The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-04-10
Lord kitchener Assigned To the Duty
of Protecting the Railway
south of the City.
MAFEKING TO BE RELIEVED
EIGHTH DIVISION OF THE ARMY
ORDERED TO KIMBERLEY.
Bewfldering Movement of Troops and
Numerous Rumors-Enor's by Beers
to Capture Brabant's Horse.

LONDON, April 10. a. m.-Britons are
now beginning. though reluctantly, to real
fze that Lord Roberts is in for a winter
campaign lasting several months. This Is
the end. in few words. Of the high hopes
based on Lord Roberts's brilliant dash to
Kimberley and Bloemfontein-
Preparations are being made to hold
Bloemfontein against surprises. Lord
Kitchener has been given an important
duty. being responsible for the protection
of the railway. while Lord Roberts is wait
ing for remounts and winter clothing for
the troops, whose thin cotton khaki uni
forms and boots are worn out. General
Brahant and General Gatacre are both at
a standstill. Lord Roberts will probably
for some time confine his operations to
clearing the Free State behind him of raid
ers and to relieving Mafeking, for which
purpose, apparently. the Eighth Division.
now at Cape Town, has been ordered to
Kimberley.
Lady Sarah Wilson and other Mafeking
correspondents send diaries of the doings
there, showing that the Beers have tried,
by abandoning their trenches, to lure the
besieged out into mined ambush. For
tunately, the British engineers discovered
the mine. cut the wire communication and
unearthed $50 pounds of dynamite.
What the chances are for an advance to
Pretoria may be judged from the fact that
only from six TO ten thousand horses are
on their way to the Cape. and from the
further fact that the military tailoring de-
partments only within the last three weeks.
began making wooden khaki uniforms 1t
Is said IL will take at least two months to
provide 100000 uniforms.
Spencer Wilkinson, reviewing the situa-
ton i'm the Morning Post. says: 1.-The fact
that the situation is unchanged is in itself
favorable sign. as implying that the
Boer offensive is not dangerous. 1t does
not matter much whether the advance of
Lord Roberts is begun this week or next,
provided, when the start is made, every
thing is ready for an uninterrupted move
ment in cooperation with General Butler
Unless the Beers are able seriously to in
terrupt the communications of Lord Rob-
erts, their exertions will not influence the
course of the war. In the event OF Boer
invasion OF Basutoland, compelling the
British agent to give the Basuto chiefs
free hand, 1t is to be hoped that the i'm
perial government will lay before the gov
ernments of the great powers the true his
tory Of this delicate subject, so as to leave
no doubt that the movement of the natives
has been provoked by the Beers In spite of
the strenuous exertions OF the British to
confine the quarrel to the two white races"
Mr.. Steyn's address TO the Free State
Raad at Kroonstad is confirmed. The
Fischer wolmarans deputation has full
power to negotiate for peace. subject to the
Raads sanction.
Lady Roberts will remain at Cape Town.
The Duke OF Westminster. the Duke OF
Marlborough and Lord Henry Cavendish
Bentinck have gone to the front. Baron
and Lady Brassey have arrived at Simons-
town on board their steam yacht Sunbeam.