The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-01-05
PRESIDENT sTEYN, OF THE ORANGE
FREE STATE, DECLARES ALL
WHITE MEN BURGHERs
CONSCRIPTIOI is POSSIBLE
BOERS ARE PREPARING TO MEET
ANY MOVE OF THE BRITISH
RELIEF COLUMNS
MILES OF INTRENCHMENTs


1t Difficult to Execute Flank
MOvements-Extra RcdOubts Are
Being Constructed at Kimberley
British Secret Agents Watching
Italian POrts-Navy Precautions.
CAPE TOWN, Jan. 3.-Intelligence has
been received here from the Free State
to the effect that President Steyn has
issued a proclamation decaring that every
white man, irrespective of nationality, Is
to be considered burgher, and is liable
to be compelled to fight for the defense
of his country
MILES OF INTRENCHMENTS
LONDON, Jan. 5.-This mornings news
throws no further light upon the war sit
uation. The exact position at Molteno
and Cypergat Is not yet clear, but In
any case these little engagements are Of
small Importance beyond proving that the
British forces are beginning to attain a
greater degree of mobility. 1t is fully
expected that next week will see a heavy
battle on the Tugela river, which Is now
the real pivot of the campaign. The
Beers appear to be working necessarily
with shovel and pick.
Lord Methuen's cavalry scouting has
developed the fact that the Boer intrench
ments extend some forty miles, far over
tapping the British positions, making
flank attacks exceedingly difficult. Mill
tary analysts affirm that the Boer trench
es confronting Gen. Butler stretch away
some seventeen miles, and that work
upon them is pushed unremittingly.
While the advance is delayed, flank
movements are rendered most difficult,
because long marches are not done with
celerity, and it is hard to time an attack
with certainty
The extent of disaffection may now be
measured by taking line from Priesk
on the west to Rerschel or Barkly on the
east. Along the whole of this line, ex-
cept at points actually occupied by the
British, the population seems for the
most part hostile.
REDOUBTS AT KIMBERLEY
New redoubts are being built at KIM
berley, and seventeen miles of works
now encompass the town.
The admiralty programme embraces the
stationing of small squadrons at Durham,
Simon's bay, Port Elizabeth, Lourenzo
Marques st. Vincent, in the Cape Verde
islands, and Cape Town, and sending an
additional ship to Alden.
1t is announced that the British agents
and detectives are secretly watching all
Italian ports.
1t now appears that 1t is John Churchill,
second son of Lady Randolph Churchill,
and not Winston Spencer Churchill, who
has been given command of a squadron
of the South African light horse.
Lord Rosslyn has thrown up his en-
gagement at the Court theater In order
to join the yeomanry. The offer OF Lord
Iveagh to provide at his own expense a
completely equipped hospital for use in
South Africa has been accepted.
The war Office has invited Sir William
Thompson to accept the post of chief
surgeon to the forces Of South Africa,
instead Of consulting surgeon.
An army order has been issued directing
the embodiment of sixteen additional bat
talions of militia.
COL. PITCHERS RAID.
ORANGE RIVER, Cape Colony,
Wednesday, Jan. 3-There was a small
skirmish near Belmont this morning. The
British fired few shells, but the Beers
cid not respond.
A detachment of about forty Beers at
tempted to rush Klokfontein, but were
beaten back by the mounted infantry.
Possibly this force consisted of fugitives
from Sunnyside.
Reinforcements of infantry and artil-
lery have been dispatched to Gen French
from De Aar.
Col. Pitcher, it is officially announced,
being only on a ralding expedition, and,
for military reasons, being unable to oc-
cupy Douglas permanent Y, has evacuated
the town, bringing off all the loyalists.
He has now returned safely to close prox-
unity to Belmont When he announced
the necessity of evacuat'ng the place, The
Inhabitants Of Dlug'a as de la ed tn 1r lives
were not worth five minutes purchase
after the troops left. Col. Pitcher, there
fore, invited them to accompany him to
Belmont. The preparations were spe -cily
completed but the vehicles of the town
were totally inadequate to convey the
refugees, so the troops gave up the trans
port wagons to the women and children
The Canadians acted as an escort of ths
refugees carried babies for the women,
and kept everybody lively by singing as
they marched pluckily along in spite OF
sore feet, occasioned by the heavy sand
which made marching extremely firing.
Inc force TeCGlNeu NfSii. DuiiCi SOii-
gratulations on the success of the opera
tions.
ESCAPED FROM LADYSMITH.
HOOFD LAGER, Tuesday, Jan. q
Six horsemen made a dash from Lady
smith a few nights ago, and. though
pursued, they escaped. 1t is believed the
party included Col. Rhodes, brother %
Cecil Rhodes, and DR.. Jameson.
BoERs DRIVEN BACK.
FRERE CAMP, Jan. "A vigorous
shelling OF the Boer trenches on the
plain this morning forced the burghe-s t.
Shift their position, after their horses
had stampeded
PEACE LEAGUES PROPOSAL.
BRUSSELS, Jan. AT the meeting
held here today, convoked by leadint
members of the Universal League O
Peace. having in view petition to Presi
dent Mckinley to mediate in favor o
peace between Great Britain and tn
Transvaal 1t was decided to open pro
ceedings of a public nature Throughout
the country. The proposed address t.
President Mckinley follows:
Painfully affected by the bloody ant
terrible struggle in which two of tn
most civilized peoples are brought int,
conflict in South Africa, the undersigned
urgently appeal to you for assistance
You alone can heal the breach and in 81
doing you would fulfill the sacred dut,
of human brotherhood"
Senator I,eillne former minister of ius