The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-05-28

Butler Is causing numerous arrests OF
suspected rebels. Forty-two have been
sent to Pietermaritzburg. Mr.. Gawthorpe,
chemist. and his wife, have been arrest
ed on charge Of high treason.
With the exception OF a few shots ex-
changed with the retiring Beers at We
reeniging. the only lighting during the
last two days with all the great armies in
the field appears to have been two small
engagements in the eastern part OF the
Free state. At Ficksburg on Saturday
they attacked the British occupying the
town, but they were forced to retire to-
ward Slabbert's mex. A Maseru cotrespon-
dent confirms the fact, adding that moth
ing is known regarding casualties.
BPabants scouts Retire.
The same day Gen. Brabant's scouts To-
Gated 300 Beers entrenched near Caocolan.
The scouts advanced within 200 yards,
when the Beers fired heavily. The scouts
retired and four are missing.
Gen. Rumble is slowly sweeping the
eastern section OF the Free state. occa-
sionally his squadrons come across parties
of Beers, two or three in number and
usually on foot, who are YEARLY going TO
their farms. Some OF them carry saddles
on their backs. While some surrenders
are expected, thus far they have not oc-
CURED In that region. Small commands
are described by the correspondent as hur-
rying to and fro and finding every road
blocked
Cricket Match AT Mafeking.
The British troops at Mafeking have
been having some exciting cricket match
es. The relieving troops are resting, and
the defending troops are feeding up. The
Southern railway has been repaired to
point within forty-fve miles of Mafe-
king.
Some 500 or 800 Beers are operating east
of vryburg, rallying the disaffected and
watching an opening to cut the railway
and TO harass Gen. Hunters advancing
division.
American Engines and Cars.
Lord Roberts has wired the war office
that there Is urgent need OF more rolling
stock. and the Daily Express asserts that
contracts have been placed In the United
States for fifty locomotives and many
cars. the British manufacturers being I'M
able to I'LL the orders with requisite speed.
Several prominent Outlanders have
Joined Lord Roberts as guides and advis-
ers with reference to the country around
johannesburg
Cape Town correspondent says:
''U. 8. Consul General Stowe Is about to
visit Lord Roberts. though whether out
OF personal curiosity or with some official
pup'rc mas HDt Dttu Hldue KNOWN mere.
Proclamation by Kruger.
President Kruger, according to a special
dispatch from Newcastle. has issued a
proclamation asking the Transvaal burgh-
crs to notify him whether they desire to
continue the fight or to sue for peace.
Camped on North Bank.
The war office has received the follow
Ing from Lord Roberts:
"Vereeniging Sunday, May a. 1:15 D. m
I'VE crossed the Vaal this morning and
are now encamped on the north bank.
The advance troops. which crossed yes
terday. were only just in time to save the
coal mines on both this and the other side
or the river from being destroyed. Our
casualties were four.
Powell reports that the raiIwa,
between Mafeking and Buluwayo has been
restored, and that supplies are being
Drought into Mafeking. He says the Cam
adam artillery Joined Col. Plumer from
Beira with Incredible rapidity
Lieut., Webber was taken prisoner al
Hebron few days ago. He went there
on telegraph duty, II was not known
mat our troops had been temporarily
withdrawn"
The Standard has the following from
Vredefort dated Thursday. May "a:
Thirty thousand Beers are reported to
have passed through here Tuesday and to
have crossed the Vaal, but this number is
probably excessive"
Roberts Continues To Advance.
GkoOTVIEL. 0wenty-three miles south
q Nereeniging, Sunday, MAY 2T-I,ord
ROBERTS northern advance force steadily
Sontinues and today the Transvaai hills
were sighted. Gen. French has secured
nm excellent thanking position on the
n nbb1lsh West; There Is something irresist-
The troops have been splena,d,v han.
uieu, ana the Beers, completely outman-
.mvered, have been forced to abandon
their positions at the first appea rance az
the British thanking force, which has
made . determtnod resistance at the Vaai
, ,ra nnn ,r Many TIansvaal hurghers
safe 10 say that tho most irreconcHable
,.ransvaaler "a last recognizes the hope
farms In the northern mart OF the Free
state, where the ties OF blood with the
IrahsNaal are strongest, have been de-
serted. w
Tales of british Cruelty.
This section has been flooded with false
,aies or British cruelty, reports of the
burning OF farmhouses and the eviction
or women and children. in the hone of
inducing the burghers To remain al tho
COMMANDERS. but the evidence all POINTS
now nov, 20 me existence OF permanent feel
ing OF eumity between the Transvnaiers
and the Free Staters, each accusing the
other OF treachery and cowardce
TT rs regarded as unlikely that the
IihnsNaai government will go to f.yden-
burg. where food Ia scarce A body ~
ioerH' mostly ON foot, is trekklng hard
toward Nerecninging from the direction
OF Hoilbron
The condition OF the British troops con-
unues excellent although the cold nights
are very trying. They are able To march
three miles an hour.
Threaten To blow Up Mines.
The Boers have destroyed every bridge
and culNcrt They are said To- r.e1Td
Nup klVerberg. north Of the Vaal as A
position OF great strength and taik ~
making themselves impregnablN there
~ Is reported that the population OF
Johannesburg Is in a high state on ex
element The Boors who are passirg
through norihward, threaten 10 blow up
the mines and. In view ~ their wanton
destruction of everything else IL woVId
not 10 surprising II they carried out the
threat W. N"e
Tho British are more Interested how.
ever ~ sraHing and In the water supply
than IN the mines "FF'S
Beers Active Around Newcastle
NEWCASTLE. May sg-Ths Eocrs In
TINS part Of the theater Of war are very
RctiNc. having been reinforced from yari
h.t