The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-02-13
R0BERTS is ABOUT TO MOVE.
HE WILL ENTER THE FREE STATE,
AND ATTACK CRONJE.

Government Plans Criticised.
London, Feb. 10, AIS a. m.-Lord Rob-
erts has gathered $4,000 men with whom.
according TO the best military opinion in
London, he purposes turning the left of
the Magersfontein lines near Jacobsdal,
entering the Free State compelling Gen.
Cronje 10 raise the siege of Kimberley.
and thus making his first step toward
BIoemfontein.
Yesterday Lord Roberts announced the
appointment of Gen. Sir Henry ColvilIe,
hitherto commander of the Guards brig
ade. to the command of the Ninth d.
vision, which is being formed and will
consist probably to a great extent of
colonial troops. Gen. Colyille will be sue
ceeded by Gen. Reginald Pole-Carew.
Lord Roberts tells the correspondents
that when he gets down to business they
shall have ample opportunities to send
news. His chief press censor yesterday is
sued new rules, and in future all written
communications are to go unchecked.
Only kilograms will be censored. For the
next few days little news is likely to get
through, but later there will be more free
dom. Thus says the censor, and the last
clause may be Interpreted to mean that
something is about to happen.
kimberley in Sore Straits.
Kimberley, twenty miles away from the
Modder river position, is in sore straits
Details of the December death rate show
that in population of 14OOO whites and
1900 blacks, the mortality was sixty
whites and 1888 blacks per thousand The
infantile death rate was GIL per thousand
among the whites and 912 per thousand
among the blacks. Enteric fever was pre-
valent
This frightful state of things in Deem
Der cannot have improved much, If at all
since, and the fighting power of the gar
Tison must have been greatly diminished
Meanwhile the bombardment by the
Beers has increased, and there is imminent
danger of the town falling under the very
eyes of Lord Roberts. 1t is believed in
circles close to the war office that he will
move at once.
Scouts have approached Within 1,009
yards of the Boer entrenchments at Ma
gersfontein. They have found these
as dwelling places. Naval gunners are
constantly watching the enemy's lines
with strong glasses and they declare that
there is an appreciable diminution in the
BOer forces.
Situation in Natal.
In Natal the Boer commanders south of
the Tugela occupy Bolds farm and sew
mt Of
sand Beers with three guns are advancing
through zululand toward Natal.
The war office is making preparations to
continue the stream of troops for South
Africa. -Four large steamers have been
chartered. Japan agrees to let the Arm
strongs transfer to England four naval
quick-firers that were built for her. con-
senting to wait for the execution of her
own order until the hostilities in South
Africa are over. Several European Pow
ers, by similar consents as to guns being
constructed by Vickers' Sons and Maxim
enable England to secure 100 Maxims. Two
thousand men are constantly employed at
Woolwich arsenal and all the gun and am
munition factories are working night and
day to execute government orders. The
weekly output of four firms is 100000
rounds.
outside of the requirements for South
africa, Great Britain is accumula ting i'm
mense stores of war material. Consider
able divergence of opinion exists as to
ahe adequacy of the governments military
proposals even now.
Experts Are COmDIaininr
The military experts and newspapers
While acknowledging the difficulties to be
met complain that nothing is said about
measures necessary for the immediate
Emergencies in South Africa, and declare
mat the governments scheme is mainly
directed to a larger increase of volunteers,
unframed and unorganized men. while
nothing is being done to prepare large,
ven organized force, ready to take the
field. l.rITV--vrv,
Inc only point that meets with univer-
sal approval is the announcement of the
creation of forty-three batteries. which
LORD Lansdowne has explained are to
consist of 15-pounders of the newest and
most modern type and the further an
H"uHcement that the reserves of stores
an" ammunition which Lord Lansdowne
ANS admitted have been kept far too dow
arc TO be rushed to the level, required by
h''4ern improvements and maintained
mere The Times which thinks the
seneme not very unsa tisfactory, says:
no amount of searching through it's in
u'caeles and conjectures can lead to the
N.ScoVery Of any guiding principle or def
me object. This is scarcely the way 10
meet great emergency. Lack of principle
ana fine display of Imagination are The
i1aulns characteristics Of this disappolnt-
lng scheme"
me Daily Chronicle says:
IN unfriendly critic might call the
Seueme makeshift. 1t is hardly fair to
N''lcise a temporary expedlent, but 1t
"ou'd be unfortunate If such an expedient
were to be made the pretext for desisting
from the demand for a thoro,,gb racast