Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1900-05-29
CROSSED THE VAAL RIVER
Invasion Of Transvaal by Roberts
Officially Announced.
MORETROOPS ARE SENT
Mysterious Movements of the Beers
Rhodes Scheme to ConsoIi-
date South Africa.

London, May 26.-2:55 p. NIT is Off
cally announced that the British have
crossed the Vaal river.
Bennett Bureigh, wiring to the Tele
graph from Vredefort Thursday morning
said Lord Roberts would doubtless cross
the Vaal river en- Saturday or Sunday.
The British outposts were then at Erste
Geluck, nine miles north of Vredefort
and twenty-siX miles south Of the Naal
river. The railway is much damaged.
While the British in overwhelming
force are thus entering the Transvaal,
the movements of the Beers are envel-
oped in mystery. The last Pretoria news
paper to reach Lourenco Marques was q
week old. Everyone seeking to cross the
Portuguese border from the Transvaal is
searched for newspapers and letters. Dis
patches and mail letters containing even
harmless references to the war are sup
pressed: the only news that has emerged
from the Transvaal during the last ten
days has come by word of mouth.
Roberts Sends the News.
The war office has received the follow
ing dispatch from Lord Roberts, dated
Wovehoek (Orange Free State, May %:
IAN advanced portion of this force
crossed the Naal river on the Queen $
birthday, near Parys. Hamilton's col
umn is at Boschbank Our scouts are
now at Niljoen's DRIFT Ton the frontier
north of WolvehOek). The local mines
are uninjured and work IS going Oh as
usual. There is no enemy this side of
the river. Hunter reached Nryberg May
"a"
More Troops for Roberts.
The secretary Of state for war, the
Marquis of Lansdowne, discussing mill
tary matters in the House of Lords today
announced that 1000 additional troops
would be sent to South Africa next
month. He also said that the government
feared recruiting could not be kept up
now that the excitement of the present
campaign has worn off The government.
he said. was considering offering an in
crease Of pay for soldiers.
Beers Fortify Majuba.
The Times has the following from
Newcastle, dated Thursday: The Beers
are fortifyin2 very large semi-circular
position extending from Majuba to Pong
wanna
Gen. Butler has communicated to the
colonial government Col. Bethune's report
of the loss of the squadron of Bethune's
horse III the ambush at Nryheid. The re-
port says that this regrettable affair was
due to the impetuosity of Capt. Golf. who
was killed
Cecil Rhodes Working.
Cecil Rhodes is at Beir, Portuguese
East Africa. Mr.. Fuller, q member Of
the Cape Parliament, who is supposed
to be a confidant of Rhodes said in the
course of speech at Cape Town yester-
day when proposing the health of Mr.
Rhodes, that the latter was working to
consolidate South Africa from the Fam
best to Table Bay
Denounced az NOuseuSe
IN reply to Il request for statement in
reference to the allegations of the Daily
Express of this city, claiming to expose
the use made by DR.. Leyds, the diplo-
matte agent of the Transvaal, of the
Transvaal secret service fund. it being
asserted that numerous continental news
papers were bribed. it has just received
the following authorized statement signed
by the legation at Brussels:
Relative to the English reports, Dr.
Leyds does not consider it necessary to
say anything about such nonsense In
regard 10 the peace rumors and the posi-
bilities of prOlOnging the struggle, he
can't express his opinion"