The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-05-15
BOERS RETREATING

And Roberts Gaining Ground Rapid
ly-volksraad Want to Sue For
Peace-Proposed to Make steyn a
Prisoner.
LONDON, May Is. S:45 a. m.-General
Buffers turning of the BIggarsberg po-
sition was effected by bold move
ment. The Beers had evacuated Help
makaar, but were making a stand Mon
day evening at BleaSeplaagte, seven
miles from Dundee. The correspond
ents on the spot regarded this as a
rear guard action intended to cover the
retreat of the army.
At the same time. General Hlldyard
took indoba, and It Is reported that the
Beers withdrew In disorder.
Butler Expected to March On.
General Butler, who seems to be em-
ploying his full strength. is expected to
push on. His first marches were forty
1--WE miles In three days, He is thus
breaking into British territory which
had been administered for six months
by the Transvaalers as their part OF
the republic, they holding courts and
levying taxes. His success, therefore,
has political as well, as military conse-
quences.
While Lord Roberts infantry are
concentrating at Kroonstad. where they
will rest for n day or two. his horse
men have penetrated eighteen miles
northward. In the squadron which cut
the railway hfteen miles beyond
Kroonstad was the American scout,
Frederick Burnham. Two hundred
Beers who had hidden In the river jun
giles near Kronstad to escape service,
have surrendered to the British and
taken the oath of allegiance.
Want to Sue for Peace.
According to a dispatch from Ben
nett Burlelgh to the Daily Telegraph,
dated Thursday, May 10, Paul Rotha
and Mcdonald. members of the Free
state volksraad, demanded that the
chairman should cali meeting to sue
for peace, as further resistance was
suicidal, and proposed to make PresI-
dent Steyn a prisoner.
Nothing definite has been heard about
the expected relief OF Mafeklng. The
Cape Town correspondents continue to
wire that relief is imminent, fixing
Tuesday or Wednesday as probable
dates. Inquirers at the war office are
told that the news of the relief will be
made public Immediately upon Its re-
celpt. No word has come to hand at
midnight.
Hunter Marching Up the Vaal.
The latest supposltlon concerning
General Hunter is that possibly he is
marching up the north bank of the
Vaal with force sufficient, in cooper
alton with Lord Robfrts, to render Beer
defense of the vaal frontier imprncti-
cable.
East Of BloemfonteIn General Rundle
is advancing toward Ladybrand. HIS
troops and those OF General Brahant are
stretched distance OF thirty miles, The
Beers are described MS quite dlsorgan-
ICED. and as retreating northward.
President Steyn's lieutenants are try
ing to rally them.
The same stories OF dlsintegratiOn
come from nearly every point where the
English correspondents are. Mr.. Holla-
well, formerly correspondent at Mafe:
king. who was put over the TransVaal
border. telegraphlng from LourenEo
Marques Sunday, says:
End Of War in a Month or So.
Judging from talks I have had with
the Beers the end OF the war VIII come
in n month or six weeks, Mr., steyne-
Kamp, chairman of the second raad,
who Travelled with me, said that II the
burghcrs were pressed from Pretoria
they would retire to the district of the
Iydenberg mountains, which had al
ready been provisioned. He remarked
that he hoped the burghers would
stand firm, but he feared they were too
broken In spirits.
~ gathered from him that the whole
available force Of the TransvaRl was
now in the field, the final commander
ing having taken place last Thursday,
and that II is only the powerful mag
netism OF President Kruger that keeps
tho hurrharg f0Vniher -