The evening times., 1900-03-03

LONDON. March 3.-News Of fighting by
Roberts army is expected at any mo-
ment. The latest dispatches from his
headquarters at Osfontein say that the
Beers have been definitely located. They
are only four miles from the British front
and they are apparently awaiting Roberts
advance. Shots have been exchanged al
ready. and Colonel Remington. command
ind Rcmingtoins scouts. has had his horse
shot from under him.
The Boer force appears to number about
5000 men. Their lines extend eight miles.
Their left rests on hill and their right
on the river 4 is believed that they are
under command OF Generals Botha, Dclar-
ey. and De Wet It is thought that they
may be awaiting re-enforcements from Ma
tai under General Joubert, but Il is more
likely that they 60 not intend to offer Sc
rious resistance. but will merely seek to
rctard Roberts advance while the main
army prepares for a stand that they hope
will result in another SpiOn KOp.
Now that Finland has recovered from her
deIirious JOY regarding the relief OF Lady
smith and the capture OF Cronie. the pub
lie is becoming anxious regarding further
operations. The casualty lists are feared
and the announcement Of Kruger that It
will cost %. COO killed and wounded to pass
the next line OF defence is causing deep
anxiety 10 mary.
"Mafeking 1a safe. The Beers have rails
cd the siege and hive retired from the
place" This is the report that reached
q. e.. l. Tlrrre
sells. and it was given out by the Trans
vaal agency there. u is credited mere. as
it has been expected that Mafeking would
not remain long under FIRE after Kimberley
had been relieved.
The Boer agents. who announced the
abandonment OF the siege, say that the
step was taken for strategic reasons. This
tends TO prove the truth Of the report. The
stragetic reasons were probably the fear
Of the advance OF a strong British force
from Kimberley and the cutting of Of the
Boer forces operating in front Of the town.
on the other hand il is declared the re-
port may be an attempt TO mislead Lord
Roberts for a day or two.
The Siege of NInfeLinE-
The siege of Mafe,-ing has lasted for 40
days When the Beers closed in on the
town Colonel Baden Powell. Of the Fifth
Dragons. was IN command. and through
out the investment Sc has kept the gsrri-
son in such a condition that time ahd time
again attacks by the Beers have been
brilliantly repulsed. Nafeking was where
Jameson rounded up his raidng party and
il was thence he started 70 capture Johan-
IN
ceedingly anxious TO capture the place
Altogether there were about 5000 SOL
diers in the town. Among the officers were
a son OF Lord Salisbury; Lord Edward Ce-
Gil. a grandson Of William ~; Captain
Fitzclarence. and Lieutenant Cayendi.
Bcntick. Lady Sarah Wilson and Winston
Churchill were also in Nafeking. but the
latter, while carry ing dispatches for a Len r.
don newspaper. was captured and taken to
Pretoria. Lady Wilson was exchanged for
a notorious horse thief named Vilgoe. des-
pite her protests.
Colonel Baden-Powell and his aides de-
vised many ingenious schemes for avoid
ing Boer shell ana bullets. The streets Of
the town were tunnel,d and everybody
lived in burrows during the day. These
were connected by telephones with lookout
stations, where watchers with telescopes
kept the people informed as to when the
Beers were preparing TO fire one Of thcir
siege guns. Big gongs placed throughout
the city also gave the alarm so that when
Boer shell fcll &c hurled through empty
streets or exploded harmIessIy against
bombproofs-
The Beers occasionally made all
preparation for firing siege gun. held the
fire and then laughed at the frantic efforts
Of the inhabitants 10 reach shelter. They
sometimes held the fire and used it later
without preparation with serious effects
The last reported 6riGg was on February
p, when the Beers made an attack in
force on the town, and were repulsed
Forty Of them were killed.
Colonel PHumer, who was stationed at
Fort Tuli. in RhOdesia. started seven
weeks ago to the relief of Mafekinr but
got no further south than Gaberones
where he was halted by the Beers aEI has
remained ever since.