Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1900-03-20
Beers Blow Up Railroad Bridge
British Worried over Johan-
nesbure - KRUGER An
swers Roberts.
RUSSIA SENDS SERIOUS NOTE
Metropolitan Ahsorhs Third Ave-
nue. Car Line-Admiral and
Mrs. Dewey IN Georgia.
THE ADMINISTRATION SCORED

London, March 20--For all the news
that reached here yesterday and to-
DAY Great Britain might almost as
well have been at peace 1t is rea-
6eRaf. .5b - e'seve that the relief of
Mafeking mays ,. heard of any hour.
!, General Kitchener entered Prieska
Cape. Colony. without opposition. the
insurgents laying down their arms
Generals Roberts and Butler are still
active. pending developments at the
theatre of war. Considerable inter-
est is attached to the fate of Johan-
nesburg. Commenting on the report
ed consultation between Secretary
Hay and the German ambassador, at
Washington, DR.. Won Holleben, as to
the proposition that both belligerents
be urged to leave johannesburg alone,
the "Pall Mall Gazette" says: The
German foreign office knows better
than to invite the snub it would In.
fallibly receive If it ventured to whis-
per 80 preposterous a proposal to
Downing street
Bloemfontein, March 19-The Beers
blew up the railroad bridge over the
Medder river, fourteen miles north
yesterday. The law courts re-opened
today
New York, March 20--A dispatch to
the World" from London, says:
Part of the British plan for the paci-
ication of South Africa is apparent
in the announcement that all the
British authorities there will make
every effort to induce time expired
men, volunteers ana coIonIaIs rom
abroad to settle there when the war
Is over by giving them 24O acres of
land each. provided they occupy the
and for ten years.
Cape Town, March 20-The Beers
have blown up the bridges north of
including those at
and Kroonstadt, and are now
ISlfCdlln6 nOltu.
London, March 20-In the house Of |
commons today, parliamentary sec
retary of the war office, George Wynd |
nam said that secretary of state for
the colonies, Joseph Chamberlain,
was about to issue proclamation on
the subject of the alleged threats of
the Beers to destroy johannesburg,
and as to what the Beers may expect
in the event Of the wanton destruc-
4ton OF British property.
Cape Town, March 2O-Alfred Mil
ner, governor of Cape Colony and
British high commissioner Of South
Africa, issued proclamation declar-
ing that the imperial government
would not recognize as valid, or ef-
fectual, any alterations of property,
whether lands, railroads or mines,
within the Transvaal or the Orange
Free State, or any interest therein, or
encumbrances, or any concessions
granted by said governments.
London, 7:15 p. m.-The following
dispatch was received at the war of
flee from Lord Roberts, dated Bloem-
.fontein. March 19:
'T received the following reply to
my telegram of March 18th, to the
presidents of Free State and South
African republic: Your excellency's
telegram reached me yesterday.
assure you nothing would grieve me
more than that my burghers should
make themselves guilty of deed
such as that laid to their charge by
you. am, however, glad to say that
you must have been mistaken.
made personal inquiry of General D
Larey, who was in command of our
burghers at the place mentioned by
you. He denies entirely that our
burghers acted as stated by you, but
ne says that Saturday. the date being
illegible, the British troops, when
they were about fifty yards from our
position, put up their hands as well
as white flag, whilst at the same
time your cannon bombarded said
troops with the result that Command
ant De Bear was wounded. Yester-
1day morning the head commandant
wrote, In his account OF the battle as
follows: Soldiers hoisted the white
flag, but we were then fired at by the
English cannons and compelled to
charge Perhaps it is not known to
your excellency that the same thing
happened at spion Kop, where, when
e portion Of the troops hoisted the
white flag. and put up their hands,
and whilst our burshers were busy
dlsarming them. another portion Of
troops fired on our burghers: but
some Of the British troops we're kill
ed. It also has been reported that at
the lest battle on the Tugela the
#nslieh cannon fred on troops who
snFHtndered. With reference to ex-
6Fs bullets found in Cronje's
aazsk and elsewhere, can give your
'shcy assurance that such bul-
ls were not purchased or allowed
by the government. + however, have
10 reason to doubt your statement
So know many burghers in this state
and South African republic took q
large number Of ee-Metford rifles
and dnm.dnm ami other bullets frnn.