The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1900-03-21
RELIEF DRAWING NEAR MAFEk|NG.
WARS END NEAR.
Free s,aters surrcndering- Roberts
Fcrces Receiving Rifles Faster Than a.
Factory Could Turn Thom Out.

The news from South Africa Monday
Is entirely satisfactorily 20 the British
public The relief OF Maicl<ing is not
yet announced but il is extremely prob
able that this is already accomplished
by Col Plumcr's advance. The actual
relief movements have not been public
" developed in detail. but it seems that
Lord Mcthucn only started very
recently and is rather engaged in dis.
pcrsing the Bocts of the district than
aiming at actual relief. The officer
commanding at Belmont reports that
some dcscrtcrs have come III with a
Maxim, a nnc-p FOUNDER and another
gun Another nine FOUNDER has been
brought into Colcsbcrg. The cavalry
brigade has gone to Thaba Nchu in or
der to rcassure the inhabitants ol that
district and to distribute copies OF the
proclamation to the people OF the Free
State. These proclamations are being
eagerly sought after. q,
We are getting rifles surrendered
faster than factory could turn them
out. II is quite certain that II British
official can reach the northern laagcrs
with Lord Roberts proclamation the
whole Bocr population will declare Tor.
peace
Events have occurred which induce
some to predict that the war will last
only SD long as il takes to- march to
Pretoria. The educated Beers, even
the Transvaalcrs are ready to accept
the inevitable
II is reported that a corps ot 1000
women have been formed at Pretoria.
1t is called the Amazon corps. All the
members are uniformed in kits and are
armed q,
Lord Roberts probably asccrtaincd
from Mr. Fraser. the new mayor oi
Dlocmiontcin, before dispatching Cen
Pole Carcw southwark that, in all like
lihood. the railway was clear. The next
move will be to collect at Blocmiontcin,
by railway. sufficient stores for the ln,-
mcusc army Lord Roberts will have
when the Orange river forces nave
ioincd him. This will probably occupy
from two to three weeks. Therefore
the next important operations may be
expected in Natal
The cavalry brigade which Lord Rob
crts has sent to Thaba Nchu, Is miles
east of Blocmfontciu. is destined to cut
off some 1000 Beers who are escaping
from the southwark.
According to reports there are Iiooo
Bocrs with 20 guns in the Biggarsbcrg
range. They will nave to be caught
sooner or later. The British troops are
anxious to try and the feeling is gen
eral that before long they will be per
mittcd 10 do So.
4 dispatch from I.adysmith, dated
Sunday. says: Our advanced camp IS
on Sundays river, two miles north OF
Elandslaagtc. The Bocrs hold two po-
sitons on the Biggarsbcrg range, about
10 miles north The strongest is on the
New Castle road, where several guns
have already been mounted and where
they are digging extensive trenches
The second position. which is on the
Dundee road is not so strong.
A dispatch from President Kruger
says "Thc burghcrs will only cease
fighting with death. Our forces are re-
turning in good order to our lines OF de
fense on our own soil. The Natal
campaign was longer in our favor than
we expected. The British will never
reach Pretoria The burghers, Stcyn,
Joubert and myself, rs well as all tho
others, are united. There are no dif-
fercnces. God help us"