The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-03-05

LONDON, March 5.-Her majesty has
abandoned her intended visit to the ItaI-
Ian Riviera, and has decided to remain at
home. Her decision to give up her Gus,
tomary spring holiday is accounted as
her proof of her deep interest in and
devotion to the welfare of her people.
On Thursday she will come to London
for a brief. visit, remaining until Satur-
day, and she will undoubtedly receive
splendid ovation. Her heartfelt, homely
dispatches to the generals in the field,
and her visit to Nettley hospital have
greatly endeared her to her people
Beyond the signs of a general retreat
of the Beers throughout Cape Colony
there is little news from the front. Lord
Roberts, in his dispatches to the war
Office thus far published, says little, but
he is undoubtedly active in some direc-
ton The Onsland, the organ of the
Afrikander Bund, says:
'The Beers will now confine themselves
to the defensive, abandoning an offensive
policy
BOERS' NEXT STAND.
Abraham's Kraal, as shown in the war
office maps, is group of three kopjes,
situated at the junction of Kraal spruit
with Modder river. 1t Is natural point
of concentration, which the Beers could
make exceedingly strong, but, after the
proofs of the mobility of the army OF
Lord Roberts, it may be doubted whether
they will make a really serious attempt
to bar his advance there.
A noticeable feature of all the recent
operations at the theater of war has been
the active employment of colonial forces,
which is in marked contrast with the
policy adopted at the. beginning of the
war. The Australian colonies have de-
cided to provide the $500 men Mr.. Cham
berlain recently asked for.
1t is now seen how near Ladysmith
was to starvation and the exhaustion of
ammunition. The town could hardly have
withstood another Boer assault or have
held out much longer. The Daily News
has a dispatch from Ladysmith which
says that the supplies on hand were only
enough to provide full ratons for four
days The town might have held out
another week, but scarcely beyond that.
BATTLE IS EXPECTED.
A dispatch to the Times from Osfon-
tein, dated March 2, dilates upon the
increasing difficulty of telegraphing as
the army advances through the enemy's
country" The correspondent says:
Forage for horses is almost unobtain-
able on the journey. The whereabouts OF
the enemy Is not exactly known, but the
mobile commanders are lowering around
our army. We anticipate opposition at
Abrahams Kraal, thirty miles east of
Paardeberg, where Gen. Jonbert is re-
ported collecting a force from the whole
of the Ladysmith forces, with the north
eastern Free Staters.
President Steyn arrived at the Boer
camp at Abraham's Kraal on the morn
ing of Feb. q, exhorting them to re-
member Majuba and to deliver Cronje."
ROBERTS REPORT.
The war office has received the follow
ing dispatch from Lord Roberts dated
Osfontein, Sunday, March 4:
Gen Cronje, on behalf of his party,
and Commandant Wolmarans on behalf
of 1900 other prisoners who have all left
Modder River asked the British officer
to thank me for the consideration and
kindness with which they have been
treated. -
/ "Gen. Clements reports his advanc-
ed troops hold Achtertange that railway
Communication would be opened to Jou>
bert Siding today. The enemy is report
ed in force at Norvalspont Bridge.
"Gen. Gatacre telegraphs that the num-