Show PERTAINING TO THE TRANSVAAL Free Stiitcra south of Blocmfonloln are reported lo bo rnpldlj returning to their farms Gen Groobclaar Is attempting to escape I lo the north of Blocmlonctln Ho I hns a large lilieS command and a big convoy of sup I H I Is staled In Botliulle that President Ringer two days aso annexed tho Orange Or-ange Free State to tho South Atrlcan republic There was great rejoicing throughout t Cape Colony upon Iho I recolpl of the t news tht Bloemfonteln hud been occupied by time British It Is 1 olllclnlly announced that the Brit ish ci < ualllcs at Drelfonleln I ilnrch I 10th were sixtytwo men killed and 321 wounded wound-ed Including ono Canadian oundcd At Vanzyl the bridge over tile Orange river has been completed and thc t British forces have crossed Last night they were bivouacking on Free State soil Gen Roberts reports hat I ho found BCVOH British olllcers and fortytbreo men wounded bi Iho hospitals at Bloemfon teln and that they bad been well cared forWhen When the British forced a passage of the Orange river hO y surprised the Boor foiccs Tho troops occupied a position on the north side of the river with Htllo opposition Get Joubert was expected In Rloem fonlclr Tuesday morning but the blowing up of time line norttf of the town prevent ed his coming Ito remained at Brand fort with SCiiO Natulers The British are now encroached on the Free Stale side of thn Orange river with thu Boers holding1 un advantageous hill In front of thorn Gen Bnibrnnt Is greatly hampered owing to the lack of artillery having only two llftcenpound craThe The Stralhcona horse regiment and 100 recruits to llll vacancies In Iho First Canada contingent In South Africa em burked on the transport Monterey from Halifax yesterday The troops were given a grander sendoff than that extended to previous bodies There was much enthusiasm at Allwal North when GL n Brabranfs troops occupied oc-cupied that pluco Commandant Oliver the Boor commander apologized for the action of Iho I Boors during the last days of the occupation saying bo could not control his niun Cecil Rhodes says I fool strongly that wo cannot have peaco In South Africa BA long ilK wo havo In tho republics a I rallying ground for disloyalty and disaf fection To go m further 1 do not think wo can safely federate llll wo liiv hud sumo years of crown colony government Personally I have dono with tho Bund I |