The Forrest City times., 1900-03-09
LORD ROBERTS WAITING.
The Field Marshal is Giving the Boers Plenty of Time to
 Concentrate.
NE WILL DELIVER ONE CRUSHING BLOW.

- my AsosVs Amot hU nto eot0mtsOu OoheUD
 the Bosrs Should Upset His Pians-4hs
 Latter Are Asssing Their Forces In the
 Vicinity of tho British Army Near Os-
 fontsin.
 London, March 2, 4:10 a. m.-Lord Roberts still pausss in the neighbor- 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 Boers, and Cape Col- ony is nearly so.
 Taking the Advice of StrateHists.
 The Boers, 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, ex- tending, as one correspondent wires, eight miles, and as another says, Is miles. The lowest estimate of their numbers gives the Boers from 5000 to 10000 men, 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 Boers 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 that their present position merely screens more easily defended ones deeper in the region.
 Lord RObcrts' 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 to re- ceive signatures.
 Time for Plain Speaking. The signatories of the memorial to MT. Balfour affirm that the time has arrived for plain speaking inside and outside of parliament, and that Lord Salisbury's words are being construed into pledge against annexation, and <e,s 1o @s |. promise of no confiscation of Boer property.
 Why Should They Rises
 The Transvaal agency at Brussels threatens n rising of the Cape Dutch in the event of annexation, though why the Dutch should rise then rather than now is not explained.
 MT. A. c. Hales, the Daily News cor respondent who was captured by the Boers in February, was released al Rloemfontein and put through the lines near Sterkstroom. He telegraphs that the Boers are demoralixed, but adds that they have been treating the British wounded splendidly. The Cape Colony Rebels.
 Orange River, Cape Colony, March 7.-The recent British victories have had a wonderfully quieting effect upor the rebel Dutch. many of whom in the nighborhood of Douglas, are reported disheartened and about returning tc l their homes. The commando in the neighborhood of Britstown has beer given carte blanche by President Steyr to raise as many recruits and to do as | much damage as possible. The rebels in the neighborhood oI Kenhardt are particularly aggressive acting on the supposition 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 tho Boer position in front of Lord Roberts says:
 1.-The Boers seem to like to be kep' busy intrenching. They have mounted eight guns on high kopjes. It i. marvellous how they drag these weap ons into such positions.
 Tt is reported here that at recen emergency meeting of the Free State rad, at Blocmfontein, a radical diff ference of opinion developed, the ma jority favoring peace at any price, bu the minority, including Presiden Steyn, advocating a fight to the end |
 To Make One Job oe It.
 London, March S.-Spencer Wilkin son, in the Morning Post Wednesday confines his review of the military situ ation to mere record of events, ant concludes af follows:
 'It almost seems as though Iort Roberts wished to let the Boers assem ble as much of their army as they car before beginning to try conclusion with them.