In the _*rce State there are very extensive mea-ures of good lignite coal, par ticularly so in the Heilbrou and Kronstad , districts, which will be well worth the at tention of -apitalist. after the war, as the. demand for coal will be greatly increased. when business iR resumed under British i laws. There is no bituminous or anthracite ! coal in-either the Cape Colony or the Free State, but the Transvaal and Natal contain .vast coalfields of both, and Amatonga Land is one vast bed of tfie last named, the coal extending down to the edge of the water at St. Lucia' Lake and Kosie Bay. The movement of the Boers-to the north ward from L_dy_mith boa evidently com menced, and the movement of General Bul ler to his right flank, where he is threaten ing the/ en-ary's left, is a_ directly traceable to. the invasion of t„e Free -State by Lord Rcbsrts." We trust- that Buller will be con tent to allow Joubert to ret_ra without at tempting to stop liim, as tlie Beer army under Joubert ia in a far better poriulon to protect its line of retreat than B_JEsr_ army I is to capture it. We do not consider Bul kr'» force strong enough in mounted troops to enable him to seriously interfere with Jo__*ri*s retreat, and unless the attack can be carried out in considerable force the main ! body of the .enemy is too strong to be seriously Interfered with. The country north of L_dvßmith affords* too much cover for the enemy's ri_emr_ to allow of pursuit by any small fcrce. Were our cavalry in greater -treragfrh a rapid detonx on. the flank and an attrmpt to cut off Jenbert's rear guard «*ou!d prcbiblv be of great «dvant<_g<*, but the small cavalry force _vi*ilabla i» of" far too great a Value to allow' a- general to -risk its destruc tion. It wottkl be of immense value tb tlie British cause if aR of General Butter's mounted troops could join Lord Roberts in the Free _tate qmekiy, as it wouM give to ths invading column _ great deal of strength In that particular arm of the service that is of greatest value under existing conditions. 