The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-02-13
Cecil Rhodes's Town I'm Sore Straits
and Must he succored With
out Further Delay.
SITUATION ON THE TUGELA
BoERs IN POSITION ACROSS THE
RIVER NEAR CHIEvELY.
Two Thousand More Marching
Through Zululand-Large Number
Near Eshowe-Buller Resting.

LONDON, Feb. 13, Ais a. m.-Lord Rob-
erts has gathered 5000 men. with whom,
according to the best military opinion In
London. he purposes turning the left of
the Magersfontein lines near Jacobsal. en-
tering the Free State, compelling General
Cronje to raise the siege of Kimberley and
thus making his first step toward Bloem-
foptein. Yesterday Lord Roberts announced
the appointment of General Sir Henry Col
vile. hitherto commander of the guards
brigade. to the command of the Ninth Di-
vision, which is being formed and will con-
sist probably to a good extent Of colonial
troops. General Colville will be succeeded
by General Reginald Pole-Carew.
Lord Roberts tells the correspondents
that when he gets down to business they
shall have ample opportunities 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 free
dom. Thus says the censor and the last
clause may be interpreted to mean that
something is about to happen
Kimberley. twenty miles away from the
Modder river position. is in sore straits. De-
tails OF the December death rate show that
In a population OF 1900 whites and $1,000
blacks the mortality was sixty whites and
13S blacks per thousand. The infantile
death rate was gu per thousand among the
whites and 912 per thousand among the
blacks. Enteric fever was prevalent.
The frightful state of things In December
cannot have improved much IL at all since
and the fighting power of the garrison must
have been greatly diminished. Meanwhile
the bombardment by the Beers has in
creased and there Is imminent danger of
the town falling under the very eyes OF
Lord Roberts. II Is believed In circles close
to the War Office that he will move at
once. Scouts have approached within
thousand yards OF the Boer entertainments
at MagersfonteIn. They have found these
strong and ascertained that they are used
as dwelling places. Naval gunners are
constantly watching the enemy's lines with
strong glasses and they declare that there
IL appreciable- diminution In the Boer
forces.
In Natal the Boer commandos south of
the Tugela occupy Bold's farm and several
mines west of Chievey. Two thousand
Beers. with three guns, are advancing
through Zululand toward Natal
Spencer Wilkinson, discussing the mill
tary situation In the Morning Post to-day.
refers to a Cape Town letter. dated Jan. g.
which asserts that Lord Roberts will allow
no movement until the transport organiza-
tion Is complete, and says: 1T Is probable
therefore, that the transport Is now ready
and that the arrival OF Lord Roberts at
Modder river is the signal for action 1t
IS possible that before beginning his move
he wishes to ascertain from Lord Methuen
how matters stand in his part of the the
ater Of war, and this would account for a
pause of a few days" Mr.. Wilkinson then
discusses the question of tents or no tents,
basing his observations upon a letter from
Winston Churchill, in the course OF which
the writer explains that the immobility OF
the British army in Natal is due to the
fact that Ii drags after IL huge train.
mainly for tents. This question" says
Mr.. Wilkinson, lis mainly one of climate,
and the choice lay. perhaps. between slow
movements and enteric fever. but a pro-
test against too much comfort. coming
From eyparfaucad cau,nafo fonar lika Win
ston Churchill. deserves consideration"