The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-03-21
S|R[)AR TAKES A Town
LORD KITCHENER OCCUPIED
PRIEsKA, WITHOUT LOSS, HAV-
ING BEEN UNOPPOSED
TRANSVIALERS CROSSED RIVER
MIR. STEYN SEEKING TO INFIAME
BUTCHERS AGAINST BRITISH
IN FREE STATE
WARNING TO THE BoERs
1t Is Regarded as Significant In
Coming Through the Colonial
Office-Gen. Butler Is
Defended.

LONDON, March 20.-The war office has
received the following dispatch from
Lord Roberts, dated Bloemfontein. March
20:
kitchener occupied PrIeska Yesterday
uIlopposed. The rebels surrendered their
arms, The Transvaalers escaped across
the river
Mr steyn is circulating a notice. bv
means OF dispatch riders, in reply TO NV
proclamation to the effect that any burgh-
er who signs declaration that he will
not fight against us again will be treated
as traitor and snot.
Ihe Bloemfontein people are affordine
US every assistance In the matter of
hospital accommodations. We have, con-
sequently, been able to arrange for 50o
beds.
'Thirty-three prisoners were taken ri
Prieska, 200 stands of arms and some sup
plies and explosives.
ne Boers have begun to surrender on
the Basutoland frontier"
INTERESTING DEVELOPMENTS
While there is a lulI In the rn,Iitarv
the war show interesting DEVELOPMENTS
Inc colonial Office has telegraphed to
cape Town the text OF the proclamation
concerning the destruction of propertv
This VIII not be published in London IN
I'll after its PRONUNCIATION In South Africa
but 1t is known 1t will convey an intina-
ton that any wanton destruction Of Brit
ish property during the war will be re-
garded as Warranting claim for COM
pensadon' and as justifying a levy upon
private property, should the resources of
the Transvaal republic prove Inadequate
Inc fact that the proclamation is is
sued by the colonial office is regarded as
significant Indication that the republics
VIII De administered as crown colonies
III thlS connection 1T is understood that
the leaders of the opposition in parlia-
ment now admit that no other settlement
is possible since the republics insist upon
their demand for absolute Independence
In view of this the efforts of the Liberals
VIII De confined to securing In the set
t4enieht the pest treatment for the Dutch
population, including security against pre-
d1stranchlsement.
GOVERNMENT PROGRAMME.
1t IS becoming regarded as quite q set
tled matter that should the war be end
ed, as is now hoped, before June. the
government will dissolve parliament and
appeal to the country on the basis Of q
state South African policy Should the
war drag on, dissolution will be post
poned until next spring In any event
one Of the foremost planks of the gov
ernment platform will be army reorgan-
ization.
There is no further information as to
the movements of Sir Alfred Milner. It
Is regarded as certain, however, that he
mas gone to Bloemfontein to arrange
for the temporary administration of the
Free State
Mr.. Steyn's reply to Lord Roberts
charge of the misuse of the flags of truce
is commented upon as impertinent and
ridiculous, and Lord Roberts course in
closing useless discussion is commended
as wise.
Indications from Natal seem to show
that Gen. Buffers forward movement will
not be long delayed.
The government has decided that Mai
Gen. Sir Frederick Darlington shall com
mand colonial force of 5000, including
the 2,500 men Mr. Chamberlain asked for
from Australia.
MAFEKING NOT RELIEVED.
A statement was made tonight that no
fresh news from Mafeking had been re-
ceived, but a heiograph dated Thursday
March 10, asserts that Col. Plumer has
not been able to advance south OF Lo-
batsi.
JOHANNESBURG MINES INTACT.
A correspondent of the Daily News at
Bloemfontein, telegraphing Monday
March 49, says:
u learn from Johannesburg that it is
not true the mines have been flooded or
otherwise damaged, beyond the fact that
the machinery is suffering from disuse
My informant declares that the whole
story is falsified to court sympathy"
CREDIT FOR BULLER.
Winston Churchill, in a dispatch from
Pietermaritzburg, resists the contention
that the relief of Ladysmith rose out Of
Lord Roberts operations.
On the contrary" he says the opera
tions of Lord Roberts We're assisted by
the fact that Gen. Butler kept 5000 Beers
occupied. 1t would be a cruel and unWor.
thy thing to deprive the Natal army Of
their hard-won laurels, and none won q
more vigorously repudiate such a sug-
gestion than Lord Roberts himself"
spencer Wilkinson, writing in the Morn
ing Post, justifes Winston Churchilt's 6
argument respecting the relief Of I,adv-
smith. He thinks Sir Alfred Milner has
gone to Bloemfontein to arrange for the
permanent occupation of the province
and perhaps TO decide about the capture
and surrendered rebels.
FREE SKATERS WANT PEACE
dispatch to the Daily Mail from
Donkerspoort, dated Monday. March 10
says:
"A reconnaissance towards PhilippoHs
twenty-five miles west of Snr-iDofontein