that
the rOut OF the Beers was so complete
that the submission of the Free State
is being demanded by the burghers
from their unwilling president and it
is expected that it's submission will be
made within a week The correspond
ent adds:
Probably the Beers wisest course
was flight, but it was most und1gnIfcd
and Is certain to produce CONSERVATION
at BlCemfOntein. There is growing
outcry against any further identifica-
4 ton of the Free State with the Trans
walls interests"
Dispatches from the Boer camp at
! Glencoe, via Lorenzo MARQUES depict
! President X I'll a { ha
lier, seizing rifle and inviting Volun-
teerS to accompanying him, as he wished
to have a shot al the enemy himself.
President Kruger is also quoted as
having declared in his address to the
troops +i.at he did rlot know whether
arbitration or intervention would end
the struggle, but that it would end
quickly within the next month, he
strongly believed
ROBERTS MOVES UP.
London, March 9-Lord Roberts has
moved ten miles nearer Bloemfontein
evidently with the view of seizing and
utilizing the railroad, possibly to reach
the Free State capital in three or four
days whence he may begin repairing
the railroad southwark. meeting the
British advance from Cape Colony,
which may be expected to be hastened
as soon as Gen. White takes control.
The British occupied Jamestown unop-
posed. Thursday, March s, and the
Beers are reported to be retreating be-
yond Aliwal North so that Cape Colony
is practically cleared of armed Beers.
Reinforcements from Natal are going
to Lord Roberts. Gen. Wadden's divis-
ion and some artillery have already
been ordered to join the commander in
chief so that the latter is preparing for
all eventualities, including possible des-
perate opposition to his crossing the
Vaal river and the necessity of the
siege of Pretoria where thousands of
natives are reported to be employed in
n rc7~lres
concerning which such secrecy is main
tained that no one is allowed to walk
or drive on the outskirts of the town.
John Redmond's speech in the house
of commons yesterday does not meet
with unqauiied approval in Ireland
whence the Irish Transvaa1 committee
telegraphed to Mr.. Redmond:
I'VE challenge you to come to Dub