The Bourbon news., 1900-05-29
CROSSED VAAL RIVER.
Roberts Army Encamped or the
North Bank of That Stream.
The Railway Between Mafe<lng
and BuIuwayO Has Been Re-
paired and Supplies Are Being
Brought Into Mafeking.

London, May 2s.-The war office has
received the following from Lord
Roberts:
''Vereeniging, Sunday, May p, lis
p. m.-We crossed the Vaal this morn
ing and are now encamped on the
north bank. The advance troops,
which crossed yesterday, were only
just in time TO save the coal mines on
both this and the other side of the
river from being destroyed. Our cas-
ualties were four.
'Baden-POwell reports that the
railway between Mafeking and Bulu-
wayo has been restored and that sup
plies are being brought into Mafe-
king. He says the Canadian artillery
joined Col. Plumer from Beira with
incredible rapidity.
Lieut.. Webber was taken prisoner
at Heilbron a few days ago. He went
there on telegraph duty. 1t was not
known that our troops had been tenn
pOrarily withdrawn"
London, May 2S.-The following
dispatch, dated at Grootviel, % miles
south of Vereeniging. Sunday, May
p, has been received:
Lord Roberts northern advance
force steadily continues, and to-day
the Transvaal hills were sighted. Gen.
French has secured an excellent
tianking position on the northwest.
There is something irresistible about
this advance. The troops have been
spIendidly handled. and the Beers,
completely Outmaneuvered, have been
forced to abandon their positions at
the first appearance of the British
thanking force, which has made a de-
termined resistance at the Vaal i'm
possible. Many Transvaal burghers
are now trekNing homeward, and it is
safe to say that the most irrecon-
cilabie Transvaaler at last recognizes
the hopelessness of the struggle.
Most of the farms IN the northern
part of the Free State, where the ties
of blood with the Transvaal are the
strongest, have been deserted. This
section has been flooded with false
tales of British cruelty, reports of the
burning of farm houses and the evic-
ton of women and children, in the
hope of inducing the burghers TO re-
main with the commanders, but the
evidence all points now tO the exist
ence of permanent feeling of enmity
between the Transvaalers and the
Free Staters, each accusing the other
of treachery and cOwardice.
1T is regarded as unlikely that the
Transvaal government will go to Ly-
denburg, where food is scarce. A body
Of Beers, mostly on foot, are treklxing
hard toward Vereeniging from the di-
rectiOn of Heilbron.
"The condition of the British troops
continues excellent, although the cold
nights are very trying. They are able
to march three miles an hour.
''The Beers have destroyed every
bridge and culvert. They are said to
regard Klipriverberg, north of the
Naal, as position of great strength,
and talk of making themselves i'm
pregnab.e there.
at is reported that the population
of Johannesburg is in a high state of
excitement. The Beers who are pass
ing through nOrthward threaten to
blow up the mines, and, in view of
their wantOn destruction of everv-
thing else, it would not be surprising
if they carried out the threat.
'The British are more interested,
however, in grazing and in the water
supply than in the mines"
Mafeking, May 2S.-The Beers who
were routed here rallied a few miles
east at Polfontein, we'll within the
British border. There is no sign of
the enemy to the north. Col. PIu-
mer's hnesmen have received wire
saying that a train will arrive to-
morrow. a system of daily runners
to the south has been organized.
Newcastle, May 26.-The Beers in
this part of the theater of war are
very active, having been reinforced
from various directions. Their front
now extends from Laing's Mex to New
Republic, where they are fortifying.
London, May 2S.-President Kruger,
according to n special dispatch from
Newcastle, has issued a proclamation
asking the Transvaal burghers to no.
tify him whether they desire to con-
tiuue the fight or to sue for peace.
Barkley West, May 26.-It is report
ed that the Beers have reoccupied
Kuruman and that large laagers are
located at Rietfontein and Daniels |
Kuil.