The Saint Paul globe., 1900-04-13
PEACE ENvoYs AT WORK

LONDON, April 13.-The work Of the
Boer peace commissioners has begun.
Mr. Fischer has asked Italy to intervene,
and the Italian minister Of foreign af-
fairs, the Marquis di Visconti-Venosta,
has replied that while he would receive
the ENJOYS the best he could do would be
to transmit their proposals to London,
thus following the course of the United
States.
Sir Alfred Miner, when replying to a
deputation of loyalists at Cape Town yes
terday (Thursday), said: '' Never again
must be the motto Of all thinking and
humane men, but not from lust of con-
quest or a desire to trample on the gal
liant, ii misguided There must be no
compromise or half work in settlement
or no opportunity for misunderst anding,
intrigue, the revival of impossible am
bitions or the accumulation of enormous
ornaments. The British will no longer
tolerate dissimilar and antagonistic po-
litical systems in a country where ma
ture and history have declared to be
/ one"
In these absolute utterances of Sir AL
fred Miner, he speaks for the imperial
government.
It is nnwscalcufated. that Lord Roberts
now has 214,00o effective troops, with
$4,000 more af1oat or under orders.
LORD ROBERTS HOPEFUL.
LONDON, April 13-rhe Copenhagen
correspondent of the Daily Mail says:
Lord Roberts in telegram to the
Prince of Wales, rendering congratula-
tions on behalf of troops in South Africa
upon the escape of the prince at Brus-
sells, spoke very hopefully of the situa-
ton at the 'front.'
A dispatch to the Daily Mail from
Uourenzo Marques dated Thursday, says.
1T is reported from Pretoria that a
Roer commando is moving through Basu>
tolarid. This is said to be q clever@ruse
to draw the British away from Wepener
About 1000 foreigners constitute the new
foreign legion IN Pretoria, including some
CoSsacks in uniform. Several fresh re-
cruits left here for Pretoria today in
Guiding q French captain, brother of the
late Gen. de Villebois- -Mareutl.'
The Bloemfontein correspondent Of the
Daily telegraph, teiegraphing Wednes-
day, says:
Lord Roberts wisely declines to ex.
haust his men and horses in hunting the
elusive Beers until his preparations are
complete. He will leave to .tlR enemy
the barren comfort of the occupation OF
few farms for a short time"
BRITISH MOVEMENTS.
Lord Methuen has worked eastward
until he is within eighty miles of Kroon-
stad. Boer scouts have gone around
Ladysmith and have appeared at Dewdrop
and other PLACES on Gen. Buffers flank
and rear. officers of Buffers irregular
horse estimate the Beers in Natal at
18,GOO but these figures are probably ex-
cessive, 10000 being regarded here as the
outside number. After Gen. 91art's bri-
gade leaves him, Gen. Butler will still
have close upon IS, 900 men. 1t Is generally
understood that this brigade is going to
join Lord Roberts, but its real destina-
ton Is unknown.
BRITISH CLOSE PRESSED.
PRETORIA, April n-Advicess from
Wepener, where a British force is sur
rounded, say the battle continues favor
able to the federals. About 1900 British
troops are said to be there.
A heavy cannonade was heard this
morning In the direction of Bullfontein,
situated midway between Winburg and
Boshof, in the Orange Free State, and
north of Brandfort.
WORD FROM WEPENER.
ALIWAL NORTH, April 12.-The colo
NAL troops are still holding their own
splendidly at Wepener. Cannonading re-
commenced this morning. The Boer at
tack yesterday was not very serious. The
British are carefully husbanding their
ammunition, and their guns are making
excellent practice The Beers are short
of ammunition. A patrol returning from
Smithf1eld reports that small groups of
Beers are visible.
BOERS MUST BE ACTIVE
BLOEMFONTEIN, Wednesday, April IL.
According to information received here
the Boer activity eastward of the railroad
and in the proximity to the border is
largely due to the fact that Presidents
Kruger and Steyn have found they are
unable to keep their forces together In
actively, the burghers declaring they are
unwilling to remain with their commands
unless actively employed, as they are con-
vinced the British game is a waiting one.
It is believed the Boer movement was
originally designed to obHge Lord Roberts
to weaken his forces at Bloemfontein, in
order to protect the railroad, when the
Beers would have attempted to recapture
the capital But the burghers are evil
IDENTIFY ignorant Of the enormous forces
Lord Roberts has at his disposal.
Advices from Karee Siding say the
Beers are daily intrenching their position
east Of Brandfort, running parallel with
the railroad, while still strongly holding
the Watervale drift waterworks.
LORD ROBERTS DELAY.
BERLIN, April 12-The military critic
of the Berliner Tageblatt explains that
the inactivity of Lord Roberts is not due
to the preparations he is making for the
wint a b. tc the inability of his troops
to take the field In number sufficient to
take the offensive against Kroonstad.
I'M -