-------------------------------------------------- VOL. IV. No. 1,027. -------------------------------------------------- Its sheet was of the size of two copies of the _Spectator_ laid side by side. Each of its four pages measured twenty inches long by fifteen wide. Far more striking than its title was this sentence, in blackest type: "If you once use Vereeniging coal you will never use any other." All the advertisements, except the very many scattered about for Barlow's stationery business, and for which I hope he was made to pay at the highest rates, were old notices carried on from the days of Boer rule. Upon the second page two advertisements were brand new. They were proclamations signed "By order, G. T. Pretyman, Major-General, Military Commandant, Bloemfontein." One was in the Taal language, the other was in English, and both announced that a market would be held daily, near the town, for the sale of such local produce as butter, eggs, milk, poultry, and vegetables. The prices to be charged were laid down by this sapient and enterprising general, who declared eggs to be worth two shillings a dozen, milk fivepence a bottle, turkeys five shillings and sixpence and higher, butter two shillings a pound, &c. The English proclamation was headed "Notice." The Dutch copy bore the title "Kennisgeving," and was signed, "Bij order, G. T. Pretyman, Majoor-Generaal, Krijgs-Kommandant van Bloemfontein." On the third, or editorial page, was another military notice entitled "Army Orders," which I reprint in full, as showing how almost instantly Lord Roberts established his own rule in the conquered capital. General Pretyman's market notice was dated the day we took the town, and we knew that on that day a local police force was established, headquarters and quarters for all the branches of the military rule were at once set up, and here on the 15th there had been found time to arrange and prepare for publication a directory of the new arrangements. * * * * * ARMY ORDERS--SOUTH AFRICA ARMY HEADQUARTERS, GOVERNMENT HOUSE, BLOEMFONTEIN, _March 15, 1900_. I. _Civil Population to be unmolested._ It being desirable and in the interest of both the British Government and the inhabitants of this country that all residents should be assured that so long as they remain peaceably disposed their civil rights and property will be respected, it is strictly forbidden that any private property should be compulsorily taken possession of by other than the authorised Supply Officers. All articles required by the troops must be obtained and paid for in the ordinary way, and no trespassing or interference with the inhabitants will be permitted. These instructions apply to detached bodies of troops as well as to the Force generally, and it is specially the duty of all officers to put a stop to all attempts to infringe them.