BRITISH BLOEMFONTEIN.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 65, 17 March 1900, Page 5

BRITISH BLOEMFONTEIN.

GEN. PRETTYMAN GOVERNOR.

ENTHUSIASTIC RECEPTION OF THE ARMY.

Lord Roberts' Great Popularity,

Enemy Hold the Drakensberg Passes,

CORNERING THE BOERS NEAR ORANGE RIVER.

MAFEKING STILL SAFE.

f [N.Z. Press Association.—Copyright.]

LONDON, March 16.

Further particulars regarding Lord Koberts' advance to Bloemfontein show that on Monday the Guards marched •22 hours continuously! and then had two and a-half hours sleep.

■ Forty thousand men were moved and fed like, clockwork, also 18,000 horses attended to.

Colonel Weston, with 10 Engineers, traversed the Boer lines during the night previous to the occupation of the capital, cut the telegraph line, and exploded the railway north of Bloemfontein, thus frustrating the arrival of General J.oubert with 3000 reinforce-

ments.

Mr Patterson, the Sydney Morning Herald's war correspondent, was the first to enter Bloemfontein. He guided Mr Fraser to Lord Eoberts.

Lord Eoberts, heading a cavalcade a mile long, entered Bloemfontein in state, his staff and military attaches accompanying him. He ordered the Kaffirs to. rest ore the loot, thus heightening the enthusiasm, which was almost equal to that at Kimberley when relieved. The Union Jack is everywhere displayed in Bloemfontein.

President ; Steyn's brother entertained Lord Eoberts, nod described the fugitive President as a nonentity.

Many of the inhabitants declare that if President Steyn's intention to flee had. been k.nown beforehand, he would have been shot.

General Joubert is now at Brand--ford, 35 miles north of Bloemfontein.

The Transvaalers protested against the surrender of the city, and threatened to bombard it. .