The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-05-29
ONE DAY FROM JOHANNESBURG
LORD ROBERTS HAS. ONLY EIGH-
TEEN MILES TO GO.

Rumored That the Advance Guard LIS
Already There-DemornIizati Is
Apparent in Preteria-smaII Pre-
parations Made for Pretoria's De-
fensc-krugcr Has IA Train Steam
ed Up Ready for F'Iight-Govern-
ment to Continue Agitation.
London, May 2s.-The war office, just
before midnight, published the following
dispatch from Lord Roberts:
Kip River, Transvaal, May %, 5:25 p.
m.-We marched twenty miles to-eay and
are now eighteen miles from Johannes
burg. The enemy had prepared several
p sitions where they intended to oppose
| us; but they abandoned one after the 9TH
er as we neared them.
1--WE pressed them so hard that they
had only just time to get their five guns
into train and to leave this, station as
some of the West Australian mounted in
fantry dashed into it.
"Frenchs and Ian Hamilton's forces are
aprarenily engag ged with the enemy about
ten miles to our left, as firing has been
heard since noon.
The farmers near our line of advance
are surrendering with their arms and
horses.
"Rundle occupied Senekal on May "a. No
| report of what took place has reached me
| yet"
III. ]. Whigham has just returned
to Lorenzo Marquee from Pretoria, where
he went disguised. He wires that Kruger
has all the arrangements made for flight,
| presumably to Holland. A special train
provsioned, is always ready with steam
up. The train waits some distance from
| Pretoria"
TransvaaI Is DemoraIfzed.
London, May 20, a. m.-Lord Roberts
is now within a days march of Johannes
burg, and Gen. French and Gen. Ian Ham
ilton fought the Beers from noon until
evening on Monday. with what result is
not known here.
H. ]. Whigham in dispatch to the
Daily Mail, dated May eS, says:
THE Generalization of the Transvaal
is remarkable. Panic and confusion pre-
vail everywhere. Everyone is weary of
the war and fun of fear as to the coming
of the British. Operations were being
carried on for encirclng Pretoria with
| telegraphic communications. Fourteen
points in the line of defenses were con-
nected with headquarters and with the
Stats artillery, but this apparently was
the only defensive measure adopted. '"bere
wee no other visible preparations.
mot 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 notes.
which will be worthless when Lord Rob-
erts arrives. The seat of government will
be removed to Waterfall Bouvan, a small
station on the Delagoa Bay Railway line,
and then, If necessary to Lydenburg.
steyn and Kruger Complain.
Both President steyn and President
Kruger complain bitterly of Lord Roberts
unfair tactics in refusing to meet the
Beers in positions chosen by them and in
eternaily turning them by flank move
ments.
Around johannesburg a few trenches
| have been dug, but no other steps have
been taken for defense. The railway line
southwest, who are packed like sardines
in trucks.
zone form of internal machine which
meets with much approval is to be laid
under the rails of various lines. A pressure
of some tons weight of the engine 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 neutralizing them
There has been a decided change in
public opinion which has become quite
English. All are sick of. warfare. The
party eager for surrender is now very in
nuental and includes the principal leaders
althe front.
THE government has arranged to con-
tinue the agitation against the British oc-
cupation of the two republics on the con-
tinent of Europe, in Great Britain and in
the United States. No expense will be
spared. 1 have excellent reasons for be-
lieving that the Bewaarplaatzen rights
have been sold TO a French syndicate
without the sanction of the Volksraad, in
order TO bring about French Intervention
for the protection of French rights in Wit
watersrand, and thus to cause England
grave difficulties"
Botha Anxious for Peace
Another dispatch from Lorenzo Mar
quez says:
Gen Louis Botha isl at Pretoria urg-
ing President Kruger to arrange peace
terms. President Steyn occupies the
house of the British resident at Pretor. a.
"Gen. Rundie was shelling the suburbs
of Senekal Saturday. In a slxirmish Mai.
Dalbiac and four men were killed and
Lieut. Kennard and thre troopers were
wounded. Several of the British were
captured. The Beers disappeared to the
northeast of Senekal and the Grenadiers
entered the town at dusk"
Three thousand Beers are reported 10
be at Jumming Kranz. One correspond
enc AYERS that British patrol, on en-
tering Senekal, was set upon by Beers
concealed in a house.
Gen. Rundle's prisoners tell the same
story All are tired Of war and desire
peace.
The morning papers generally regard
the Boer organized resistance as near an
ish flag will fly at johannesburg to-day
and at Pretoria Saturday.