The Bowbells tribune., 1900-02-16
WILL INVADE THE FREE STATE
WITH $4,000 MEN.
To Compel CrOnje to Raise the Siege
of Kimberley and Thus Make His
First Step Toward BlOemfontein-
to Business Correspondents Can
Send News-Believed That Rob-
erts Will Strike at Once-Terrib1e
Condition of Affairs at kimber-
ley More Troops for South
Africa.

London, Feb 14.-Lord Roberts has
gathered $4,000 men, with whom. ac-
cording to the best military opinion in
London, he purposes turning the left
of the Magersfontein lines near Jacobs"
dahl, entering the Free State, cOmpell-
ing Gen. Cronje to raise the siege of
Kimberley and thus make his first step
toward Bloemfontein.
Yesterday Lord Roberts announced
the. appointment of Gen. Sir Henry
COlville, hitherto commander of the
guards brigade, to the command Of
the Ninth division which is being
formed and which will consist proba-
bly, to a great extent Of colonial troops.
Gen. COlville will be succeeded by
Gen. Reginald Poly-Carew. Lord Rob
erts tells the correspondents that when
he gets down to business they shall
have ample opportunities to send news.
His chief censor yesterday issued new
rules, and in future all written COM
munications are to go unchecked.
Only kilograms
Are to Be Censored.
For the next few days little news is
likely to get through, but later there
is likely to be more freedom. So says
interpreted to mean that something is
going to happen. Kimberley, a few
miles from the Modder river, is in sore
straits. The November report shows
that in a population Of $4,000 whites
and $4,000 blacks, the mortality was
60 whites and 15S blacks per 1,OOO The
December death rate was 81 1-2 per
1000 among the whites and 1872 among
fr;a
lent. This frightful death rate in De-
thing since, and the fighting power of
the garrison must have been greatly
diminished. Meanwhile the lombard
creased and there is danger of the
Lord Roberts. 1t is believed in circles
close to the war Office that he
VIII Move at Once.
Scouts have approached within 1000
yards Of the BOer intrenchments at
Magerfontein. They have found these
strong and ascertained that they are
usG as RELIEVING places. Signal Of
dcers are constantly watching the ell
emy's lines with strong field glasses
and they declare there is diminishing
of the Boer forces. In Natal the Brit
ish forces occupy Bold's farm and sew.
eral miles west of Chieveley. One
thousand Beers with several guns are
advancing through Zululand to Natal.
The War Office is making preparations
to continue the stream of troops for
South Africa. -Four large steamers
have been chartered. Japan agrees to
let the Armstrong; transfer to
England four naval quick-frers that
were built for her. consenting to wait
for the execution Of her own guns un-
til the hostilities in South Africa are
over. Several European powers by
similar consents as to guns being con-
structed for them, enable England to
secure 100 Maxims. Outside the re-
quirements for South Africa. Great
Britain is collecting immense stores Of
war material.
Beers Will Besiege Eshowe.
London, Feb. 1.-THE Pietermaritz-
burg correspondent of the Daily Mail,
telegraphing yesterday, says: "a dis
patch from Eshowe asserts that a
large commando of Beers is encamped
near Ngutn, with eighty wagons and
nine guns. 1t is rumored that this
force intends to besiege Eshowe, the
intention probably being to fortify the
Insui hills in order to prevent the
British traversing Zululand to relieve
I.adysmith.
4 Recaptured by the British.
Rensberg, Feb. IA. - Hobirk's ana
Bastard's Mex, which the Beers took |
possession of Saturday, have been re-
occupied by the British. The Beers |