The Bemidji pioneer., 1900-05-31

lH4a y
Beers to viItoen's Drift Beers.
Are Eyacaating Their Positions.
From Lord Roberts Will Froba-
bly, Ee Dated i'm Sight OF the
Transvaal Border--AIE News. Sup
pressed at Pretoria-Boers. sniA
to he Quarrelins Among Them
selves.
London, May 26.--The latest intelli-
gence from Lord Roberts headauar-.
tiers at Yredsfort Station, filed Thurs
day at $40 p. M, was that the Brit
ish were rapidly advancing. Gen.
Hamilton had effected junction with (,
Lord Roberts. The country in fronti
of them was clear OF Beers to VIII
joens drift The Beers were evacu-
ating all their positions south Of the
Vaal river and 5000 had already
crosfed to the north bank. Probably
Gen. French's, cavalry is already re-7
conroitering the fords of the Vaal.
War Office observers expect that the
next dispatch from the field marshaR
will be dated in sight OF the Trans
vaal frontier. Mr.. Bennett Burleigh,
wiring to the Daily Telegraph from
Vredsfort Thursday morning, said
Lord Roberts would doubtless
Cross the ynnl
river by Saturday or Sunday. The.
British outposts were then at Erste
Geluk, nine miles north Of Vfedsfort
and twenty-six miles south Of the
Vaal river The railway is much
damaged. While the British in over
Whelning force are thus rapidly ap-
preaching the Transvaal. the move
ments Of the, Boars are envcIoped in
mystery. The Inst Pretoria newspaper
to reach Lourenzo MARQUES wae a
week old. Every one seeking to crosse
the Portuguese border from the
Transvaal is searched for newspapers
and letters. Dispatches and mail let
tiers containing even harmless refer
ences to the war are suppressed; the
only news that has emerged from the
Transvaal during the last ten days
has come by word OF mouth. Accord
Ing to these oral reports yesterday the
Beers Were QuarrclinE
among themselves. Transvaal paper
money was circulating at 80 per cent
+ discount. Becket's firm was giving
pound in gold for five pounds in
paper Krouse and Klinke, the engf-
neers who opposed the blowing up of
/ the mines, have been dismissed Com
mandant Schultz had been appointed
to defend Johannesburg, and all the
British subjects had been turned out.
Baden Powell declines to act on the
suggestions of his friends that he
should return to England for rest.
He is determined to retain his active
command at the front. Adviees from
& sMafeking, dated May 20, say the
Boers are intrenching at P0lfontein,
seventeen miles east Of Mafeking. The
Northern railway is now repaired to
point within four miles Of the town.
Ample supplies OF food are coming in.
Col. Baden-P voluntarily gave up
ffty-three Beers and eleven wounded
to the Boer commandment, who thanked
him for his Kindness.
Attacked Rebel Natives.
The Baratoons, stimulated by the
British successes attacked the rebel
natives at Reitfontein May 10 and
took much loot They released SAM,
the old chief who had rendered good
service to the British in keeping Mafe-
4. ne hc
operations Two thousand Beers are
near Ficksbnrg, besides small rowing
parties that come into contact with
the British while reconnoitering.
President Steyn was with these Beers
last Monday, organizing and inspect
ing them and drafting recalcitrants
into this service. The British are
sweeping the country far and wide,
seizing horses, cattle and grain. Yes.
terday President Steyn was reported
| to be at Rethiehem with small field
force appealing to the Free Staters to-
| defend their freedom and 1ndepend-
ence. Apparently he and all the Free
staters he can assemble
! will Not Join
| the transvaalers, but will remain in
| the northwestern section Of the Free
| State On Tuesday there was heavy
canonadng al Merchanz, near Bethle-
| hem The firing began at dusk. Why
/ and with what result is not known ar
| Mazer, Basutol, and where the news
| arrived yesterday. Gen. Rundle's d.
| vision was still at Trommel Tuesday.
There was small Boer laager twelve
/ mics to the north of him, and beyond
| this there was a larger one. The cor.
/ respondent sending this news, which
was wired from Winburg yesterday,
| said that these Beers were under
stood to be ready to surrender, and
| that, in his opinion, the war in the
Free State was practically over. A
| dispatch to the Clocolan, dated May
25, says: The eighth division has in
front Of it commanders headed Off
i from the Transvaal. which, while not
willing to. surrender do not know
where to 60. Their Joint strength Is
estimated at from 1000 to 2,000 men.
! Beers Busy Fortifying.
The Times has the following from
Newcastle, dated May 24: 'srhe Beers
/ are fortify:ng a very large semi-circu-
| lar position extending from Majuba
l. l.