Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-03-14

Cape Town, Z.
Tuesday Evening, March 10. :.
General French has arrived :
at Bloemfontein. !.

at Bloemfontein.
London, March IA (4:3O q. m.)-Noth-
Ing can be said of the advance on
Bloemfontein beyond Lord Roberts
own dispatches. Nothing more has
been permitted to come through.
Doubtless Lord Roberts himself is full
ly occupied with important military
operations. The dispatch from Cape
Town, saying that General French has
arrived at Bloemfontein," probably
does not mean that he has entered the
city.
Lord Roberts messages may mean
either that the Beers have cut the rail
way to the north. or that the British
cavalry have done SO. If the former,
then 1t may be assumed that no rolling
stock has been seized, but by general
assumption the latter Interpretation is
regarded as correct.
This would greatly facilitate obtain
Ing supplies from Orange river an i'm
portant matter, as Lord Roberts line
OF communications with NIodder river
is one hundred and ten miles long.
The Beers Will make another fight,
but there s little doubt that Lord
Roberts will occupy Bloemfonten to-
day wednesday,. The Beers retiring
from Orange river WILL find themselves
guns are almost bound to fall into the
hands of the British. while the occu-
patton OF the capital of the Free State
Will strain the alliance of the two re-
Dublics to tho utmost.
The government will not allow the
kruger-Steyn appeal TO influence In
any way the determination not to spare
any effort to prosecute the war There
VIII be no diminution OF measures cal
culated to maintain the full efficiency
or the Held forces, and whatever rein
forcements were previously considered
advisable will still be sent out.
Lord Salishury's reply meets with
unanimous approval among the con-
servatves, and it is the universal opin-
ION that the Beers. by their eXtrava-
giant claims and canting tone meant
to influence foreign powers, have again
overreached themselves, as they did
by the ultimatum.
n SEVERE ENGAGEMENT.
Driefontein, o. Il. s.. March 11.-Gen-
eral Roberts advance yesterday across
the Scorching plains from Poplar Grove
to this place was marked by the most
severe engagements since crossing the
Modder River. The Beers stubbornly
contested every foot of ground. only
fleeing al dusk when Lord Roberts
threw most of his troops against the
centre of Their weakened line.
at the point where Colonel Broad
wood turned the Boer left he found
himself under the fire of their nine
FOUNDER. The Beers, however, ulti-
mately hoisted the white flag. When
Colonel Broadwood advanced he was
surprised TO find the Beers had taken
advantage of the cessation OF fire to
escape in the darkness. The Trans
vaal prisoners showed they were en-
tirely surprised by Lord Roberts tao
tics.
WHAT KRUGER SAID.
A Free Slater, whose house President
Kruger occupied during the Boer fight
from Osfontein, said he complained to
the President about the depredations of
the Transvaalers, Whcreupon the Pres
ident replied
mo wonder we are beaten. The
Burghers entered in the war to fight
for righteous cause, but now they
have developed into horse and cattle
stealers.'
LORD ROBERTS PLANS.
London, March 13.-2:47 D. m.--Lord
Roberts statement that he is going to
reinforce General French implies that
opposition is being encountered on the
outskirts of the Orange Free State
Capital, though it is not doubted that
the occupation will speedily be ERECTED,
and with 1t. so the London critics say.
Will accrue to the British important
captures OIL supplies, IL HOT VI piioOiiclo.
However. IT may be that the Beers may
make strenuous resistance. which VIII
not be overcome until Lord Roberts
main army catches up with the cavalry.
The strategic Importance of what is
taken to be the practical capture of one
of the enemys seats OF government has
created little enthusiasm in London, as
for days his entry has been deemed IL
certainty.
A refugee who was at Herschel says
that bitterness almost to the point of
hostlities exists between the Colonial
rebels and the Free Staters in that
locality.
THE SEIGE OF MAFEKING.
London. March IA dispatch to the
Times from Mafelting, dated Monday,
March 5, says the garrison at that place
was then feeling acutely the stress of
the siege. They We're reduced to the
use of horse flesh and bread made from
horse forage, while the water was prac-
tically contaminated. Typhoid, dysen-
terry and diptheria were epidemic, but It
was impossible to isolate the victims.
The sufferings of the women and chill
dren were terrible and there were
deaths In The women's lager daily.
The native population was starving.
The military operations were pro-