OCR Text |
Show CECIL RHODES "WORTH 810,000,000 TO BOERS London. Feb. 13. Interest centers almost al-most wholly upon Field Marshal Roberts, Rob-erts, especially since General Buller's report of his withdrawal from Vaal Krantz came for the first time through Lord Roberts, Showing that all the different dif-ferent operations over the wide field will herafter be-more completely coordinated. co-ordinated. It is now known that the military attaches at-taches have gone to join Lord Roberts at the Modder river, another move preluding pre-luding an advance. A dispatch from the Modder river announces the arrival there of 1,400 refugees from the Bark-ley Bark-ley West district. They had been ordered or-dered away by the Boers because they refused to join the republicans. The refugees reached the Modder river via Koodoosberg. It is learned that 200 Boers were killed or wounded during General MacDonald's reconnaissance. There is no confirmation of the reported sortie of British troops from Ladysmith nor of the Boer outflanking movement. A. report comes from Durban that the British artillery forced the Boers to evacuate their camp on Hlankwana hill, sxuth of Colenso. It would be an important advantage if the British were able to occupy the position. The absence of General French from the Rensberg district appears to have given the Boers an opportunity for renewed re-newed activity. They have apparently extended attack on British lines and are meeting with minor success, having considerable moral effect on the border colonists.. The Boer,' invasion of Zululand is causing keen' ankiety. Apart from the fact'that'it' threatens General Buller's supplies, it Is difficult to believe that the Zulus can long be kept quiescent while their cattle are commandeered and the country overrun by their hereditary he-reditary foes. The friends of Cecil Rhodes are becoming be-coming alarmed at his possible fate, and have sent an emissary to see Dr. LeJ'ds, the diplomatic agent of the Boers in i I Europe, in regard to the probable 1 ( course the Boers would pursue in the j j event of his capture. j Dr. Leyds assured the intermediaries , ! that the Boers did not intend to kill Mr. ' Lhocles. but he added they would cer- tamly hold him as a hostage until the j indemnity for the Jameson raid was I paid. In view of the developments since the raid the Boers have also decided to double the amount of the indemnity de-: de-: manded. so Mr. Rhodes' friends will .have to hand over 2.000,000 ($10,000,000) before he is ro! eased. It in also learned definitely that Dr. Jameson is stiil at Ladysmith. in spite . of all conflicting reports. A semi-official paragraph is. published in the Globe this afternoon saying Germany does : not contemplate intervention. The Ger- i i man government, it hi added, does not I ! consider itself concerned in the future j status or in the existence of the Boer i republics. i |