Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-05-29
cBy Telegraph to virginian-rllot.)


London, May 29.3 q. m.-Lord Roberts
Is now within a days march of Johannes
burg and General French and General
Ian Hamilton fought the Beers from noon
until evening on Monday, with what re-
suit is not known here.
II. IL. j. Whigham, in Il dispatch to
the Daily Mail, dated May %. says:
1.-The decentralization OF the Transvaal is
remarkable. Panic ana confusion prevails
everywhere. Every one Is weary of tho
war and full of fear as to tho coming of
the British. Operations We're being car
ried on for encirclng Pretoria with telc-
graphic communications. Four points in
the line of defenccs were. connected with
headquarters and with the Stats arti
1cry but this. apparently. was the only
defensive measure adopted. There were
no visible preparations.
Not much gold IS likely to be found
In the treasury. The salaries of the
officials and judges have not been paid.
or have been paid only in national bank
j notes, which Will he worthless when Lord
Roberts arrives. Tho scat of government
will be removed to Waterfall Bovan. a
small station on the Delagoa Bay rail-
way line, and then, if necessary, to Ly-
denburg.
I'tbu if9lifhA 'aNtN II anu lltSiCtul
Kruger complain bitterly OF Lord Roberts
unfair tactics ii, refusing to meet the
Beers in positions chosen by them and
III etcrnully turning them by flank move
mcnts.
"Around Johannesburg Il few trenches
have been dug, but no other steps have
been taken for defence. The railway line
Is blocked with refugees from the west
and southwest. who are packed like sar-
dimes In trucks.
zone form of infernal machine which
meets with much approval is to be laid
under the rails OF various lines. a pres
sure OF some tons weight of the en-
gine will cause this to explode with most
terrible effect Many OF these machines
are being made at the arsenal and great
caution will have to be employed in
neutral!zing them.
'Therc has been decided change in
public opinion. which has become quite
English An are sick Of warfare. The
party eager FOR surrender is now very in
fluential and Includes the principal lead
THE government has arranged to con-
tinue the agitation against The British
occupation OF the two republics on the
Continent of Europe. in Great Britain and
IN the United States. No expense viii be
spared. I have excellent reasons for he
have been sold &C. French syndicate.
without the sanction of the Nolksrand, in
order TO bring French Intervention FOR the
protection of French rights in The Wiwat-
tersrand and thus TO cause England grave
difficulties"
Another dispatch from Lorcnzu atf-rrry,!ry
General louis Botha Is at Pretoria.
urging President Kruger TO arrange peace
terms. President Stcyn occupies the
house of the British resident mt Pretoria
The morning papers generally regard
the l5ocr organized resistance as near an
end.
"Predictions are made that the British
ila% VIII rs nc JohanncsburS to-day ana
the Fcderals arc said to he preparing for
strong resistance at the kip river. those
who have most closely followed the pro-
Eress OF The war since the British and
Bocr armies came in touch ut Brandfort
are very .skeptieai as 10 the burghers
even there. If no stand IL made at the
Kip river the safcty OF the Boer guns al
1.aing's Mex will be seriously imDcriIed.
for there Will be nothing to prevent Lord
Roberts from Selling the .Iohanncshurr-
Iaing's Mex railroad. Indeed, ii is NJ
ready reported that the railroad has been
cut, and it is quite possible that the first
official news will record the occupation of
Heidelberg.
Lord Roberts may he forced to half ot
the Naal river to repair the bridge and
get his guns ana Transports bnt Tho
mounted men win not be delayed 1t is
SAID In nSn quarters tililt the speedy an
nouncemcnt Of the arrival OF the British
cavalry at johannesburg will not sur
prise the War Office.
y dispatch from Mafeing. dated Nav
o3 says the total casualties since tho
commencement of the siege We're 500 out
OF II officers 90 We're Killed. wounded or
missing. and 100 men out OF go white pri-
Yates were killed or wounded or missing
NEARING JOHANNESBURG.
london May .-Midnight-The War
Office. just before midnight. published the
following dispatch from Lord Roberts:
m.-We marched twenty miles to-day and
are now eighteen miles from Johannes-
burg. The enemy had prepared several
positions where they intended 10 oppose
us: but they we're abandoned ono after
the other as we nearcd them
I'VE pressed them so hard that they
had only just time TO get their five guns
into the train and leave this station as
some of the West Australian mounted In
fantry dashed into 1t.
"Cronchs ard Ian Hamilton's forces arc
apparently engaged with tile enemy about
ten miles TO our left, as firing has been
heard since noon.
n G. Nhigham has just returned to
Lorenzo Marques from Pretoria. where
he wont disguised. lie wires that Kruger
has all the ARRANGEMENTS made for flight
presumably to Holland 4 special train,
provieioncd, IS always ready with steam
up. The train waits some distance from
cape Town, May eS--It is rumored here
that General French has entered johann
nesbu-G.