Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-03-07
Stores, Mounts and Fresh
Troops Stream Toward Him.
THE BoERS CONCENTRATING
Gathering in Front of tho British, Army to
Resist an Advance Lord Roberts Will
Ing to Give Thorn Time to Assemble all
Their Men In Order to Deliver n Smash
ing Blow Effectively "A Round Robin In
Favor oftho Annexation of tho Trans
vaal.
tBy Telegraph to virglnlan-pilot.,

10Y IclcSTQDN 10 Nlrplnlan-HllOCl
London, March 7.-4:l5 a. m.-Lord
Roberts still pauses in the neighbor-
hood OF Osfontcin. While stores. re-
mounts and fresh troops stream toward
him from the Cape. Tine British posi-
tion also continues to improve In the
minor spheres OF the campaign. Natal
is clear of Beers, and Cape Colony is
nearly SO. The Beers seemingly are
pursuing the course commended by the
stratesists, and are concentrating tore
sist the British main army. Various
messages from correspondents with
Lord Roberts report that the enemy
are increasing continually on his front,
extending, as one correspondent wires,
eight miles, and, as another says, is
miles. The lowest estimate Of their
number gives the Beers from 5000 to
10000 men, with smaller bodies NOV
ing north and south of the British lines.
Each army is OH both sides of the
Modder River. Although the Beers
have mounted eight guns on the tops
of kopjcs and appear to be too far away
for inspection, the British scouts re-
port that they are diligently using pick
and shovel.
Military opinion is that their pres
ent position merely screens more easily
Is suggested that Lord Roberts is quite
willing 10 give the Beers time 10 as
sembla all their men in order to de-
liver II smashing blow effectively.
A ROUND ROBIN
The round robin in favor OF the
neXation OF the Transvaal and the Free
State. which is being promoted among
the supporters OF the government In
the House of Commons continues to
nit... sir Gin
of the memorial to Mr. Balfour affirm
that the time has arrived for plain
specification inside and outside of Par
Lament. and that Lord Sallsbury's
words are being construed into pledge
against annexation. and Lord Roberts
proclamation into Il promise of no con-
ilscntion Of Boer property.
The Trnnsvaal agency at Brussels
threatens rising Of the Cape Dutch in
the event OF annexation, though why
the Dutch should rise then rather than
now is not explained.
a QUIETING EFFECT.
Orange River Cape Colony, March
6-The recent British victories have
had a wonderfully quieting effect upon
the rebel Dutch. many of whom in the
ncighborhood Of Douglas are reported
dishcartcned and about returning to
their homes.
The commando in the neghborhood
Of Britstown has been given carte
blanche by President Steyn TO raise as
many recruits and TO no rs 1rrtcff1 Jffsr.rr=-
age as possible.
The rebels in tho neighborhood of
l<enhardt are particularly aggressive.
acting on the supposition that the
troops of Lord Roberts are fully occu-
pied in the Free State.
BoERS IN FULL RETREAT.
Londcn, March G.-2:O5 p. m.-Thc
Beers in Northern Cape Colony are in
full retreat to the Orange Free State.
The possession of Stormberg puts Gen
cral Gatacre in railroad communication
with General Clements ut Colesbcrg,
for. though the Beers partially wreck
cd the railroad. it is understood that
it can be quickly repaired, and thus
the entrance Of additional British
troops into the Free State will he
greatly facilitated.
The position gained by General Bra
hant at Dordrecht is reported to be
exceedingly strong. According TO the
Times correspondent the Boer num-
bers alone enabled them to retreat from
Dordracht, practically unhindered.
He also reports a violation Of the
white flag by the Beers, and that they
deliberately fred, at close range, on
stretcher party.
THE LADYSMITH GARRISON.
General Whites garrison has begun
to leave Ladysmith, and is arriving at
the Modder River camp, where the
troops Will remain several days. after
which they will go further South. They
are emaciated and exhausted, and say
the road to Colenso presents scenes that
exceed I'm horror those depicted in
Dantc's Inferno" Dead men and an
imals are lying, mutilated and putri-
fed, in the trenches formerly occupied
by the Beers. and fill the air with q
sickcning stencil. In cases where hur-
ried burials had been attempted the
rains have washed the earth away and
out OF the earth stick CHASTITY legs and
arms of dead burghers.
WHAT FRED SKATERS WILL DO.
A dispatch from Osfontein says that.
according to the Boer prisoners, another
important British success will cause
President Steyn to flee to Pretoria,
leaving a provisional government at
Bloemfontcin, which is likely to make
peace overtures, those Free Staters not
wishing for peace trekking into the
Transvaal and there helping to make
a stand which most of the British mil
itary critics now point out will con-
stitutc the most difficult and deciding
feature OF the war
FEVER STRICKEN IADYSMITH.
Surgeon TSeves cables from Lady