The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-03-23
PREPARING TO MAKE INVASION OF THE
TRANSvAAl.
RUM0RED RELIEF OF MAfEKING
h Report Not Omcially Confirmed.
The Troops Converxing Toward the
Town To be One OF the Invading
Forces "A Considerable Boer Army
In Front OF Butler - Next New. OF
Fighting Expected to Come from
Natal-Portuguese Infantry.

London, March 20.- a m.-The war
office had no news up to this hour con-
frming the report of the relief Of
Mafeking. Hon. George Windham.
parliamentary under secretary OF war.
replying TO a private inquiry in the
lobby of the house OF commons about
midnight. smilingly said: Il think il
is all right"
The e Staters. seemingly, have
siderable force around Smithfield. al
though much dispirited. A British spy
from Rockville reports that Command
ant Olivier and a commando are going
TO kroonstadt. The agents he left be-
hind are using desperate means TO
raise recruits, communicating Beers
under penalty of death.
Kroonstadts, where the Beers are
concentrating. is 49, miles from Bloem-
fontein. 1t is surrounded by a country
of hills and mountains. General Bull
lers hill work before Ladysmith has
given him an experience which is
about to be used in forcing the Brit
ish range. 1t is believed that %, 900 OF
his 10000 men are about to engage
Botha's force. and the next news OF
fighting will probably come from Ma
tai.
The leaders of the Africander bund
are circulating a petition in Cape Col
ony, asking the imperial government
not to take away the independence of
the Beers.
Thirty-two thousand additional
troops for South Africa are now at sea.
London, March 19.-The converging
Of the troops towards Mafeking may
indicate a much more serious purpose
than merely its relief. Judging from
Lord Methuen's presence at Warren
ton and the capture of the nearby pas
sage of the Vaal at Fourteen Streams,
keen observers believe Lord Roberts
meditates an advance in force on Pre-
toria by way of Rustenburg. This
might start either from Fourteen
Streams or K~lerksdorp, and would
probably coincide with an advance via
Methuen may be given the chance to
redeem his reputation, as has been
done with General Gatacre.
Commandant Olivier has accoplished
another step in his retreat from north
ern Cape Colony, evacuating Rockville,
and going towards Kroonstadt, where
President Steyn is.
Cape Town, March 19.-Owing to the
quarrelsOmeneSS of Colonel Schiel. the
German officer in charge of the Boer
artillery who was wounded and taken
prisoner at the battle of EIandslaagte
he has been emOve from the prison
ers' camp to a transport.
Caravan, Cape Colony, March 49,
The Canadian mounted rifles and the
Canadian artillery, have arrived here
with a contingent Of yeomanry. Their
presence has had an excellent effect in
h district. 1t is reported that a large
force of insurgents is in the vicinity of
Van Wycks Vlei.
London, March ia dispatch to The
Telegraph from Bloemfontein says: In
a speech which he made here a few
days before the British entered the
town, President Kruger admitted that
his men would be enabled to keep in
the field for another month.
The L~ourenZo Marques correspond
ent of The Times telegraphs March
18th: Last night the Portuguese au-
thorities hurriedly dispatched by spe-
cial trains a force of infantry to rein
force the garrison on the Transvaal
border.
London, March pa dispatch from
Cape Town dated Monday, March 18th.
says that Alfred Miner and his private
secretary left Cape Town that evening
by a special train. The dispatch does
not seem to indicate his destination,
and there is a possibility that he is
going north on a peace mission.