Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1900-04-12
THE BOERS AND ENGLISH
LATEST FROM THE SOUTH AFRl.
CAN BORDER.

|
a Full Summary Of the Transvaal
War News-Prosress Of the Con
fict From Day to Day-Tha British
Encouraged.
| 1t is officially announced at Pretoria
that at the Bloemfontein water works
the Beers captured IL officers and 362
men, with IL guns, ammunition
wagons, other wagons and mules.
Another Of President Steyn's broth
ers was captured near Karee Siding,
and has arrived at Bloemfontein.
The prisoners captured by the Brit
ish at BOshof, Orange Free State, in
clude many Frenchmen.
A despatch from Boshof, Orange
Free State, says General de Villebois
Mareuil, the famous French strate-
gist, was buried with military honors
on Friday last.
Queen Wilhelmina has sent per-
sonal letter Of sympathy to General
Joubert's widow.
Gable dispatches from South Africa
tell of sharp fighting on Tuesday in
the neighbOrhood of Mafeking. A sor-
tie was made by the besieged garri-
son, and Plumer's cavalry attacked
the Beers; but both attacks were re-
pulsed with considerable British loss
es in killed and captured, the casual
ties including several officers. The
burghers' losses are said to be small.
Detached bodies of Boer horse, mum.
bering from 800 to 1000 eacI, have
appeared at several places to the
southward and eastward Of Bloemfon-
tein, threatening the railroad, but
communication is not yet affected.
Although Colonel Plumer is report
cd to have gotten within six miles of
Mafeking, it is evident that the siege
had not been raised on April ].
n despatch from Ladysmith to the
Daily Chronicle gives serious news of
the outbreak Of Il deadly lung sickness
among the oxen, which, if it spreads,
is likely to cripple General Buller's
operations.
Explanations by the British war Of
flee as to why Lord Roberts is mac
tive are that there has been lack of
horses for remounts, but new horses
are arriving by train loads hourly.
A cable received in London from
Bloemfontein says the Beers are adj
vancing from the north and east and
that the British force are retiring un-
der orders. 1t was also reported that
the Beers had declared their inten-
ton of fighting the decisive battle
of the war" in the Orange Free State.
Lord Roberts did not meet his wife
at Cape Town, and she will proceed
to Bloemfontein.
1t is announced from Springfontein
that the censorship has again cur
tailed the dispatches. Therefore, i'm
portant developments must be pend
ing.
Mafeking was still besieged on
March 80, and there are rumors that
General Butler is preparing to ad-
vance to it's relief
One British squadron of the Sixth
Free State fight 14O strong, mustered
at the end only ten mounted men.
The Beers seem to be in great
strength throughout the Bloemfontein
district and are signalling on all sides.
The British troops, under Lord Rob-
erts, are in urgent need Of remounts.
General Cronje, Colonel Schiel and
1000 Boer prisoners have sailed for
st. Helena from Cape Town.
Announces the arrival there of Capt.
Haldane of the Gordon Highlanders
and Lieut.. lie Mesurier of the Dublin
Fusiliers, who escaped from Pretoria,
after perilous adventures.
1t appears after Winston Churchilrs
escape the sentries were doubled.
electric light was installed, addition.
al barricades were constructed, and
the officers were confined in the Mod
ell school after $3.50 p. M. Capt. Hal
dane says that after several unsuc-
cessful attempts they succeeded in
cutting off the electric light, but even
then the street lamps precluded an
attempt to escape. and they decided to
hide in the space beneath the building
to which trapdoor had previously
been secretly constructed, as it had
been announced that the officers
would be removed elsewhere in
few days, when it was hoped the two
men would be able to escape. But the
removal of the prisoners was post
poned, and the two men, in the damp,
subteranean dwelling began to des-
pair, and commenced digging in diff
| ferent directions, in the hope of find
ing suitable exit. The work was
most arduous, as they had only a
screwdriver and skewer with which
to dig the ground, which was as hard
as rock The imprisoned officers on
March Is heard somebody above say
the officers would be removed the fol
lowing day. After passing twenty
days underground, in cramped po-
sftion, and subsisting on little food
and water supplied by some of their