Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1900-03-30
ENGLAND AND The BOERS.
More About the Pig-Sticlfng
Which the English are En-
gagged in.

the Beers in their retreat northward.
Ten thousand transport, cavalry,
and gun animals are due to arrive
at Cape ports during this and next
week.
The War Office has issued another
table of British losses showing an
aggregate of 1862, which does not
include 1904 who have been invalid
ed home.
Four thousand TrTrsvaalers from
Colesburg trekked (emigrateJ) on
Sunday and Saturday to the north
east. They will probably be caught
at one of the passes.
Sunday, March 1lth, was observed
as truce. The British troops sat
on the parapets conversing with the
Beers, and amicoble relations were
maintained until dark.
The British forces have halted.
Lord Roberts does not deem il wise
TO proceed on the long and difficult
road to Pretoria, the Boer capital,
until his rear is entirely clear of the
enemy.
General Roberts is rapidly clearing
the remaining opposition to the Brit
ish in the southern part of the Free
Stale and the Burghers continue to
avail themselves of his proclamations
to surrender their arms.
Raius are general throughout
South Africa and rivers which have
been dry for years are being flooded.
Many camps are transformed into
swamps. This will still more initiate
against an immediate British adj
vance.
The Boer leaders hope to retard
the British progress indefinitely. In
the fighting at Fourteen Streams the
British were checked. Mafeking is
still closely invested and there is re
newed activity in Natal. On the
Free State front all is quiet. The
Beers are rallying.
1t is learned that the Boer leaders
are aware that they are beaten, but
think they can hold out for four to
six months, within which time they
firmly believe foreign intervention
will force Great Britain to grant fla.
vorable terms, including indepen.
dence. They expect Germany or the
United States to intervene.
Gatacre RepuIsed.
The Beers, commanded by General
Olivier, engaged the British troops
under General Gatacre, repulsing the
British with heavy loss and captur-
ing many of them.
Scattered The British.
PRETORIA, March 23d.--Conman-
dant Snyman attacked Col. Plumer's
force at Lobatsi to. day. The British
fled. The Beers captured four pris-
oners and fifteen cases of ammunition
with horses and guns. This disposes
of the present effort tn relieve
Mafekiug.
British Wrought Havoc.
Between Kimberley and Bloemfon-
tein there is a line of desolation.
Farm houses have been ransacked,
mirrors smashed, pianos wrecked,
works torn from clocks and children's
books and toys destroyed. The Free
Skaters blame the footing on the
British soldiers, though General Rob
erts dld all that was possible to re-
strain his men. The Free Skaters
are Disguised with the war aud dis
trust their own leaders, but they are
not disposed to forgive the British
for the domestic havoc.
Bocr Plans.
The Boer plans inclu ie a stand at
Kroonstad, the Vaal river and other
points, eliminating in the defence of
Pretoria which has been preparing
for siege. The ranges of the guns
have been tested, mines have been
laid, and the forces in the field have
not allowed themselves to be cut of
with their heavy guns, which are
needed at the forts at Pretoria. The
majority Of the Transvaalers are ig-
norant of the gravity of the situation,
and though tired of remaining so long
from their farms, will fight hard, be-
lieving that their liberty and property
are at stake and being confident of
ultimate success.
Captain Makinoff, the Russian
Military Attache with the Boer forces,
has just inspected the new line
CT defense established by the Boer
generals and reports the line at Big
garsberg impregnable and the Boer
position at Kroonstad, he thinks, is |
as strong as that at Magersfontein,
where Methuen was repulsed.
Captain Makinoff praises the occu-
patton OF Bloemfontein by the Brit
ish as strategic move. He predicts
it will take many months to force
the new defensive works.
Beers are Active.
The Beers are having a little good
luck and are showing some boldness
again, as a raiding party estimated
to number 400, is believed by the
British forces at Warrenton to have
crossed the Kimberley Bloemfontein
Monday and to have
headed for Jacobsdal, with the inten-
ton of cutting the railway ten miles
west.
Commandant Olivier appears to
have gotten his 5000 men and
twenty-five miles of wagons into
rugged country, where be can make
an easy rear-guard defense.
Charles Williams, the military
expert, says:
eff this column gets through
substantially Commandment Olivier
will have carried out the great feat
Of the war, seeing that he risks every
chance of being between the upper
milestone of Lord Roberts' army