Waterbury Democrat., 1901-03-15

Shutting Off Communication Be
 tween Natal and the Provinces.
 London. March 13.-A dispatch from Lord Kitchener issued this morning is so studiously silent upon the subject of the peace negotiations that it leads to the conclusion that nothing has yet been accomplished of a sufficiently def mite character to justify lending off cial support to the view that the war is over. Nor do General F'rench's movements indicate q cessation of hos tilities, although possibly, as no date is given, his captures were made pre- yious to the granting of the armistice.
 Lord kitchener's dispatch, which Is dated at Pretoria last evening, reads as follows:
 De Wet has reached Senekal on his northWard progress.
 French, in addition to his previous successes. reports forty-s1x Boers killed or wounded, 14G taken prisoners and surrendered. with 200 rifles. 3.1O0 rounds of ammunition. 2.40O horses. 2.500 cattle and 400 wagons and carts, besides mules and trek-oAen. ''Methuen has arrived at Warrenton from Klerksdorp. bringing in prisoners and cattle.
 'The weather is wet. delaying the movements of the columns
 Cape Town. March 15.-Owing to the increasing gravity of the outbreak of hnbonic plague in Cape Colony. the authorities here purpose confining the soldiers to camps and barracks.
 The number of European cases is i,,/ ci, l,.x ,l yesterday. In addition to these there were eight colored cases reported. Thus far there have been 37 deaths all told.
 Wholesale innoculation was begun in Cape Town to-day, and 2,OOO na- tiveS were treated.
 The plague has made it's appearance ill Malmesbury, Cape Colony.
 Perth. Western Australia. March 15. Two fresh cases of bubonic plague have developed here.
 Cape Town. March 1o.-The BOers having cut the wires, telegra phc com municat ation between the eastern pro- vinces and Natal is interrupted.
 London, March 15.-A dispatch from Pretoria. after noting General De Vets arrival at Senekal. Orange river; colony. says that though he has only a small following, De Wet is nearing q district where he is likely to re- ceive considerable endorsements and probably intends to pick up rowing bands of republicans who are ever present in the DOrnDerg and kOranna- berg districts.
 General French. the dispatch adds, had been detained by swollen drifts in the Pietretef district, but is now able to move again.
 A dispatch from Cape Town reports that Scheeper's and A[ilan's com mandoes have turned southwar1 and are now within forty miles Of Willow more and that the British are follow ing them.
 New York. March 15.-A dispatch to the Tribune from London says: Lord Wolseleys speech in the house of lords today will be his last word in the conduct of the South African war. since he will start next week on his mission as special ambassador to announce the death of Queen Victoria. When the Duke of Bedford was moved to make critical remarks on the mili- tary administration. Lord WOlseley took part in the debate with the air of candid friend who was forced to say something against his will. This debate exposed him to an unexpected attack from Lord Lansdowne. and he is now compelled in self-defense to reply to Lord Lansdowne's charges. He has been consulting with Lord Rosebery and other friends and may cause the government much annoy ance.
 At the outbreak of the war the in telligence department was held re- sponsible for miscalculations regarding the Boer resources. but the reports now in print prove that it was not at fault. Lords Wolseley and Lans- downe and Mir Chamberlain and the entire cabinet were caught in Boer ambuscade. and should be held joint ly responsible for lack of judgment in underestimating the magnitude of the military operations in South Africa. Neither Lord Wolselev nor Lord Lans- downe wishes to be the scapegoat.