Colonel Monro's column, after covering the construction of a line of blockhouses from Stormberg to Queenstown, commenced, in conjunction with a force under Colonel Scobell, to hunt the enemy north of Dordrecht. Meanwhile another line of blockhouses from De Aar to Beaufort West was concluded, thus adding materially to the security of the main line. The Proclamation of Martial Law at Cape ports was now deemed necessary, and regulations were made by the Colonial Government and the Commander-in-Chief with a view to minimising interference with legitimate trade, preventing inconvenience to law-abiding persons; adequate powers were secured for the military authorities to enable them to deal with the plots and intrigues of Boer spies, sympathisers at seaport towns, and to close to them this source of supply of munitions of war. The previous non-existence of Martial Law had enabled the enemy and his agents to carry on in security the introduction of foreign recruits and communications with Europe. [Illustration: GENERAL SIR BINDON BLOOD. Photo Elliott & Fry, London.] FOOTNOTES: [8] Colonel Benson, who has died of the wounds received in the attack, had played an active part in the present campaign, and had accomplished much good work. He belonged to the Royal Artillery, served in the Soudan, and was present in the engagement of Hasheen, where he was slightly wounded, and at the destruction of Tamai. He also took part in the expedition to Ashanti under Sir Francis Scott in 1895, and went with the Dongola Expedition under Lord Kitchener in 1896 as brigade-major of the mounted corps. He was twice mentioned in despatches, and was granted several decorations. [9] Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Davis Guinness, R.A., was the eldest son of the late Mr. Thomas Hosea Guinness, who married Mary, heiress of Mr. Charles Davis, of Coolmanna, county Carlow. He was educated at Eton, became lieutenant in the Royal Artillery February 18, 1880; captain on January 19, 1888; and major on September 23, 1897. He married in 1889 the Hon. Lucy Matilda, eldest daughter of the sixth Lord Massy, and leaves a son, Hugh Spencer, who was born in 1890. CHAPTER XV THE CLOSE OF 1901--PROGRESS IN NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER The establishment of constabulary posts from the Valley of the Modder towards Bultfontein and Boshof was being carried out simultaneously with the completion of a blockhouse line from Kroonstad to Coal Mine Drift on the Vaal. A blockhouse line from Kroonstad by Lindley, Bethlehem to Harrismith, and another by Heilbron and Frankfort towards Tafel Kop (a favourite Boer haunt and signalling station) and beyond it by Botha's Pass, promised to curtail the enemy's scheme of operations and push him into remote corners whence he would be unable to interfere either with the proposed extension of the rail from Harrismith to Bethlehem, or with another line working from Bloemfontein to the Waterworks and thence to Ladybrand. TRANSVAAL (EAST)