The Saint Paul globe., 1900-05-09
RELIEF MUST Be SOON
SUFFERING IN MAFEKING HAS
ABOUT REACHED THE LIMIT
OF ENDURANCE
PITCHED FACES on INCREASE
RELIEF COLUMN is NOW WITHIN
THIRTY MILES OF THE BE-
LEAGUERED CITY
RAPID ADVANCE OF BRITISH
1T Has Thrown Beers Into Confusion.
and They Are Puzzled Which
Way to Turn-DispOsitiOn
of Forces.

LONDON, May 9.-Four thousand Brit
ish cavalry watered their horses at Zand
river Monday, twenty-five miles beyond
Smaldeel, where Lord Roberts continues
to date his dispatches. The scouts who
have been searching the country for
miles along the stream have found no
Beers south of the river The enemy
are laagered In unknown force on the
north branch. Thus the British advance
guard is within thirty-five miles of Kroon-
stad. The Free Staters, in the expecta-
ton that Kroonstad will speedily become
untenable, are, according to information
from Lourenzo Marques, preparing to
move their government to Heilbron. a lit
tie more than fifty miles northeast.
The proclamations of Lord Roberts
appear to have little effect upon the in
habitants of the invaded districts Every
farm is found deserted except by the
women and children. All the men are
away fighting.
Correspondents with headquarters are
wiring freely concerning every incident
connected with the occupation Of Small
deel.
Some exasperation is expressed at the
ease with which the Beers escaped with
their transports before the very eyes of
the British-for instance, when the Brit
ish entered Smaldeel, the Boer OK wag-
ons were outspanned only five miles
away, as if in contempt of the British to
overtake them. Lord Roberts is describ-
ed as slightly unwilling to sacrifice his
horse for the sake of Slight comparative
advantage"
The number that perish in spite of all
precautions is enormous
Smaldeel was a small village with a
few houses. but it swelled in a short time
to a vast city of canvas, and the glare of
camp fires was like the reflection from an
iron smelling city. The city is likely to
float away as quickly as it came.
SUFFERING AT MAFEKING.
Mafeking is in worse condition than
ever. Everywhere there is an empty
stomach and pinched face The natives
are now not even given porridge, and the
whites fare little better. Disease is
spreading. insufficient food, wet trenches
and cool nights are deadly to the British
Lady Sarah Wilson, under date of April
27, says:
'"The Beers now number 1880, Including
young EIoff, President Kruger's grand
son, who has sent for six more guns
The Mafeling correspondent of the
Times, who also emphasizes the gravity
Of the situation, says:
1T is impossible TO ignore the fatal sig
nificance of Col Baden-Powells S reference
to the hardships endured by the women
and children, among whom many deaths
have already occurred. The commissariat
is holding stock of foodstuffs in reserve
for use in direst extremity
RELIEF COLUMN NEAR.
The British column IS reported to have
reached Taungs, thirty miles north OF
Warrenton. According to Pretoria ad-
vices the British are nearing Vryburg,
which is half way between Warrenton
and Mafeking. Gen. Hunter is probably
now in personal command of this relief
column. His force embrace 10000 infantry
and 5000 to 5000 horsemen, an army far
greater than has hitherto been sup
posed. Lord Methuen is apparently a
subordinate. While the relief column is
hurrying toward Vryburg Gen. Hllyer is
probably proceeding in an orderly ad-
vance along the Vaal river to participate
in the Pretoria advance, as Lord Roberts
left flank.
The special correspondents learn that
an important move in Natal is expected
within the next few days. Gen. Butler
is rapidly completing his transport.
In his speech to the volksraad Kruger
reiterated his undiminished faith in the
cause of the republic. He said if he
should be sent to st. Helena the struggle
would still go on.
A dispatch from Maseru, Basutoland,
says:
Lord Roberts rapid advance has con-
fused the Beers, who are holding the
roads between Wepener and ClOcolan,
along which continuous stream of wag-
ons and cattle have been proceeding
northward for days. On Monday some
commanders countermarched, and the
wagons got into an inextricabie mass,
the Beers not knowing which way to
turn
DEATH SENTENCE COMMITTED.
Lord Roberts has commuted TO penal
servitude for life the sentence Of death
pronounced by the court-martial before
whom he was tried upon Lieut.. Kenneth-
Murchison, of the artillery, who, on Nov.
20 last, killed Mr.. Harstowe, correspond
ent of the Daily Chronicle at Mafakng.
warded to Lord Roberts with a recon-
mendation to mercy from Col. Baden
Powell Mr.. Harstowe's death was at
first attributed to an accident, but it sub
sequently developed that he and Murchi-
son had dined together, and while they
were strolling across the Parade, MuTchi-
son drew his revolver and shot his com
panion.