The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1900-03-14
PEACE TERMS REJECTED.
Overtures to Lord Salisbury for
Cessation of Hostilities.
RUSE TO GAIN TIME.
Great Britain will Accept No Condi-
tions Which Include In
dependence.

this afternoon it is learned that the peace
rumors were founded on the fact that
President Kruger has appealed to Lord
Salisbury for cessation of hostilities Of
fering at length, by cable, the terms
which he is willing to accept. These,
however, are not taken seriously, as they
include practically nothing more than
what the Transvaal government offered
prior to the issuing of the British uitl-
matum.
Official circles here regard the PROPOSE
tions as merely ruse of the Beers to
gain time and do not consider that Presl-
dent Kruger is yet ready to accede to the
sweeping demands which Great Britain
will make as reimbursement for the loss
of life and great expenditure.
1t was understood that President kru-
gers advances had met with an emphatic
rejection at the hands of Lord Salisbury.
who is believed to nave said that no
such attempt to retain the independence
of the Transvaal can be considered for
a moment by the British government.
Beers Demoralized.
London, March 9-From various quar-
tiers come signs of the possibility OF peace
in South Africa being shortly within the
bounds of practical politics. All the dis
patches from Lord Roberts headquar-
tcrs, including those Of the commander
in-chef himself, indicate the lack of Il
guiding spirit among the Beers and indi-
yidual decentralization, pOrterding dlsin-
tegration unless speedily stemmed. The
flight of the burghers from Poplar Grove,
according to all accounts, was wholly i'll
glorious. A Times dispatch from Poplar
Grove, under yesterdays date, goes so
far as to assert that the rout of the Beers
was complete that the submission Of the
Free State is being demanded by the
burghers from their unwilling President.
and it is expected that it's submission
will be made within Il week. The CORE
spondent adds: Probably the Beers
wisest course was flight, but it was most
undignitied and is certain to produce con-
sternation at Bloemfontein. There is Il
growing cutlery against any further lden-
tification of the Free State with the
Transvaafs interests"
President krugcr's Statement.
Dispatches from the Boer camp at
Glencoe via I.ourenco Marques. depict
President Kruger as donning Il bandolier,
seizing a rifle and inviting volunteers to
accompany him, as he wished to have a
shot at the enemy himself. President
Kruger is also quoted rs having declared
in his address to the troops that he did
not know whether arbitration or inter-
vention would end the struggle. but that
it would end quickly, within the next
month, he strongly believed
The war office has received the fol-
lowing dispatch from Lord Roberts, dat
ed Poplar Grove, Friday morning:
Presidents Kruger and Steyn were
both present at the fight on March I and
did all in their power to rally their
troops. The rout. however, was com
plete the men declaring that they could
not stand against the British artillery
and such q formidable force of cavalry"
Near g BIoemfontein.
In the meantime the British are not
staying their advance. Lord Roberts has
moved ten miles nearer BlOemfOntein py-
identity with the view Of Selling and util-
iZing the railroad. possibly to reach the
Free State capital in three or four days.
whence he may begin repairing the rail
road southwark, meeting the British adj
vance from Cape Colony which may be
expected to be FASTENED as soon as Gen
White takes control. The British occu-
ped jamestown unOpposed on Thursday
March :. and the Beers are reported to
be retreatins beyonI Aliwal north so
that Cape Colony is practically clear of
armed Beers.
Reintorcements from Natal are going
to Lord Roberts. Gen. Warren's division
and some artillery have already been or
dered to join the commander-in-chief so
ina! the latter IS preparing for all evcntu-
Antics including possible desperate oppo-
sition to his crossing the Vaal river and
the necessity of the siege of Pretoria
where thousands Of natives are reported
TO be employed in the construction of the
defensive works concerning which so
much secrecy is maintained that no one
IS allowed to walk or drive on the OUT
skirts of the town
Challenge to Redmond.
John Rednlond's speech in the House
of Commons yesterday Goes not meet
with unqualified approval in Ireland
whence the Irish Transvaal committee
teicgraphed to Mr.. Redmond: 1--WE chal
lenge you to come to Dublin and repeat
IN public the statement You made in the
House of Commons in the name of the
Irish people"
The Prince Of Wales this morning in
spected 'Paget's" Horse and Dunraven
Sharpshooters attached to the Imperial
yeomanry prior to their departure for
South Africa.