The Negro world., 1900-03-10
KRUGER ASKS .F|)R. PEACE
Sends Long cablegram to Salisbury
Outlining the Terms He Is
Willing to Acc.
THE OFFICIALS REGARD IT AS A RUSE.
Believed Beers Are Anxious TO Gain
Time-Dispatch from Roberts Says
Kruger and steyn Were with
Troops During Fight of March T.
Couldn't Rally Troops.


London, March 10.-Late Friday
afternoon it was learned that the
peace rumors were founded on the
fact that President Kruger has ap-
pealed to Lord Salisbury for cessa-
tion of hostilities, offering at length,
by cable, the terms which he is will
ing TO accept. These. however. are not
taken seriously, as they include prac-
tically nothing more than what the
Transvaal government offered prior
to the issuing of the British ulti-
matum.
Official circles here regard the
propositions as merely a ruse of the
Beers to gain time and do not con-
slider that President Kruger is yet
ready to consider the sweeping de-
mands which Great Britain will make
as reimbursement for the loss of life
and great expenditure.
1t was understood that President
Kruger's advances had met with an
emphatic rejection at the hands of
Lord Salisbury, who is believed to
have said that no such attempt to re-
tain the independence of the Trans
yaal can be considered for moment
by the British government.
Kruger and steyn Were Present.
The war office has received the fol-
lowing dispatch from Lord Roberts:
Poplar Grove, Friday Morning. -Presi-
dents Kruger and Steyn were both present
at the fight of March and did all In their
power to rally their troops. The rout,
however, was complete. the men declar-
ing that they could not stand against the
British artillery and such formidable
force of cavalry"
signs OF Possible Peace.
From various quarters come signs
of possibility of peace in South Af-
rica being shortly within the bounds
of practical politics. All the dispatches
from Lord Roberts headquarters, in
cluding those of the commander-in-
chief himself, indicate the lack of
a guiding spirit among the Beers, and
individual Decentralization, portend-
ing disintegration, unless speedily
steflinsed
The flight of the burghers from
Poplar Grove, according to all ac-
counts. was wholly inglorious. A
Times dispatch from Poplar Grove,
under Thursdays date, goes so far
as to assert that the rout of the
Beers was so complete that the sub
mission of the Free State is being
demanded by the burghers from their
unwilling president. and it is ex-
pected that its submission win be
40 rUffhfn n xUnnR Tho
spondent adds:
Probably the Beers wisest course was
flight but IL was most undignified and Is
certain to produce CONSERVATION at Bloem-
fontein. There is a growing outcry against
any further Identification of the Free State
with the Transvaals interests"
Kruger Uses a Rife.
Dispatches from the Boer camp at
Glencoe. via Lorenzo Marques, depict
President Kruger as donning a bando-
lier, seizing a rife and inviting volun-
teers to accompany him, as he wished
to have a shot at the enemy himself
President Kruger is also quoted as
having declared in his address TO the
troops that he 'did not know whether
arbitration OF intervention would end
the struggle. but that 1T would end
quickly, within the next month, he
strongly believed"
Roberts Pushing Forward.
In the meanwhile the British are not
staying their advance. Lord Roberts
has moved ten miles nearer Bloemfon-
tein, evidently with the view of seiz-
ing and utilizing the railroad. possibly
to reach the Free State capital in three
or four days. whence he may begin re-
pairing the railroad southwark. meet
ing the British advance from Cape Col
ony, which may be expected to be
hastened as soon as Gen. White takes
control. The British occupied James
town. unopposed. Thursday. March 5.
and the Beers are reported TO be re-
treating beyond Aliwal North. so that
Cape Colony is practically clear of
armed Beers.
Reenforcements from Natal are go
ing to Lord Roberts. Gen. Warren's
division and some artillery have al
ready been ordered TO join the COM
mander in chief. so that the latter il
preparing for all eventualities. includ-
ing possible desperate opposition TO
his crossing the Naal river and the ne
cessity Of the siege of Pretoria. where
thousands of natives are reported 10 be
employed in the construction of de-
fensive works. concerning which such
secrecy is maintained that no one is al
lowed TO walk or drive on the outskirts
of The towE.
Challenge tn Redmond.
John Redmond'S speech in he house
of commons Thursday does not meet
with unqualified approval in Ireland.
whence the Irish Transvaai committee
telegraphed 10 Mr.. Redmond:
~we challenge you Il, come to Duhltu
and repeat ln public the statement you
Tzsade tn the house Of commons In the
name ~ the Irish people
The prince Of Wales Friday morning
inspected Paget's horse and Dunra-
sen-s sharpshooters, attached 20 the
imperial yeomanry. prior 10 their de-
paraure for South Africa.
New War Loan.
The amount Of the neys war loan will
be c D. .ood.u00. The interest will be y.
per cent. and the honds viii ise redeem
able at par Mar ). 1910. The Issue price
i EOS le shillingA