The Bowbells tribune., 1900-03-02
BOERS ASSEMBLING AN ARMY NEAR
bLoEMFoNTE1N.
Commanders Described as Hasten
ing From All Quarters of the
Two Republics - Believed to Be
the Reason of CrOnje's Steady
Resistance - Butler Forces the
Last and Strongest of the Boers'
RepOrted-Gen. White Expects
Early Relief.


with which to dispute the invasion of
Lord Roberts. This intelligence comes
from Pretoria by way of Lourenzo
Marques. The commandos are de.
scribed as ''hastening from all quarters
dent estimates that the Beers have
10000 to 10000 men in the field. The
gathering Of this army to resist Lord
Roberts gives q reason for the steady
resistance of Gen. Cronje. He has
engaged the corps of Lord Roberts now
for ten days, and whether he is re-
lieved or not he has given time for the
dispersed Boer factions to get together
and to prepare positions to resist the
British advance when Cronje is over
come and Roberts moves forward. It
is difficult to conceive that the Beers
are strong enough to take the offensive
and to rescue Gen. Cronje from his po-
sitiOn.
The war Office had nothing after
midnight to indicate his collapse, and
he may hold out for a few days. The
correspondents seem to have no exact
information respecting his resources.
Some say he has plenty of food, but is
short of ammunition. Others assert
that he abandoned his food supplies,
but kept abundant supplies of ammuni-
ticn.
Gen. Butler Oh Saturday faced tie
last and strongest positions of the
Beers who barred his way to Lady
smith. The strenuous fighting
Indicates a Battle
between armies rather than rear guard
actions protecting retreat On Thurs
day and Friday he lost forty three Of
ficers killed and wounded, representing
probably n total of from 400 to 500
losses. Gen. Whites guns worked on
Saturday upon the Boer positions, and
Il heliograph from Ladysmith reported
that the Beers were retreating and that
large rations had been issued in view
Of the fact that relief seemed at hand.
Nothing has been heard of AIafeking
since Feb. IL. The movement on the
veldt away from the railway is becom-
ing increasingly difficult for large
bodies of troops as the grass is burned
up. Gen. French has to wagon forage
for his horses, and even the infantry
find such large marches harder than
before, as forage for the transport ami
mails must be carried. This shows the
necessity of garrisoned depots.
The ordinary campaign season is
over and the sick season for both men
and animals has set in. Technical mill
ttary writer's take these things into
consideration in forecasting events.
The Daily Chronicle says it learns
from private letters that both rifles
and ammunition have been landed on
the souther coast Of Cape Colony, pre-.
sumably for the Dutch colonists. Lord
Roberts has recently received two ad-
ditional pieces of artillery. Whether
they have been sent to Paardeberg is
not known. Probably the Eighth d.
vision will leave London next Monday.
Steyn Favors eace.
London, Feb. 28.-A dispatch to the
Daily News from Lourenzo Marques,
dated Friday, Feb. 23 says: "It is re-
ported here that 5000 burghers have
left Ladysmith for the Free State.
They are concentrating their forces
thirty miles outside of Bloemfontein,
and the Free State government is NOV
ing to Winburg. Reinforcements from
all parts are passing through Bloem-
fontein hourly. President Steyn has
telegraphed President Kruger that
Lord Roberts is within few hours of
Bloemfontein, and he urges that every
male, irrespective of nationality, should
be commandered.. President Steyn is
said to favor peace. The Boer gen.
eral who was in command at Coles
berg sent message to President Kru-
ger that he had been smashed up
there and recommending overtures of
peace. The burghers at Mafeking are
also reported to have sent word to
Kruger that they would rather defend
their own farms than fight elsewhere.
The Pretoria government is paying it's
debts with bar gold, the English pro-
fessioIal coiners having refused to
work. Continental shareholders only
being affected by the closing Of Rob-
inson bank, President Kruger allowed
the institution to reopen"
Beers lowering Near Paardebers.
London, Feb. p. - A dispatch from
Paardeberg, dated Saturday, to the
Times, says that several thousand
Beers are now lowering in that neigh
bOrhood.
PETITION FOR PORTO RICO.
People Ask Withdrawal of Military
and Unlimited Free Trade.
hi III, NJ