The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1900-03-21
BLOWING
UP BRIDGES.
Beers Have Destroyed
Two. Roberts Expect
ing Another Battle.
London, March 20.

| LpnuOn MaIcb ~.
All signs portend that the next graa,
battle iii the campaign before Lord Rob-
crts will take place on the border, perhaps
on the soil Of the South African R.puU-
| lie.
| Bloemf0ntein dispatches state that the
Beers have blown up the railroad bridge
over the Moddsr fourteen miles north OF
| that city. 1t Is also stated that the Beers
have dynamlted the bridges at WinDurs
and kroonstad, and that they are now re-
treating to tho north.
Both these town. are on the direct line
between Blnemfontein and Pretoria and
arc tho two largest places in the Fres
State before the lransval border Is reach
ed.
Note.-Krosnstead, the farther north of
the two, is about T1O miles northeast of
Blreln!ontein, and is the present seat of
the Free State Government After Ieav-
ing there eighty milo, by rail will carry
the British to tho VaaI Rivcr. The Beers
may make u stand at the little customs
station of Nereeniging, just acros, tho
river, and whose locality may be fixed by
the accompanying map A view of the
railroad station is also given Tho Beers
nro known to have been cntronchlng there
recently.
Lord Roberts transmit ed to the War
Office from Bloemtontein. under date of
Monday, March 10. the reply of Presidents
Kruger aud Stoyn to his telegram OF
March 10. complaining of the abuse OF the
white flag by The Boers Their reply is as
follows:
"Tuur Exceiency's telegram reached
me yesterday. l assure you nothing
would grieve me more than my burghers
should make themselves guilty Of a deed
such as that laid TO their charge by you.
] am, however, glad to say you must have
been mistaken. | have made personal In
quiry OF General Delaroy, who WIS in
command of our burglers III tho place
mentioned by yol.
"He denies entirely that our bnrghcrs
acted as stated by you, but he says that
on Saturday, tho date being lllegihle, the
British troops, when they were about fifty
yards from our position, put up their
hands as well as a willie flag, whilst at
the same time your cannon bolnbarded the
said troops, s,with tho result that Comman-
dnnt DcBeer was wounded. Yesterday
morning the head cOmmandant wrote IN
his account of the battle us follows: "rhe
soldiers hOis ed the white flag, but were
then fired at bv the English cannons and
compelled to charge"
Perhaps 1t Is not known to your Ex-
ccllency that the samo thing happened ut
spion kop, where, when u portion of the
troops hoisled white tlngaud ppt uD
busy diSarming them, another portion of
the troops fired on our burghers, but some
Of the British troops were killed. 1t has
also been reported that at ths last battle Of
the Tnelga English cannon nred OIL troops
who had surrendered.
"With reference to tho explosive bullets
found In Cronje's laager and elswLerc, /
can Sivo yGur EXcellency assurance that
such bullets were not purchased or allowed
by the government. haze, however, no
reason to doubt your statemont.as know
many Of the burgher5 of this State and of
the South African took a large number
of LIE. Metford rifles and DUN Dum and
other bullets from British troops
May request your Excelency, as the
cable is closed 10 me- to make my reply |
known to your government and the neu-
trail powers by cable.
(Signed) STATE PRESIDENT"
The dispatch from Lord Roberts con- |
cludes as follows:
"As the inquiry into tho matter proves
His itonor's allegations 20 b. unfoundsd
and as personally saw tho hosting un of
hands which he denies, have nou thought
IL desirable to continue the correspond.
ence."
Lord Roberts also cables under to.day's
late:
Kitchener occupied Priesk1 yesterday
lnopposeL The rebol5s urrendcred their
srms. The Tran. vaalors escaped acros,
he rivor.
"Mr. steyn is circulating q notice. by
means OF dispatch riders in rOply to my
PROCLAMATION, to the effect thar any bur.
!her wholsigns dec laration that he will
rot fight a-airst us again will be treated
IS traitor and will be shot.
"The Blhemfontcin people nre afford
ng us every assistance in tn, matter of
hospital Gccommodat ions. We hnvo been
able to arrange for no beds.
"Th!rty-thrao prisoners were taken AZ
'reska, 200 stands Of arms anG somo
upplies and explosives.
"Thc Beers have bcaun TO surrender on
he Basutoland front iers.
Tho law courts wero opened Yesterday
A correspondent of the Daily News at
3loemfon;ein, teicgraphing Monday
iaroh 10. says:
Il learn from Johanne burg that It in
ot true that the mines have been flooded
= otherwise damaged. beyond tho fact
hat tho machinery Is suffering from dis
se. My informant declares that the
'hole story was fabricated to court SYM
athy.
Cons nsderable interest is attached to the
ate of johannesburg, Commenting on
he reported consultation between Sacre-
nry Hay and the German Ambassador ut
Washington. DR.. Won Holleben, as to n
ropOsltlon mat both belligerents be urged
0 leave Johannesburg alone the Pail
iall Gazette calls the report propostsr-
US. st. Petersburg and Berlin ndyicos
lso scout the idea rs being absurd.
London, March, 2l.-4 so "a. M.-No
resi- news has been received from Mafc.
ing. but II Pretoria despatch, dated
thursday, March Is, asserts that Colo nol
'lumer has not been able to advance
outh of Lobatsi.
A statement comes from Pretoria ad-
hitting that tho Boer loss during the war
xceed 1000,
Major-Gcnernl Sir Frederick Darlington
TO be placed in command of u new col
mn to be established in South Africa.
will be known as the Rhodesan flyld
'rce, and will consist of 5000 men inclul.
le ., 500 Australian bnshmen.
The column will be drawn entirely from
10 colonial conlingsnts. md will bo sta.
onod on The northern lransvanl border,
} prevent Beer Great or au inCursion
TO Rhodcsia.