The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1900-03-10
LORD ROBERTS Waiting.
The Field Marshal is Giving the
:. Beers Plenty of Time to
Concentrate.
he WILL DELIVER ONE CRUSHING BLOW:

T.
At Any Rate. That is 81. Intention Unlss'
+. the beers should Upset His Plaps--he
Latter Are MassinE Their Forces In the
Vicinity of the British Army Near o..
fonreIh:
London, March Z, 4:1O a. m.-Lord
Roberts still pausss in the neighbour
hood Of Osfontein, while stores, re-
mounts and fresh troops stream to-
ward him from the Cape. The British
position also continues to improve in
the minor spheres of the campaign.
Natal is clear of Beers, and Cape Col
Dry is nearly so.
Taking the Advice of S~trnteGists.
The Beers, seemingly, are pursuing
the course commended by the strate-
gists, and are concentrating to resist
the British main army. Various mes.
sages from correspondents with Lord
Roberts report that the enemy are in
~creasing continually on his front, N
tending, as one correspondent wires,
eight miles, and as another says, Is
miles. The lowest estimate of their
numbers gives the Beers from 5000 to
1o, 1000 1nen, with smaller bodies NOV
ing north and south of the British
lines.
With Pick and Shovel.
Each army is on both sides of the
Modder river. Although the Beers
have mounted eight guns on the tops
of kopjes, and appear to be too far
away for inspection, the British scouts
report that they are diligently using
pick and shovel. Military opinion is
hat their present position merely
screens more easily defended ones
deeper in the region.
Lord Plans.
None of the military experts endeav-
or to fathom Lord Roberts plans, but
it is suggested that he is quite willing
to give the Beers time to assemble all
their men in order to deliver a smash
ing blow more effectively.
The Annexation Round RObbin.
The round robin in favor of the an
nexation of the Transvaal and the Free
State, which is being promoted among
the supporters of the government in
the house of commons, continues tore
ceive signatures.
Time for Plain Speaking.
The signatories of the memorial to
Mr.. Balfour affirm that the time has
arrived Cor plain speaking inside and
outside of parliament, and that Lord
Salisbury's words are being construed
into a pledge against annexation, and
Lord Roberts proclamation into a
promise of no co~nfiscation of Boer
property.
Why Should They Riser
The Transvaal agency at Brussels
threatens a rising CT the Cape Dutch
in the event of annexation, though why
the Dutch should rise then rather than
now is not explained.
Mr.. 4. G. Hales, the Daily News cor-
respondent who was captured by the
Beers in February, was released at
Blocmfontein and put through the
lines near Sterkstroom. He telegraf,hs
that the Beers are demoraliZed, but
adds that they have been treating the
British wounded srlendidly.
The Cape Colony Rebels.
Orange River, Cape Colony, March
THE recent British victories have
lad 4 wonderfully quieting effect upon
the rebel Dutch. many of whom in the
| nighborhood of Douglas, are reported
disheartened and about returning to
their homes. The commando in the
neighborhood of Britstown has been
| given carte blanche by President Steyn
| to raise rs many recruits and to do as
much damage as possible.
The rebels in the neighborhood of
Kenhardt are particularly aggressive,
acting on the superstition that the
troops of Lord Roberts are fully occu-
| pied in the Free State.
A Radical Difference OF Opinion.
London, March s.--A dispatch to the
| Daily News from Modder River, dated
| Monday. March ), and describing the
| Boer position in front of Lord Roberts,
says:
"The Beers seem to like to be kept
busy intrenching. They have mounted
eight guns on high kopjes. 1t is
marvellous how they drug these weap-
ons into such positions.
1T is reported here that at a recent
emergency meeting Of the Free State
raad, at Rjoemfontein, a radical diff
ference of opinion developed, the ma
jority favoring peace at any price, but
the minority, including President
Steyn, advocating a fight to the end
To Make One job of 1t.
London. March Spencer Wilk;n
son, in the Morning Post Wednesday,
| confines his review of the military stu
| alton to a mere record of events, and
! concludes af follows:
at almost seems as though LORI.
Roberts wished to let the Beers assem-
bic as much of their army as they a
before beginning to try conclusions
| with them.
sTORMBERG OCCUPIED.
Gen. Gatacre Will Mt Once Repair
the Railroad Lines.
London, March THE war Office
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