The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-03-14

to Seize the Railway station There.
Beers StubbOrniy Contested Rob
ert's Adyance-Appeal for Peace
VIII Cut Little Figure.
Cape Town, Tuesday, March 1S.-Gen
French has arrived at Bloemfohtein
London, March 13.-Lord Roberts tele-
graphs from Venters Vlei at $40 this
morning as follows:
81 directed Gen. French, if there was
time before dark. to seize the railway sta
ton at Bloemfontein and thus secure the
rolling stock. AT midnight received re-
port from him that after considerable op-
position he had been able No occupy two
hills close to the railway station, which
command Bloemfonteln.
"A brother of President Steyu has been
made prisoner.
THE telegraph line leading northward
has been cut and the railway broken up.
Il am now starting with the Third Cav
airy brigade which l called up from the
Seventh division, near Petrusberg, and the
mounted infantry to reinforce the cavalry
division. The rest of the division will fol-
low as quickly as possible"
The war office has received the following
additional dispatch from Lord Roberts at
Venter's Vlei, dated March 12, $3.50 p. ~;
"Onr march was again unopposed. We
are now about eighteen miles from Bloem-
fontein. The cavalry division is astride
the railway six miles south of Bloemfon-
ten There were S21 men wounded and
about sixty or seventy were killed or are
missing.
Col Umpholy has died of his wounds.
Lieut.. Praat of the Essex regiment was
wounded severely. The wounds are as
rule more serious than usual owing toithe
expanding bullets which are freely used
by the Beers"
Gen. Roberts Advance.
Driefontein; o. F. s., March n.-Gen
Roberts advance yesterday across the
scorching plains from Poplar Grove to
this place, was marked by the most Sc
we're engagement since the crossing of the
Modder river.
The Beers stubbornly contested every
foot of ground, only fleeing at dusk, when
Lord Roberts threw most of his troops
against the center of their weakened line.
At the point where Col Broadwood
turned the Boer left he found himself
under the fire of their 9-poupder The
Beers, however, ultimately hoisted the
white flag,
When Col Broadwood advanced he was
surprised to find the Beers had taken ad-
vantage of the cessation of fire to escape
in the darkness. The Transvaal prisoners
showed they were entirely surprised by
Lord Roberts tactics.
A Free Slater. whose house President
Kruger occupied during the Boer flight
from Osfonteln said he complained to the
President about the depredahons of the
Transvaalers, whereupon the President re-
pled
mo wonder we are beaten. The burgh-
ers entered in the war to fight for right
eous cause, but now they have developed
into horse and cattle stealers."
Situation AT Long Distance.
London, March IA, 4:SO a. m.-Nothing
can be said of the advance on Bloemfon-
tein, beyond Lord Roberts own dis
patches.
Nothing more has been permitted TO
come through. Doubtless Lord Roberts
himself is fully occupied with important
military operations
The dispatch from Cape Town saying
that Gen. French has arrived atSBloem-
tontein," probably does not mean that
he has entered the city.
Lord Roberts message may mean either
that the Boens have cut The railway to
the north, or that the British cavalry
have done so. If the former then it may
be assumed that no rolling stock has
been seized. by the general assumption
the latter Interpretation is regarded as
correct.
This would greatly facilitate obtaining
supplies from Orange river an important
matter, as Lord Roberts line of commu-
nications with Modder river is 10 mi es
long The Beers may make another fight
but there is little doubt that Lord Rob-
erts will occupy Boemfontein to-day
Wednesday,.
The Beers retiring from Orange river
will find themselves between the British
armies and their guns are almost to3n1
10 fall into the hands of the British, while
the occupation of the capital of the Free
State will strain the alliance of the two
republics TO the utmost
Appeal Cuts No Figure.
The government will not allow the Kru-
ger-Steyn appeal 10 influence in any way
their determination not to spare any ,ef-
fort to prosecute the war. There will be
no dlmunition Of measures calculated to
maintain the tul efficiency Of the field
forces and Wha tever Ieinforcements were
previously considered advisable will stll
ue sent out
Lord Salsburys reply meets with unan-
imous approval among conservatives. and
j. is the universal opinion that the Beers,
by their oXtravaga claims and cantng
tone mennt to influence foreign Powers,
have again over-reached themselves, as
they did by the u!timatum.