The Thames Star. Resurrexi. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 18, 1900. CONFERENCE OF BOER COMMANDANTS.

Thames Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 9615, 18 April 1900, Page 2

The Thames Star. Resurrexi. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 18, 1900. CONFERENCE OF BOER COMMANDANTS.

The conference of Boer commandants, I which is to be held at Brandfort in the course of a few, days, will be at- | tended by President Krugeiv-who has'announced his intention of being present and of taking parti in. the deliberations. It is rather remark-' a,ble that Oom Paul should ha,ve decided to take a step involving considerable risk, for Lord Roberts' army must be close to Brandfortj and there will be a danger of the Boers laagered in the vicinity being surrounded by an overwhelming force. If it should happen that the President was present in Brandfort when the investment of the place occurred,, he might find it difficult to eieape. The step, j regarded from at Boer point of view, does not appear ai wise one and. to the ordinary mind it would appear that President Krugef would be acting mora wisely if he remained' at Pretoria, or a,t least north of the Vaal River. In event of his being(taken, prisoner by the British, the sanguinary struggle now proceeding in, South Africa! would be brought to> a, speedy termination. To capture the venerablo president would be a far greater feat than that of making Commandant Cronje a prisoner—but in case such a desirable captive was secured and he was transportedl to St. Helena, he would be able to keep his friend Cronje company in his enforced re-th-ement from active military service. '