Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1900-03-13
Horse Flesh and Forage Bread
the Only Food: Water Con-
tamInated and Much
s.cknc--.
FRENCH NEAR BLOEMFONTEIN
A Stubborn Fight at DreIfonteIn
In Which Beers are compeII-
ed to Retire.
u. S. OFFERS ITS MEDIATION


| London, March 13-Lord Roberts
actual entry into the Orange Free
State capital seems likely to be de
layed until tomorrow, or late today
as his statement that he is going to
reinforce General French implies that
opposition iss being encountered on
the outskirts of the town. A refugee
who was at Herschel says bitterness
almost to the point of hostilities ex-
lists between the colonial rebels and
Free Staters in that locality.
| Dreifontein, Orange Free State,
11-General Roberts advance yester-
day across scorching plains from Pop
lar Grove to this place was marked by
the most severe engagement since the
crossing OF M0dder river. The
Beers stubbornly contested every foot
OF ground only fleeing at dusk when
Roberts threw most of his troops
against the center of their weakened
line. At the point where Colonel
Broadwood turned the Boer left he
found himself under fire of their nine
FOUNDER. The Beers ultimately hoist.
ed the white flag. When Broadwood
advanced he was surprised to find the
Beers had escaped in the darkness.
A Free Slater, whose house President
Kruger occupied during the Boer
flight from Osfontein, said he COM
planned to the president about the dep
relations of the Transvaalers, where
upon the president replied:
No wonder we are beaten. The
burghers entered into the war to fight
for righteous cause. but now they
have developed into horse and cattle
stealers''
- Laondcn. darals ! o 'tflis asa...aasssl
lords today Premier Lord Salisbury,
read the British governments reply
TO Presidents Steyn and Kruger. The
concluding sentence as follows "Her
maiesty's government can only an
swer your honor's telegram by say
ing 1t is not prepared to assent to
the independence OF either the South
African or Orange Free State'
Berlin, March 13--It is semi-oficial-
ly announced that when the Orange
Free State and Transvaal addressed
to number Of states request for
friendly mediation, the German gov
ernment replied it would willingly par
ticipate provided the essential con-
dition of such mediation were pres.
ent. namely, certainty that both
belligerents desired 1t.
London, March 13-The U. S. gov
ernment, at the requests of Presi--
dents Kruger and Steyn, has offered
the British government its services as
mediator with view Of bringing
about peace in South Africa. Lord
Salisbury has not yet replied, but the
associated press learns that there is
little doubt that he will decline the
United States's good offices. He will
do so, however, in terms as cordial
and polite as those in which the offer
is couched.
London, March ia dispatch by
South Africa firm in London dated
Mafeking, March 9Th, says: "All we'll
but the town is still besieged." A
dispatch to the Times" from Mafe-
king, dated March 9th, says the gar
rfson was then feeling acutely the
stress of the siege. They were re-
duced to horse flesh and bread made
from horse forage, while the water
was parasitically contaminated Ty-
phoid, dysentery and diphtheria were
epidemic. but is was impossible to
isolate the victims. The sufferings
of the women and children were ter
rible. The native population was
starving.
Ladysmith, March 12-The main
body Of the enemy is in position at
Biggarsberg. General Joubert is at
Glencoe. There is reason to believe