Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1900-03-12
Roberts Now Within Twenty-Five
Miles of the Free State Capt.
tai and Rushing Forward.
RUMORs RELIEF OF MAFEKlNG
Beers In Natal and Holding Posi-
tIons In Country Supposed
to Be Open.
U. S. USING ITS GOOD OFFICES

A@O@A4CAAs +NoA vi - nc wei OillCC
has issued the following dispatch
from Aasvogel kop, under date of
March 18th, 5;35 a. M:
I'VE were unopposed during the
march yesterday The officers l left
in the last camp to record the list of
casualties have not yet arrived. The
following additional casualties are
known, however: Killed, Lieuten-
ants F. N. Parsons, A. B. Coddington,
Essex regiment Wounded, Lieuten-
ants c. Berkeley, (severely) Lloyd
Arm and G. H. Raleigh. General Cat
acre reports that he was within a mile
Of Bethulie railway bridge yesterday.
The bridge was partially destroyed,
the enemy holding the opposite bank"
London, March 12-7At the present
rate of progress Lord Roberts should
be in Bloemfontein Wednesday next,
though all calculations may be upset
by the development of more strenu.
GUS resistance than the Beers so far
have attempted The distance be-
tween Lord Roberts and the Free
State capital is now SO small, only
about twenty-five miles, that it is ap.
parent that the Beers either contem-
plate making a determined stand al
the outskirts Of che town or for stra.
getic reasons. allowing Roberts to
occupy 1t after merely harassing his
advance. The commander in chiefs
dispatch announcing General Gatacre
at Bethuli bridge, and specials saying
that Gatacre commands the bridge
'appsoaci1ea but the Beers IN that vi.
cinity between the two British forces
at Aaasvogel Kop, whence Roberts
sent his last cable message, being
hundred miles almost due north Of
Bethulie. However. there is large
plain between them and the main body
of the Beers, now confronting Roberts
with its ceaseless activity, may be
quite able to cover the retreat of the
burghers confronting Gatacre. Once
the British are in control of the rail
road from Bethulie to Bloemfontein
a junction at the Free State capital
of Generals Gatacre and Roberts
would be a matter of a few days.
Commenting on the fact that Rob
erts found the Beers holding positions
In part of the country supposed to
have been left open the ST. James
Gazette says:
No more damning indictment was
ever preferred against any cavalry
A rumor of the relief of Mafeking
continues to circulate, but fails of con.
firmation. From the Natal which
Butler enormously declared was free
from the Beers, and from Cape Colony
where General Kitchener's stern hand
is upon the rebellion, there is no news
of Importance
Washington, March 12-There is
ICdSOu ~ DCiCN0 IudJ ln0 Oull6u
States government is using its good
offices to restore peace between Great
Britain and the South African repub
lies. This has not taken the shape
of proffer of mediation, which could
not be volunteered by United States
until it was known to be acceptable
by both parties, but it IS believed that
Adelbert Hay, United States consul ad
Pretoria, has been the instrument foI
transmitting to the British govern
ment, through the double interven-
tion of the state department and O.
Ambassador Choate, an application
from Presidents Kruger and Steyn t
be informed of terms upon which tht
war can be ended.
The Hague, March 12-It is learned
from a reliable source that Presiden
Kruger. through consuls at Pretori;
has appealed for Intervention o
the great powers in the Transvaa
war; also appealed to the govern