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Show STATE NO LONGER "FREE" Orange River Colony Now Part of British. Empire. Eloomfontein, Monday, May 2S. Amid salutes and cheers and the singing sing-ing of "God Save the Queen," the military mil-itary governor. Major General George Prettyman, at noon formally proclaimed proclaim-ed the annexation of the Free State, under the designation of the Orange River Colony. An immense concourse had rrathered and the town was gay with bunting. Tha balconies and windows surrounding surround-ing the square were crowded with ladies, la-dies, among them Lady Roberts and the Misses Roberts, the Countess of Airlie and Lady Henry Bentick and Lady Set-trington. Set-trington. The troops were drawn up under command, of General Knox and entertained enter-tained the spectators. The governor accompanied by General Kelly-Kenny and their staffs, escorted by the Welsh yeomanry, was greeted with a gun salute sa-lute and, amid an impressive silence, and in a clear voice heard in every part of the square. General Prettyman read Lord Roberts' proclamation annexing the Orange Free States as conquered by her majesty's forces, to the queen's dominions, do-minions, and proclaiming that the state shall henceforth be known as the Orange Or-ange River Colony. Lusty cheers greeted the concluding words of the" proclamation and these were renewed with ever increasing volume vol-ume as Lord Acheson unfurled the royal roy-al standard aiid the bands struck up "God Save the Queen," all present joining join-ing in singing the national hvmn. The ceremony concluded with cheers for the queen. Lord Roberts and the army and a salute of twenty-one guns. |