The daily morning journal and courier., 1900-03-06
EARLY AFRICAN WAR NEWS
THREE BRITISH ARMIES NOV IN
 THE FIELD.
War Movements Kept Secrct-Lora
 Roberts, Force in Close Touch WNh
 BOers In the Free State. ,

| BOers iM the Free State.
 London. March 1.-The silence of the war office concerning the movements or the main British army in South Africa , continues, though what information
 leaks through indicates that the cam-
 paign is being carried steadily forward. 1 There are now practically three British
 armies in the field, one in the Free
 State, one in Cape Colony and one in
 Natal. All that is known about the first, the most important, is that It IS in close touch with a body of Boers
 estimated to number about six thou
 sand men. Speculation as to the direc- tion and method of Field Marshal
 Lord Roberts advance into the Free
 State is quite worthless, so carefully
 are the plans concealed.
 In Cape Colony Generals Brabant and Clements command the two wings of
 the army, while General Gctacre holds the main Boer force in check. Generals Gatacre and Clements will probably
 combine and advance towards Bloem- fotein, with General Brabant guarding the right flank with the mobile colo
 nials. This movement will be subse-
 quent to securing a line of communica-- tions along the Orange Free State rail-
 road, which, according to the latest
 dispatches, seems almost accomplished. The third army, that in Natal, is com paratively inactive, and no serious
 movement can be expected from it this
 week. When it is ready to advance it's
 movements will depend upon how great
 distance the retreating Boers put be- tween themselves and General Butler. As an incident of the main British ob- jective, which at last is clearly out lined at Pretoria, the relief of Mafek- ing, by force from the south, may be expected any day Colonel Plum mer's force, on the north, seeming in- capable of accomplishing it.
 The unexpected activity of the Cape Dutch, and the reported likelihood of fighting between them and the Basu-
 tos aided by other tribes having a grudge against the Boers, is regarded as rather ominous.
 The only other untoward phase of the military situation that the British crit
  " inactivity of the Natal army, an in stance of which is contained in the dispatches announcing that the flying column, which attempted to intercept the Boer retreat, only succeeded ln driving the enemy farther north. Gen eral Whites men, according to the Times correspondent at Ladysmith, will require a fortnight's recuperation. London, March 5.--A despatch to the Times from Lourenzo Marques, dated Sunday, March 4, says that persistent reports continue to prevail that the Transvaal government has opened ne- gotiations looking to the securing ol peace On the other hand. it is assert ed the Boers will make stand at Glen COG and Laine's Nek, and that in the meantime the intrenchments at Pretoria are being extended in anticipation of siege.
 A conference between the Boer presi- dents and the general commanding the Roers in northern Natal was hurriedly arranged. on receipt of the news Of General Cronje's surrender. Until
 Thursday night official confirmation Of the surrender was withheld from the public. President Kruger sent fer vid religious appeal with orders that it should be read by all the officers to the burghers, urging them to stand fast and strive in the name of the Lord for un- | less they had faith in Him cowardice would set in and their position would | be hopeless the moment they turned 1 their backs on the enemy. Their past victories he declared, showed that the | Lord was on their side, The president | besought the burghers not to bring de- struction on their progeny.
 | The despatch says that high author | ity in Bloemfontein declares that in l the event of repulse of the Free State | forces, the latter will retire towards the | Transvaal and unite with their breth-
 ren there, maintaining the struggle to | the last.
 The Boer casualties at Colenso during the week ended February 25 are report
 ed to be 31 men killed and 130 wounded.