The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-03-20

airy escort before them and sponta-
neously reared the songs Tommy At
kins." n Soldiers Of the Queen"
GENERAL PRETTYMAN APPOINT
ED GOVERNOR
Immediately after the ceremony was
over Lord Roberts appointed General
Prettyman governor and then visited
the jail where be released four prison.
ers who had refused to fight against
the British. Then that portion of the
troops necessary &c man the northern
heights began to march through the
town amid the cheers of the people.
When the horse batteries passed the
contrast between the well-fed citizens
n the exhausted and worn out gun
ners who sat OF their horses and Gals
sons without a sign of emotion. was
most striking.
By this time the plain outside the
town was gradually filling with in
fantry regiments and immense trans
port onvOy which seemed to over
run the ground like water. Gradually
out Of the chaos emerged, each
brigade n transport establishing it
self in it's proper position in long,
straight lines miles in extent. From the
higher kopje nea the town to far be-
yond could be seen the long yellow ser
pent representing regiment after regi-
ment of khaki-clad troops, marching
on the town
General Joubert was expected here
early in the morning. but the blowing
up of the line north of the town pre-
vented his coming. He remained at
Brandford with 1000 Nataleers.
PRETTYMAN AS GOVERNOR.
Genera ~Prettyman is succeeding adj
mirably as governor of the town. He
issued a proclamation today request
ing the b%urghers within a radius of
fen miles RI deliN-ar I'M rhair arms oc-
surfing them they would be paid for
the confiScation of thei. property.
Lord Roberts is about to issue fresh
proclamations, which, it is believed.
will AVE the effect of disarming fur
ther opposition on the part of Free
Staters.
RumorS are current hat former
President Steyn is willing to surrender.
Much unrest exists among the Dutch
population The burgherS described the
soldiers as ~locusts, saying they were
innumerable n of identical color
with them.
The Free Staters south of here are
reported to be rapidly returning to
their farms.
General Grobelaar is attempting to
escape to the north. He has a large
command n a big convoy Of supplies.
London, March 1.-THE Daily Mail
has the following dispatch from Lou
EMO Marques dated Friday, March
18th: ~"Entrenching is proceeding on
the Vaal river at Vereeying. Late ar
rivals say that the Beers themselves
now admit that their cause is hopeless.
General Lucas Meyer refuses to fight
again and has returned to his farm.
General Schalkburger has also return
ed and the burghers are going home
by hundreds"
A CABLEGRAM FROM ROBERTS,.
London, March 16.-Lord Roberts
has sent the following dispatch to the
war office:
"Bloemfonteln, Friday, March 10
General Clements crossed the Orange
river yesterday. Repairs to the rail-
way bridge at NorvaIs Pont hav com-
menced and it will shortly be ready for
traffic. General Pole-Carew telegraphS
his arrival at Springfontein, so that
Bloemfontein now is practically in rail
communication with Cape Town.
My proclamation is already having
an excellent effect. Several hundred
burgherS have expressed their inten-
ton to surrender their arms and re-
turn to their occupations.
THE resident commissioner OF Basu-
toland reports that 800 lately arrived
from Bloemfontein, and that a further
contingent from AliWalnorth was only
waiting to know the terms of my proc
lamation to surrender. They had re-
fused to attend a council at Kroon-
stadt, to which President Steyn had
summoned them"