Evening star., 1901-04-17
MlLNER GOING TO ENGLAND
LEAVES SOUTH AFRICA oy AC-
COUNT OF HEALTH.
His Absence May Facilitate Peace Ne,
Lord Roberts Dispatches.

LONDON, April 17.-Sir Alfred Miner.
according TO the Daily Chronicle. IS COM
ing to England early next month. and viii
remain two months to recruit his health.
which has been severely tried by his ar
duous labors in South Africa as high COM
missioner of the Transvaal and Orange
River colonies.
Most Of the morning papers comment
upon the effect which his absence at "A
critical moment is likely to have upon the
campaign. recalling the TACT that Gen.
Botha made the objections to Sir Alfred
Miner one of the chief reasons for reject
ing the peace terms. II IS expected that
the Beers will impute Sir Alfred Miners
absence to political motives
dispatch to the Times from Middelburg,
Transvaal, says:
Operations in the eastern TransvaaI
have been begun. There Is no doubt that
Acting President Schalk- Berger. Gen. Rc-
tha, Mr.. Steyn and Gen. De Wet had n
meeting at Ermelo, but their subsequenr
movements are obscure. Raids on the rail-
way have become less frequent"
Another dispatch from Lord Roberts on
the subject of the South African cam
paign, dated April =, 1900 has been pub
lished in the Gazette. il largely concerns
the transport service and says the mule
transport consisted uf what are called i'm
South Africa buck wagons. carrying a load
OF 1000 pounds. drawn by ten mules each,
with two native drivers. After mentlon-
ing the serviceable wagons made in Cape
Colony and the frequent retiring and other
repairs which the English-made wagons re-
qured, Lord Roberts said:
Six brick wagons We're imDorted for trial
from the United States. These proved TO
be superior to any other pattern OF either
Cape or English manufacture. The wheels
were of hickory, the bodies OF black wal
nut and the metal work ~ steel The SUI
periority of these vehicles was doubtless
due to the fact that mule wagons are large
ly used in America for the carriage OF
goods as well as for military transport. The
manufacturers have therefore learned by
practical experience what is the best type
of wagon and what are the most suitable
materials in building them. 1t may be
added that the wagons in question cost
considerably less than the Bristol pattern
wagons"
The best mules. Lord Roberts thinks. are
the Cape mules. and the next best the In
dian mules. The mortality among the oxen
was greater than among The mules.
Lord Roberts. in his dispatch, goes over
all branches of the service. and in review
ing the hospital department mentions the
American hospital ship Maine, fitted and
maintained by the splendid generosity of
private individuals and The committee OF
American ladies'.
Lord Roberts heads eleven pages Of spe-
cial mentions by cordial acknowledgements
Of the services OF Sir Alfred Miner aud
Gen Kitchener. Para graphs compliment
ing almost all the division and brigade conf
manders follow, including Gems. White, Me-
thuen. Baden-Powell, Eelly-kenny, French,
Arthur Paget and Pole-Carew. Gen. Bul-
Ter is mentioned first after the stan OFF,
GERS, but in merely formal terms, without
commendation.
Detailing the stores handled he says
there were 1;e3l 600 rounds OF artillery am am
munition. 12200o,o0 rounds of ammunition
for rifles and machine guns and. 2,opo,tw
pairs of horSeshoes.
v-hn Ma
eral for the Transyaal in London, is in
New York. When interviewed Mr.. White
was non-commital regarding his object in
ooming to this country. He said he IN
tended visiting the leading cities here and
obtaining the views of prominent Boer
sympathizers regarding the present situa-
tion, but he denied that his visit was for
the purpose Of consulting Secretary Hay
in the matter of the proposed visit Of
President Kruger to tlIis country.
lis it true" he was asked. that an ad-
dress to the American people was outlined
by you-an address which Mr.. Kruger was
expected to approve and sign?'
1T is not" he replied. During a short
conversation with a friend of mine at
Paris recently was asked my opinion in the
matter of drawing up some such address,
but it was not actually done. 1 was sum
moned to Holland and Brussels TO attend
a sort Of conference-if 1 can dignity the
informal meeting OF four or five men by
that name-but the discussion there was
merely of a general nature-a sort of con-
sidering of the situation"
do you think President Kruger will
visit American" was asked.
Il think he is too feeble to attempt any
such thing"
DO the Beers ask for absolute liberty
as a stipulation for peaceg'
THAT is too strong u phrase" Mr.. White
answered. I'VE heard some time ago that
Gen. Kitchener demanded unconditional
surrender and Botha demanded absolute
liberty, but those terms are too extreme
i can c0'y say that the Beers would rather
die lighting than give unconditional sur
render. 1 am quite unable to say what the
terms should be. That must be and can
only be settled between Gen. Kitchener
on the one hand and on the other by Pres