The Iola register., 1900-02-09
THE TRANSVAAL WAR.
A Daily Record of the Great Events That are Trans
piring in South Africa

out that mis- advance would necessa-
rily be slow. No authentic word is
at hand, save that the war Office re-
affirmed orally to newspaper inquir-
ers at late hour that if could not
confirm the reported advance. There
the Natal situation rests.
1t is from the western field that
more definite statements come.
Large operations are APPARENTLY about
to begin. Gen. French. who has now
returned to Rensherg from his con
ference with Lord Roberts. has sent
what is described as an overwhclm-
ing force of infantry to seize Nor
val's point. This is where the rail
way, before it was destroyed. crossed
the Orange river and connected with
the Free state trunk line to Blocin-
fontein. Norval's point is ~ miles
north of Colesberg and % miles from
Gen. French's headquarters at Rens-
berg.
The Beers at Colesberg have been
in danger of being surrounded by the
largely reinforced and extending lines
of the British. An occupation of Nor
val's point in force would presumably
render Colesberg untenable.
The Beers are showing great activ-
ity in the Nauwpoort and Colesberg
districts. Many of the guns hitherto
facing Lord Methuen are believed to
have gone to Norvars point. The
British, therefore, may find formid-
able bodies of Beers there.
The war Office announces that Is
transports will be dispatched between
to-day and Monday with $4,000 troops.
including the Fourth cavalry brigade.
militia battalions and 1900 yeomanry,
with 25S horses and six guns. These
due to be in South Africa on Febru-
airy 10. The Eighth division of 10,-
900 men is still available to send.
Sir Alfred Miner, in letter written
three weeks ago to former lord may
or of Belfast, said the war would last
three or four months longer.
Sir Alfred Miner has sent most
hopeful and encouraging reports to
the government regarding the pros
poets of the campaign and 1T is un-
derstood that his views are shared by
Lord Roberts.
The censorship seems to have com
pletely shut down the correspondence
at Spearman's camp. No dispatch
from that point appears in this morn
ing's papers and nothing has been
allowed to issue since Sunday even
ing.
The Tide Beginnlng TO Turn.
London, Feb. 6.-Spencer Wilkin-
son, in the Morning Post, says:
THE tide is beginning to turn. In
the western theater of the war it
| looks as though Gen. French had
been reinforced. perhaps by Gen.
Chermside's brigade. This would be
ton of the campaign. When Gen.
| French has disposed of the enemy
forming his present objective his
force will be available for other oper-
auons." Detailing possible opera
! tions of Gems. French Kelly-Kenny
and Gatacre, Mr.. Wilkinson says:
There is now a prospect that in two
or three weeks the British forces will
b' holding the passes of the Orange
river, repairing the bridges and col.
lecting all the requisites for the ad-
vance northward 10 begin as soon
rs Lord Roberts sees his way to order
the movement
Beers Protest Against Destroying Farma.
Cape Town, Feb. President
| Steyn and President Kruger have
communicated with Field Marshal
Lord Roberts, the British command
cr-in-chief, protesting against the de-
struction of farm houses and the de-
vastation of property. Lord Roberts,
ia replying, declared the charges
were not sustained, adding that wan
ton destruction of property was con
trary TO British practices.