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

LONDON. March PA despatch from
Rome Of even date says: The Foreign
ONCE today cabled the Italian Consul at
Pretoria that Italy would consent 10 medi-
ate for peace il Presidents Kruger and
Steyn would modify their demands.
This message was sent after a number
Of long consultations with Lord Currie.
the British Ambassador 20 italy. The For
eigu Office declined to explain what modi-
fcations had been suggested 90 the Boer
Presidents"
A despatch from Mafeidng. dated March
IS, via Buluwayo, March 20. says:
"All weI. Our patrols are active. We
have rushed one OF the Boer entertainments
and effectively fusilladed another. We cap
tured twenty-six head Of cattle and killed
twelve Beers. Our loss was Two killed and
three wounded
No reliable news is arriving from South
Africa where the rainy season is cOmmenC-
:1g with exceptionally heavy storms, thus
converting the camps into sw@mps. I've
transports at Durham are being converted
into hospital ships, owing 10 the increase
in the number Of sick and wounded and
with a view to clearing the field hospitals,
preparatory to the next operations by the
English troops.
a despatch from Maseru. Basutoland,
dated yesterday. says.
1t is stated that Commaudant Olivier's
commando. which is trekking toward
KrOonstad. reached Clocolan some thirty
miles north OF here. where il laid up for
forty-eight hours iu order TO give the men
d chance to recover from their fatigue and
to rest the horses and oxen"
\ later despatch from BloemfOntein says
that the 1000 Beers with sixteen guns un-
der Commandant Olivier. who were Slip
ping along the Basutoland frontier. have
succeeded in eluding General French. It Is
intimated that the Beers have joined the
Transvaal forces az Krooustad. II they
have done this the burgher army at that
place has been materially strengthened
The difficulties that General Roberts
must overcome before reaching the Trans
wal frontier have been greatly increased.
too. Olivier's force was made up Of Beers
who came from COlesberg NorvaIs P0nt.
and points in Northern Cape Colony, and
has been reported az various points along
the BasutCland border, where it was ap-
parently trebking nOrtheastwaTd in the
hope Of slipping around Roberts army.
French was sent eastward from Bloem-
fOntein TO intercept them. and il was re-
ported that ne had done so. near Thaban-
chu, and that q force, sent southeast by
Roberts was harassing the fleeing Beers
IL the rear. IL was hoped that they would
be surrounded and captured as Cronje was.
General French is now announced to be
returning 10 BloemfOntCin without having
met any Beers. He reports that many
burghers have surrendered TO him at Tha-
banchu.
despatch from correspondent with
General Roberts army. dated at Bloem-
fontein. March &c, 12-10 p m. says:
General PrinsloO, who was at one time
the Commaudant Gene.ul Of the Orange
Free State forces. but. according 20 various
reports, resigned his command some
months ago. went to live on his farm with
the full permission Of President Kruger.
1t is now stated that the johannesburg
police. under President Kruger's orders.
have deported him TO Pretoria. Two other
Free State farmers who also possessed
passes or permits have been arrested and
sent to Pretoria.
"A guard Of the Lancars brought IN three
Beers named PrCtorius yesterday. They
lived on farm near the place where Lieu
tenant Lyon. OF the Guards. was killed
and Lieutenant Colonel Codrington. Lieu
tenant Colonel Crabbe, and Captain Trotter
and guide were wounded on March %.
Lord Roberts received General fuckers
Seventh Division this morning.
The Boer commandos are assembling in
great force at KToonstad where il is said
a BOer council of war is now being held"