Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-15
BRITISH IN BLOEMFONTElN
Roberts Occupies Free State Capital, Meet
ing Slight Resistance.
The News Causes Great Rejoicing in
LondOn-Boers Stand at the
Orange River.

fore O'Clock last night. The following is
| the text of the dispatch:
| "BLOEMFONTEIN, Tuesday, March 10,
| p.m.-By the help of God and by the
| bravery of her majesty'sa soldiers the
! troops under my command have taken pos
| session of Bloemfontein- The British flag
now flies over the presidency, evacuated
last evening by Mr.. Steyn. late president
of the Orange Free State. Mr.. Frazer,
member of the late executive government;
| the mayor. the secretary of the late gov
] eminent, the landrost, and other officials
| met me two miles from the town and pre-
| scented me with the keys of the public Of
| fees.
| THE enemy have withdrawn from the
| neighborhood. and all seems quiet The
| inhabitants of Bloemfontein gave the
| troops a cordial welcome"
| French Makes the Capture.
| A dispatch to the Daily Chronicle from
| BIoemfontein, dated Tuesday evening,
| March Ii, says:
| "Bloemfontein surrendered at 10 today.
| 1t was occupied at noon. President Steyn,
with a majority of the fighting burghers,
/ has fled northward. -,
| General French was within five miles
\ of the place at ) o'clock Monday afternoon.
! He sent a summons into the town, threat
| ening to lombard unless it surrendered by
| 4 am. Tuesday. A white flag was hoisted
| Tuesday morning and a deputaticn of the
town council. with Mayor Kellnes 90 came
| out to meet Lord Roberts at SDitz kop,
| five miles south of the town, making a
/ formal surrender of the place.
| Lord Roberts made state entry at
| noon. He received a tremendous ovation
! After visiting the public buildings. he went
| to the official residence of the president,
| followed by a cheering crowd who waved
the British flag and sang the British ma
! tonal anthem. They were in condition
| of frenzled excitement
'On Monday afternoon, previous to the
| surrender. there had been little sniping
| and Smelling, but the enemy then retired.
| Lord Roberts has his headquarters at
| the presidents house, and there are many
| of the British wounded in the building.
| The railway is not injured
| The News in London.
| Lord Roberts dispatch caused a feeling
of great relief in London. The absence Of
| the news eagerly looked for. had provoked
| some apprehension during the earlier part
| of the day that the British had met with a
\ check before Bloemfontein, and anxious in
| quiries were made at the war Office and in
| the Hobbies of parliament.
On the reception of the news the queen,
| at Windsor Castle; the Prince of Wales, at
| Marlborough House: Lord Wolseley and
/ othere were Immediately notified, but at .
| O'Clock the war office was almost deserted,
| the public having given up hope of further
4
| The appearance of the newspapers with
\ the tidings caused great excitement along
| Pail, at the Service clubs and in the West
| End generally. Owing to the late hour
however, there was demons tration APP
preaching in the remotest degree those
/ which heralded the surrender of Gen Cron-
| je and the relief of Ladysmith.
Added to the Enthusiasm.
1t so happened that a torchlght process
| sion. organized on an extensive scale for
| the widows and orphans fund, was parad-
| ing South London with bands and banners.
| This included a body of uniformed men
| representing the British field forces, the
| surrender of Cronje and other inspiriting
| incidents. The route was hung with flags
| and stands were erected at numerous points
| for spectators. Naturally the appearance OF
! the extra editions of the evening papers
! created furore of enthusiasm among the
paradcrs. who greeted the news with cheers
and the singing OF the national anthem.
| At Windsor the news received with
| much joy. The queen commanded that it
| be Immediately published, and she instruct
! ed her equerry at the dinner table to send
| a note to the officers of the Household Bri-
| gade. The battalion was on parade at 10:15
4 pm. Maj. St. Aubyn read her majesty 3
note and called for cheers for the queen
| and Lord Roberts. The band played God
| Save the Queen
| Wherever Lord Roberts dispatch was
! read his reference to the late President
| mediately fastened upon as highly sisnifi-
| cant.
| There is still no news as to whether Lord
| Roberts has CAPTURED any rolling stock If
| he has not then he will be obliged to wait
| until the repairing of the bridges over the
| Orange river enables him to bring rolling
i stock uD.
| Situation at Orange River.
| The British continue pressing their adj
| vance On the Orange river The Beers still
| hold Zethuiie bridge. the north side of
| the stream. but their trenches are doui-
mated by the British artillery. Heavy firing
/ Is in progress. and there has been some
| skirn.ishing. Lord Kitchener seems TO be
J very successful in reducing the extent of
| the Dutch rising.
| SPenser Wilkinson, in the Morning Post
| says:
ct is not impossible that a railway is
\ being made from Moddcr river or kimbc--
| ley 10 Bloc mfOntein. In amy case. after "a
| pause to complete the reorganization of his
| communications, Lord Roberts will move
| his troops southwark on the restored rail-
| way line 10 meet the British generals adj
| vancins from the Orange river.
| The occupation of Blpemfontein will pre-
| cipitate the retreat of the Boer forces from
! the Orange river districts. The Free State
| forces are evidently we'll beaten and small
| blame 10 them. The outside estimate OF
| their numbers before the war was 70, 1000 Of
| whom a few thousand are on the Orange
river or watching the Natal passes. They
| VIII De ulldDIC, by IfernSelNSS, 10 6Sht an
other pitched battle. but they may furnish
| a respectable contingent to the Transvaal
| army. unless. as seems likely, they desert
| to their farms.
y Pretoria dispatch says 1t was reported
| from Bloemfontein Tuesday that, in
| view of the military situation, the reat OF
government may be removed to Kroonstadt
| Threat To RaHe johannesburg.
NEW YORK, March 15-Montagu White
| confirms the rumors that the Beers will
utterly destroy Johannesburg If forced to
! do so.
| Pretoria could not be defended. he SAYS,
if Johannesburg were permitted to remain.
| Will Fight to the Death.
| A dispatch from President Kruger to the
| Evening Journal. in New York city. dated
Pretoria. March -, pm, via Berlin,
! says:
The burghers will only cease fighting
with death. Our forces are returning in
good order to our line of defense on our
own soil The Natal campaign was longer
in our favor than We expected. The Brit
ish will never reach Pretoria. The burghers
Steyn, Joubert and myself. AS well as all
the others, are united. There are no diff
| ferences. God help u.s.
|