The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-03-06
UNESASY ABOUT THE ATTITUDE OF
THE UNITED STATES.
OUR GOVERNMENTS POSITION
known to be Opposed by American
Public Sentiment-Fears that the
Vigorous Attacks Upon its Alleged
Friendliness will Force the Admins
tion I'm View of the Coming Election.
to Make Some Anti-Brftish Demon
stration - Anxious for American
Friendship.

London, March 4, 4:10 a. NIT is ev-
ident that a strict censorship is being
exercised over the nwes at the seat of
war as the night has not added any
thing to the scanty dispatches received
during the day, most of which re-
ferred to matters preceding the recent
stirring events.
The war office intimated at midnight
that there was no prospect of news
until something definite shall have been
done. This is quite in keeping with the
complete silence which Lord Roberts
has hitherto observed while his plans
were in progress OF accomplishment,
and until he is in actual grip with the
Beers it is probable that the public
will hear little or nothing of his doings.
Spencer Wilkinson, reviewing the
situation in South Africa for the AS
sociated Press at midnight tonight.
says:
General Butler seems to have been
surprised TO find that he had beaten
the Beers on Tuesday. Nothing is COM
mOner in war than for an army, after
hard fighting, 10 be doubtful of the eX-
tent of it's success. Few generals learn
as Grant did in his first command.
that the enemy was as much frighten-
ed of me as / was of him.
THE question now is as TO the fu-
ture course OF events. There can not
be much doubt as to the issue provided
no foreign powers or power interfere.
Lord Roberts can either order Cen
eral Butler, wit hthe 10000 men of the
united Natal army TO advance on Pre-
tnrin 10 H. tNz-
Bloemfontein and the Free State rail-
way, or he can bring round most of
Buffers force to reinforce his own
army. In either case the Beers STRAIT
egists will have a hard task to make
a promising plan of campaign.
THE best BOer plan is, perhaps, to
leave the rear guard to cover the
passes from Natal and to concentrate
all the rest of their forces to resist
Lord Roberts. In this way they might
in a week from now. meet Lord Rob-
erts, with, perhaps, equal numbers,
but Roberts will be reinforced from
week to week, while the Beers ean not
be for the moment.
Lord Roberts will probably contrive
to push forward a small force on the
Myfeking lire and raise the siege While
he IS drawing the principal Bcer army
on TO himself"
London, March 3-President Kruger
is said to have left Pretoria with the
intention of meeting President Steyn.
The place where they Will meet is not
mentioned, but it is believed to be
somewhere in the Orange Free State.
Those in South .tfrica who are con-
Versant with the effect the recent re
verses have had or the Beers eX5. ceSs
the opinion that the meeting of the
two presidents is preliminary TO a sug-
geStiOn OF negotiations for peace, but
the closest observers do not anticipate
any sudden cessation of hOStilitieS, and
certainly. the reports from the theatre
Cf war do not tend to encourage the
advocates of immediate peace. The
Beers are apparently rallying With
accustomed ability to repair tenn
p1rary reverse, and Great Britain has
vet to test their force as defensive
power under the new conditions of
warfare.
Outside the meeting of the presidents
there is no news Indicative of any
change in the situation.