Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1900-02-15
THE WAR IN AFRICA
britiPh Are Making Extensive
Preparations.
GREAT ACTIVITY OF GOVERNMENT
NIsld Operations Remain At n stand,
SAN Alarming Death Hate nj
Kimberley Lord KOberIA'
Plan Of Campaign,

London, Feb. l3.-Fear and hope
continue to alternate in the breast Of
the Briton. Another week has gone
and the great decisive battle Of tho
war has not come. While operations
In the field are tagging, the british
are doing their utmost TO strengthen
their forces
Lord Roberts has gathered $4,000
men, with whom, according TO the
best military opinion in London, he
purposes turning the LETT OF the
Magersfontein lines near Jacobsdal,
entering the cree State, compelling
General Cronje I raise the siege OF
Kimberley and thus making his first
step toward Bloem onten,
Kimberley, TWEEN y miles away from
the Modder river osition, is in sore
straits. Details of the December
death rate show that, in population
o $4,000 whites an 10000 blacks, the
mortality was sixty whites and 1913
blacks per thousand. The infantile
death rate was 67t per thousand
among the whites and 012 per thou
sand among the blacks, Enteric fever
was prevalent,
This frightful state of things in
December cunnothuve improved much
Ii at all, since, and the fighting power
Of the garrison must have been great
ly diminished,
Meanwhile the bombardment by
the Beers has increased, and there IL
Imminent danger of the town falling
unde the very eyes Of Lord Roberts
II is believed in circlcs close TO the
Office that he will move at once
Scouts have approached within
1000 yards of the Boer intrenchmentt
at Magersiontein. They have fount
these strong, and ascertained thu
they are used as dwelling places. Ma
val gunners are constantly watching
the encmy's line with strong glusses
and they declare that there is an up
precinble diminution in the Doe,
forces.
The war Office 10 making prepare
tions TO continue the stream of troop
for South Africa. Four large steam
ers have been chartered. Japan agreeI
to let the Armstrong; transfer t
LAgland four naval quick tirers tina
were built for her, consenting to wal
for the execution Of her own ordei
until the hostlities in South Africa
are over Several European powers
by similar consents as to guns being
constructed by Nickcrs Sons ant
Maxim, enable England to secure 1Ot
MaXims.
Two thousand men are constantly
employed at Woolwich arsenal and al
the gun and ammunition factories are
working night and day TO execute
government orders. The weekly out
put of four firms is I,OOO,OOO rounds.
Outside of the requirements fol-
s J. Africa, Grcl, Britain Is accum
ulating immense stores of war mater
ial. Considerable divergence of opin
ION exists as TO the adequacy of the
governments military proposals, ever
now The military experts and news
papers, while acknowledging the diff
ficulties TO be met, complain thai
nothing is said about measures neces
sary for the immediate emergencies
in South Africa, and declare that thu
governments scheme is mainly di
rectcd TO Il large increase Of volun
teers, untruincdn unorganized men
while nothing is being done to pre-
pare a large, well organized force
'dy to take the ID.