The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-04-03
THE Beers ADVANCING
WITH A CONCENTRATED FORCE TO-
WARD BL0EMFONTEIN.
BECOME DARINGLY AGGRESSIVE.
Boasts of His Intention to Re-
take MISUNDERSTANDING I'm General
Roberts Advance Caused by Neces-
sity for Thoroughly Equippino His
Army fora Winter Campaign-British
Claim of One Hundred and Fifty
Thousand Foreigners In Boer Army.

London. March ga dispatch from
BlOemfontein published in The Times
dated Wednesday, March 18th, dwells
upon the necessity for not making a
premature advance from this capital.
This correspondent who, on several oc-
casions. seemed to have been chosen
as the m~outhpiece of Lord Roberts,
cables:
1T should be clearly understood that
the present halt in the vicinity of
BlOemfontein is absolutely necessary
as a military precaution. 1t should be
borne in mind that we are about to en-
ter OF a new phase of the operations
with the main communications through
a recently occupied hostile country and
that the recent successes necessitated
a great expenditure of horse power.
Here and lin Natal we shall move on
the commencement of the South Afri-
can winter and must be prepared to
face the efforts of the first frost upon
such animals as may be affected with
horse sickness. 1t would be suicidal
to push troops forward till they are
equipped to meet the exposure of win
ter. Horses, clothing and food we
must have"
The correspondent adds that the Boer
forces have been r~e-equipped and says
he is fully convinced that $50, coo for
eign troops have been landed to aid the
republics.
A deputation of Dutch Church min
listers had an audience of Premier
Schreiner, at Cape Town today. The
ministers urged the separation of the
sick and well BOer prisoners, and ask
ed that the sick be not sent to st.
Helena Mr.. Schreiner replied that he
had 10 power in such matters, but
would use his friendly offices. He added
hat he had made strong representa-
ions to the imperial government
against sending the prisoners to St.
Helena, but without success.
1t is reported that the prison trans
ports Will said for st. Helena at the
end of this week.
BOERS ADVANCING SOUTHWARK.
London, March 3O.-The Bloemfon-
tein correspondent of The Morning
Post telegraphing Wednesday,, says:
president Kruger boasts his intention
to re-take Bloemfontein within a week
n it appears probable that the Beers
are advancing in force southwark"
Pretoria. Wednesday, March Is
General JOubert was taken i'll Sunday
morning. He was at his office the pre-
80 49, - - $500 R~AAAt DNS
became unconscious some time before
death. The complaint was acute in
Illumination of the Owels.
The body will lie in state tomorrow
and will then be taken by special train
to the farm at Rustfontein, near Wax
kerstrOOm. where it will be buried
quietly, as Joubert often requested,
and without military honors.
AliwalnOrth, March 29.-General Bra
bant and his staff have returned from
Rockville and are now actively engag
ed in holding the southern frontier of
the Free State. D~etachments are be-
ing sent to strengthen the positions
which have been occupied. 1t is evil
dent hat COmmandant Olivier, now
moving north, is being closely watched
by Sir Godfrey Langdon, the Basu'O-
and commissioner, who is in commune
cation with General French.
London March 30, 4 a. m.-The
Beers are concentrating in force about
fifteen miles north of Bloemfontein in
the rear of Glen, and Lord Roberts is
sending forward troops to engage them,
1t does not seem probable that the
Beers will give serious battle in the
fairly open country north of Glen,
Still, their evident strength indicates
more than a corps of observation. In
small affairs, the Beers are daringly
aggressive in all parts of the field OF
war.