The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-26

Affairs in south Africa.
Previous dispatches announcing Beer
retreat from Krooustad were discredited
by the news of yesterday. which indicated
the probability that Joubert would make
determined stand at that place. Lord Rob
erts is still marking time" at Bloemfon-
TEN. and is not expected to attempt any
serious forward movement until his
army is thoroughly organized. and the col
umns Of French and Gatscre are free TO
Join him. They are busy just now trying
to bag the Boer command OF Oliver, which,
with five thousand men and sixteen guns
is making a desperate effort to elude the
British, by hugging the Basutoland border
moving for the present in a nOrtheasterly
direction. This is what is left Of the Boer
force recently operating at ColesbeIg.
Stormberg. and Dordrecht, on or near the
Orange River line. Gatscre, Clements. and
Brabant are in hot pursuit, and French is
attempting to head off Olivier before the
latter can slip by and join Joubert atI
Kroonstad. Should this be accomplished.
the result would be depressing to the
Trausvaalers, who could i'll afford to lose
the services Of so many combatants with
their artillery.
The mystery which has surrounded on
erations on the western line is still con-
siderable. All We seem to know clearly is
that Colonel Plumer has been compelled to
fall back TO Gaberones, and that the relief
Of Mafeking from the north appears to be
highly problematical. The assumption is
that Lord Metbuen is moving TO raise the
siege, but If be has succeeded in getting
north Of the Vaal the fact has not been
made public-or had not been yesterday.
Perhaps he has been compelled to wait fcf
re-enforcements and supplies. His column
does not seem to have been large enough
for heavy work, and in case the Beers see
turning movement against Pretoria in
the march to Mafeking they are likely to
give him a great deal Of trouble. II must
be said that people in South Africa who
are familiar with the northwestern condi-
tions and situation. are confident that Ba-
Powell will be speedily relieved, and
his gallant defence of the post with a
handful of troops against heavy odds will
make almost everybody hope they are
right.
The Natal situation remains practically
unchanged. Sir Redvers Butler confronts
the Beers who are still holding the Big
garsberg range from above Pomeroy
across to Cundycleugh. Military opinion
in London corroborates the view we ex-
pressed last week, that it is not probable /
the British general will undertake a /
frontal attack on this strong line. at least /
for the present. The chances are that /!
when Lord Roberts advances north from /
Bloemfontein the bUrghers will be com /
PEELED to retire into the Transvaal Fail /
ing to do this, they would almost ineyi- /
tably be cut of from their main body.
As viii be seen. there is little in the (
current situation to justify comment from |
q military point of view. The prevailing |
impression is that Kruger and hS asso-
ciates realize that they are beaten, but /
are determined to hold out as long as pos
sible. in the hope that European in
PREVENTION may come at last and Sc
cure for them easy terms Of peace includ-
ing at least the status quo ante bellum.
Should anything happen soon to wreck
this hope and reach the ears Of the Boer
rank and file, who are believed to be
heartily sick of the war. il would be apt to
come to a sudden end. We are not yet pre-
pared to accept Lord Wolseleys prediction
that Lord Roberts will be in Pretoria by
May l., but there is no apparent reason to
doubt his ability to get there before mid
summer. His force so hugely outnumbers
that Of the other side that he can GER
talnly turn any position Joubert may oc-
cupy and keep him moving backward until
the Transyaal capital is reached. Then
there may be a siege but not necessarily a
slaughter. Il Is probable that with sew
enty or eighty thousand men Roberts
could surround the place and sit down on
il until starvation brought surrender.
On Saturday the House Of Representa-
tivos adopted the Cummings resolution
calling for all the correspondence between
the State Department and foreign govern
ments relative 10 the open door in China.
The Administration leaders were reluctant
to let it go through, but found that they