The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-03-30

a raidihe party estimated at 400 IS be-
lieved y the British forces at War
rent0n 70 have crossed the Kimberley
Bloemfontein wagon road Monday and
20 have headed for Jacobsdal, with the
intention of cutting the railway ten
miles west.
COmmandant Olivier appears TO AVE
gotten his 5000 men and twenty-five
miles Of wagons into rugged country,
where he can make an easy rear guard
defense.
Charles Williams, the military ex-
pert, says: IF this column gets
through substantially C-ommandant
Olivier will nave carried out the great
Feat Of the war. seeing that he ran
every chance of being ground between
the upper milestone of Lord Roberts
army and the neither milestone of the
broken Basuto frontier. He will
have done it within fifty miles or so of
Lord Rober main strength. Certain
" il ooked for a week as though Lord
Roberts held Olivier in the hollow of
his hand. If Olivier gets through TO
KrOonstadt with ever 5000 men it Will
be an important addition to the Boer
gathering there. His escape is attrib-
utabie in part to the worn out condi-
ton of the British cavalry horses.
Lord Roberts transport appears to
have been badly d~islocated by the loss
at Riet river, before CronjeS Surren-
der, OF the wagon train, and in addi-
ton TO this the army with which he
to advance toward Pretoria
is nearly double that of the earlier
rapid movements"
Ten thousand transport, cavalry and
gun animals are due to arrive at Cape
ports during this and next week.
1t is given out at Cape Town that
Lord Roberts advance m be delayed
for months. Although such state
ments should be received with reserve
it seems positive that he intends to go
to Cape Town to meet Lady Roberts,
who rs due to arrive there in ten
days.
The war office has issued another
gregate Of 1862, which does not in
clude 1904 who have been invaded
home.
THE Beers MASSING.
Ladysmith, March 27.-It is reported
that the Beers are maSSing in their en-
trenched positions at Biggarsberg and
it is added that their transport trains
are packed at New Castle in readiness
to facilitate their retreat in case neces-
Sity requires uch Il step.
Maseru, Basutoland, Monday, March
26.-A small British force commanded
by Colonel Pitcher entered Ladybrand
, this morning, after driving in the
BOer OutpOsts. A considerable body of
Beers then attacked the British, who
retired after capturing the landrost.
The British had three men und
and the Beers had eight.
Mafeking, March 14.-The Beers
recommended the bombardment of this
place March 18th, a 6-inch gun which
had been comparatively silent for a
week firing the %shrapnel used against
the troops IL the open. The prOjectileS
were Intellectual against cover, but
were dangerous to pedestrians. One
she'll burst in the court house, killing
several natives and wOunding four per-
sons. Several women were also
slightly wounded. Sunday, March 18th,
was observed as a truce. The British
troops sat on the parapetS cOnverSing
with the Beers and amicable relations
were maintained until dark.
London. March 27.-Reconnaisances
of slight Importance continue to be the
only feature of the war in South Al
RIGA.
BURGHERS RETURN TO THEIR
FARMS.
a dispatch from Maseru, Basutoland,
AIarch 26th says: THE Basutoland
government is busy collecting natives
TO be employed at BlOemfontein in re-
pairing and laying railways. The ma
tives report hat the Free Staters on
the borders of Basutoland have refus-
ed to go to Kroonstadt and are staying
on their farms, as 1t is now the plough
ing season and they are inclined to
keep their land and submit rather than
give it up and fight"
THE LAND FLOODED.
Advices today from Cape Town
~ .aD-:-z 49, r0DnroI throI,o,N ont
South Africa. Rivers which have
been dry for years, are being flooded.
Many camps are transformed into
wamps This will still more initiate
against an immediate British advance.
MUCH SICKNESS AMONG BOER
PRISONERS.
Sickness among the Boer prisoners
on the transports is increasing. Three
deaths occurred March 26th. The bod
les were buried by the British will the
TrarsvaaI flag on the collins, the lead
ing Dutch of Simonstown attending
the funeral. Typhoid alone claims 100
victims among the prisoners and the
population of Simonstown fear an cpl
demic. e.
.'The bund at a meeting at Paarl,
March 26th, attended by several men,
bers of the Cape assembly passed res
-Olutbons regretting that the cape
government was not consulted before
the war n declaring tndI any seUtle-
ment which lie not respect the indie
pendence of the republics would be det-
rimentaI to the highest interests OF the
British empire. Mr.. HargroVe, the
chief speaker, prophesied another war
within six years unless independence
was granted. and Assemblyman Marals
characterized the war as a continual
ton of the Jameson raid
A dispatch in the second edition OF
The Times from LourenzO Marquee
declares the Beers are using natives
from the mines to construct trencneS
around johannesburg, adding that the
mines are expected TO shut down, oM-
ing to the military demand for hanlr
labor
SAFE BLOWER ARRESTED.
Jacksonville. Fla, March 2I.-GeO
! w. Clark, of Macon, Ga, was arrested
4 here hi afternoon. He is charged