Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1900-03-22
THE SOUTH AFRICAN WAR
BEGINNING OF THE END PROB
ABLY IN SIGHT.
A Full Summary Of the Transvaai
War News-Prosress Of the Con-
fllct From Day to Day-The British
Encouraged.


A London cablegram says that the
peaceful conquest of the Orange Free
State progresses so evenly that it is
believed that here will be little or no
fighting until Lord Roberts reaches
the Vaal river. How soon he intends
to start out with this objective is not
yet limited at, but the pacification of
the Free Staters seems now engaging
all his attention.
General Gatacres scouts. who have
occupied Springfontein, report the
country clear Of the enemy.
According to Winston Churchill,
there are $4,000 Beers with 20 guns
massed in the Bigersberg range to
meet the British advance.
Lord Roberts is directing his move
ment towards crushing the Boer
forces on the Orange River. He has
crossed the river and occupied the
town of Bethulie. The Beers are said
to be massing in the Drakesberg
ranges, and may make an effort to
check the British advance.
The Pretoria correspondent of the
London Daily Mail says: The Repub-
lie was prepared to grant substantial
reforms and concessions until the re-
ceipt of Lord Salisbury's telegram.
General Cronje, according to Cape
Town special, has sailed for st. Hell
ena, accompanied by all the Paarde.
berg prisoners.
The Government of Sydney, New
South Wales, proclaimed St. Patrick's
Day as public holiday as tribute
to the bravery of the Irish soldiers in
South Africa.
Cecil Rhodes has issued statement
that his forthcoming visit to England
has solely to do with private business,
and is in no way connected with the
South African settlement.
A despatch from Durham says: The
Transvaal having appealed to Ger.
many for mediation or Intervention in
the war, Germany has replied that she
declines to interfere, as she is in no
way concerned IN the conflict.
Unconditional surrender on the part
of the Transvaal and Orange Free
State, and an absolute declination to
consider any proffer of good Offices or
intervention on the part of any for
eign power, is, according to excellent
authority, the policy decided upon by
the British Government
The result of the action of Kruger
and Steyn in appealing for interven.
tion to the great powers, and also to
the governments of Belgium, Holland
and Switzerland, is awaited with in
tense interest. In this connection the
most significant utterance of opinion
which has yet appeared in the Con.
tinental press is contained in the
Novoe Vremya, of st. Peterburg. This
journal, which is frequently inspired,
said:
Now that the English have won
the advantage over their opponent,
one must reckon upon seeing the
powers intervene. To look quietly on
at the struggle implies sanctioning
of open incendiarism. There is no oc-
casion to hurry Intervention, but it is
just as well for us to accustom our
selves to the idea and allow it to
ripen, and we are firmly convinced
that mankind will not be too long in
attaining the realization of this idea.
The duty of raising their voices be-
longs first to the United States. For
125 years citizens of these States
found themselves in exactly the same
position as the Beers. But, however.
it is a matter of indifference who will
first raise a voice against the pre-
dominance of England, for there is no
doubt that, once uttered, the whole
world will catch up the cry. But the
right moment should be waited, until
sity for Intervention, and of it being
carried out without conflict as to con.
sequences"