The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-05-25


are under way.
The railway has not been damaged to
any great extent between Hroonstad
and Rhenoster. The Transvaalers have
offended the Free staters by destroying
their splendid bridges when retiring to
Kroonstad. The refralned from doing
this on the retreat to Rhonoster, but
now they are destroying the railroad
and bridges almost completely north OF
the Rhenoster.
In Form of a Crescent.
The Bristlsh troops are in the form Of
a crescent, with horns thirty miles
apart with General Trenchs cavalry on
the left within twenty-three miles Of
the Vaal, and General Ian HamIltons
mounted men on the right within thirty
miles OF the Vaal The center of the
crescent is about forty miles from the
vaal.
Seventy or eighty miles to the left
Lord Methuen is advancing up the Vaal.
Boer kilograms say that 5000 British
with ten guns, are near vredefort,which
is close to the vaal and close to Parys.
One correspondent refers TO the advance
as a promenade" Another describes
1t us "Boer hunt" The Free Staters
are pictured as "boltng like hares" at
the first sight of the British. The lat
ter, according to one writer, do not even
find women and children. as the fleeing
farmers take their families with them,
In consequence of the reports current
among the Transvaalers that the Brit
ish kldnap all children over twelve
years of age
Russians Destroyed the Bridges.
The Boer rear Euard was composed of
Russians to whom was committed the
task of destroying the bridges They
also looted freely.
What the Beers are doing is an abso-
Lutte mystery. The embargo of news
out OF Pretoria for the last twcnty-four
hours has been complete. Such shreds
OF information as the correspondents at
Lorenzo Marques have picked up do
not illuminate the Boer designs and dis
positions further than that the move
ment toward Lydenburg continues and
that referendum of the question Of
continuing the war is going on among
the Boer fighting men. 1t may be u
fortnight before the results of this sin
gular vote are fully before tha Trans
vaai government. II the English view
of Boer encouragement is one-half
right, the Beers will vote to quit.
In Natal, General Dartnell's volun-
teers coupled Mount Prospect Monday.
Lord Dundonald's cavalry is at Firm
stones near Ingoge. His infantry rests
at schoenshoogte. The names are all
Of fateful memory in the first Boer war.
The British face Laings Mex, where the
Beers, through the range glasses OF the
British are occasionally visible.
Farms Found Vacant.
In the march across the Biggarsburg
all the farms except one were found va
cant. A temporary bridge has been fin
ighed at waschbank Trains now go to
Dundee. General Butler said the best
way to celebrate the queens birthday
was to repair the railway to Now Cas-
tie, and every man was put to work.
As the railway is now open north Of
Mafeklng, an abundance Of provisions
is entering the town, plenty of flour and
meat and a few luxuries. The tele-
graph messages will probably come
from MnfekIng direct over the northern
route in day or two
Celebrating victOria's Birthday.
LONDON, May "a. 1918 p. m.-Under
the stimulus Of the relief. OF Mnfeking
md Lord Roberts rapid and successful
progress. the queens birthday has been
celebrated throughout the empire with
unique and almost unprecedented re-
jolclngs. The two-fold nature OF the
celebrations gave the occasion unusual
brilIlancy. The recent demonstrations
only whcttud the public appetite for dis
plays OF patriotic feeling and conse-
ouent,y to-day was chosen FOR all kinds
OF functions In connection with the war
nnd Its funds. In London and In the
provincial towns there was tri-color
eruption. Every private house was dec
GRATED with miniature union Jacks and
a picturesque carnival procession mile
long, Of cars ombematic OF the war
pnradcd the northern suburbs Of Lon
don. TorchlIght processlons and re-
views in the garrison towns, etc, were
witnessed throughout the country The
school children had n holiday and at
most places there was partial suspen-
sion Of business,
The West End Of London Tonight Is
brilliantly Illuminated and thousands
aro crowdIng the streets wearing patri-
tolc ravors
In the house Of commons to-day the
government leader, a. j, Balfour, an-
uounced that Lord Salisbury would
consider n proposal to appoint nation
al Thanksgiving day with euItahlc
form Of prayer, in Acknowledgement OF
Gods vouchsaflng victory to The Brit
| ish arms.