Connecticut western news., 1900-05-10
I HALT ON THE ZAND.
British Troops Well North of
 Smaldeel.
BOBRs ABOUT TO MAKE A STAND.
Expected That Battle Will Soon Be In Progress-Mafeking Relief Col umn Advances Cavalry Pushing Ou-suyman Re-enforced.

Expected That Battle Will Soon Be
 In Prosre~-Mafeking Relief Col
 umn Advances - Cavalry Pushing
 On-Snyman Re-enforced.
 London, May 9.-Although British re- connoitering parties from Smaldeel and Winburg are feinting with the Boers, who have been found in force along the Zand river, it seems probable that Lord Roberts will halt for several days at Smaldeel, as the bridge over the Vet river is hopelessly damaged and to repair it diversion of the railway line, as was done on the Modder, will have to be made down into the bed of the stream and trestle bridge constructed.
 The retreating Boers after the Smaldeel defeat were not left in peace. General Hutton took his mounted infantry for ward on Monday and now reports that the Boers hold the Zand river in force. A reconnoitering column sent northward by General Ian Hamilton brought back similar report.
 BurHhers on Zand River.
 It seems probable that the burghers' ad vanced post is on Doorn spruit and the main body at Virginia, on the Zand river, to which station their big Creusot gun unS utSu ANopSfts ou Monday rode over to Winburg to visit his lieutenant.
 Not only will there be delay in bringing up the stores. but 1t appears unsafe for the British to leave the Boer farms in the rear without making a very thorough search. Most of them, when thoroughly ransacked, have proved to be real ar senals, Mausers, Martinis and other rifles in great numbers having been found hid den away. A message sent by Colonel Baden-Powell to Lord Roberts on the two hundredth day of the siege is quiet in tone, but shows the greatest resolution and exactly what the feeling of the Mafe- king garrison is. Anxious as the men are to be relieved, they are willing to suffer the greatest privations sooner than grat- ify the Boers by surrendering. Horse flesh now forms part of the rations, and all the luxuries have disappeared.
 snyman Re-enforced.
 The Boers are not going to allow Mafe- king to be relieved without a hard fight. Commandant Snyman's forces have been re-enforced. He evidently expects an at tack from the north, for he has been pa trolling toward Ramathlabama. Colonel Plumer is anxiously looking southward for the column which sooner or later will be sent up from the Vaal.
 On the extreme right and left of the main British advance there is activity At Warrenton a pontoon bridge is being constructed over the Vaal The railway bridge will be repaired within a week The burghers who opposed Colonel Paget at Fourteen Streams are said to have re- tired on Christiana, but this is a hamlet, where the country is very open, and no great resistance is likely to be made.
 A vast amount of stores is being taken up to Ladysmith. General Butler has sent out reconnoitering column through Acton Homes toward Van Reenen's pass, which found the intermediate country un- occupied by Boers.
 Alleged Attempt to Kill Roberts,
 There was a report of a supposed at tempt to assassinate Lord Roberts. Pos sibly this is merely the outcome of a story which has been going the rounds for some time without much credence being given to it.
 The tale is of a mysterious stranger who appeared upon the Dunottar Castle when Roberts went out to Cape Town. He was credited by some perhaps too imaginative passengers with a sinister intent to murder the only "Bobs" It may have been mere curiosity on the part of this passenger, but his conduct was rather unusual, and he was carefully watched. The English field marshal kept discreetly out of his way, but nothing occurred which could give any justifca- tion for the arrest of the mysterious pas