The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-03-27


Write the news today from SoJh Africa
as rs.ras,icrai. it is net without import
aule. especially II i, Dee true, as appears
altogether p1obeb.e ,Aat Comm udant Oil
vier. With his Eve tAoasard Uen and six
teen guns. has managed 10 e.ude General
French. ard has joined the Beers either
az KrcoEstaG or I'm Natal. DIVERS force
Will De Of the greatest service to lis II e
at the present junctUre. since, even vi
il. the best military opinion is that Kruger
cannot have more than thirty thousand
snon in the field. and some authorities place
the number at half that figure. French s
reported as returning to B'oemfouta:n.
where Lcrd Roberts is still making his
preliminary arrangements fer AZ advance,
and perhaps waiting 10 get the southern
part OF the Free State clear OF enemies
Buller is still watching the Boers On Tire
Biggarsberg range. and apparently holding
of from aggressive movements until the
other British army is ready TO move.
The fate OF MafekiEg is as uncertain as
ever. While Lord Methuen with about SIX
thousand troops is operating around Four
teen Streams. and Colonel Plumer seems
to be on the defensive at Gaberones. Il
fresh column has just started from KIM
berley. Ostensibly for Griquatcwn to put
down the rebellion in Griquaiand West.
but. IL may be surmised in reality pointeu
for Mafeking through a detour to the
west and northwest II Baden-Fcwell eau
manage 40 hold out a while longer. he will
be- relieved. In any case the columns con
y,cpias on the town viii take il ultimate
Iy. and it viii then De made base for
aauking movement against Pretoria.
Thus the prospects are that by the time
Roberts is ready to- move. the advance viii
be made in three columns from BIoemfon-
tein Natal. and Naieking, and it does not
seem possible that With the limited forrs
81 their command. the Beers can seriously
check it. This seems 20 be the view taken
by experts ia Continental Europe as we'll
as in England.
Because il is the general view. the move
ment should be the signal for whatever
international mCnaces. troubles. or inter
ferences may be hid under the present dip
Iomatic situation i'm the Old World What
might perhaps be regarded as hints Of a
/ coming storm Of some sort are conveyed in
the increasing disturbances in China. &C
companied by indications that the Empress
/ Dowager is almost on the point OF slam
ming the omen door in the faces of the
! United States and several European ma
tions- principally England and Germany.
| IL is rumored that an understanding has
! been reached between the three govern
ments named providing for common il not
! joint action. in The event OF an assault up
on their commercial rights in China.
/ The one other suggestion Of hostility to
/ Great Britain is contained in the military
/ activity Of France in Morocco where il
I looks rather as If a war with native tribes
was being confecied to afford excuse
! fer demonstration. perhaps designed tC
l promote a seizure Of the Morocco AIedit-
/ erranean Httoral by France. If any seri-
Z Gus intention Of the kind is hidden behind
/ the movement. it is reasonable 10 expect
} that Frances ally will be soon heard from
/ in some other quarter-perhaps in Asia
/ Minor or on the Persian Gulf The cru,
: Of the situation will be reached when the
/ date Of Lord Roberts entry into Pretoria
/ becomes calculabIe. Then the general set
Element Of accounts should begin, 81 there
! is 10 be one.