The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-05-17
Another Rumor Says There Has Been
Battle mt Mafeking and the
beers Lost Heavily.
GREAT ACTIVITY AT PRETORIA
BUTCHERS REPORTED TO BE HOLD
ING BACK IMPORTANT NEWS.
Roberts still Resting at Kroonstad,
but Butler Advancing in Ma
tal-GlencOe Occupied.

LONDON. May II. $3.50 a. m.-The British
relief column fought the Beers at Kraai
Pan. thirty-two miles south of Mafeking.
on Tuesday. according to telegram re-
ceived Wednesday night at Lourenzo Mar
ques from Molopo, 100 miles north of
Mafeking. This intelligence is accepted
here with some reserve because II Is diff
ficult TO understand how the news could
have been so quickly put on the wire from
a place 1872 miles from the scene of the en-
gagement.
A Portuguese official dispatch says an
encounter has occurred at Mafelxing, and
that the Beers have been repused with
heavy loss
A correspondent of the Morning Post,
presumably John Stuart, is reported cap
tured by the Beers at Kraai Pan.
The British public is keenly expectant of
the announcement that Mafeking has been
relieved. In army circles the opinion seems
to prevail that this has already been ac-
complished, although two hours after mid
night the War Office asserted that news of
the relief had not been received The stead
fast courage of the hunger-bitten garrison
has produced deep impression, and the
ETY. than has been felt regarding any other
event of the war.
Douglas Story. the Daily Nails CORE
spondent at Pretoria. wires: 1.-The Boer
government is holding back some big news.
Feverish activity prevails here President
kruger is working day and night. The
latest Boer official bulletin is that the re-
lief column has been defeated with great
loss"
Lord Roberts continues passive at Kroon-
stad. His cavalry is stretching like n
semi-circular screen many miles in length.
without tapping TANKS. The railway will
probably be completed to-day. The Kroon-
stad censor permits the passage of long
dispatches dealing with incidents prior TO
the occupation
1t seems that General French's cavalry
mad one lively fight after crossing the Zand
river A mixed squadron. composed of the
Scots Grays, the Inniskillings Carbineers
and Australian Horse, took a kopje and
dismounted- The Beers suddenly fired from
concealed position. killing many horses
and stampeding the rest. The Beers then
advanced in overwhelming numbers and
drove the squadron, capturing some. The
Beers robbed the dead and looted the sad
dies. A small brigade of cavalry drove
them on. Further north the Hussars
charged the Beers, killing and wounding
many stragglers with sabres and pistols.
Lord Roberts's infantry marched 100 miles
in seven days. General French marched
thirty miles in day.
The Beers when retiring dragged thirty
two guns through Kroonstad.
General Butler is moving toward New
castle. He appears to be using e, 900 men
against 5000 or 5000. His operations will
almost certainly result in his forcing his
w INT n fhp fNrny aa1
TO cooperate with Lord Roberts's advance,
although General Butler is now 252 miles
from Johannesburg, or twenty-five days
march.
African Horse says that there 500
Frenchmen with the Beers who are oppos-
Ing General Butler. together with many
Germans and other foreigners.
The Ladysmith correspondent of the
Daily Telegraph says that only Boer
was shot in the movement which resulted
in the taking of Helpmakaar
General Rumble is sweeping through the
northeast of the Free State. The Beers
are dissolving before him, and some are
surrendering. Their main force is assembled
between Ffcksburg and Winburg, but ii is
without close organization.
To-day's installment of the war story
from every part of the field is therefore
seemingly a narrative of British successes;
but, with the Beers preparing for a last
desperate stand and with Boer guerilla
parties footing houses and stores in the
northwest section or cape Colony, II Is not
all roses for the British. The Upington
district is the locality where the guerrilla
tactics of the Beers are just now most in
evidence
The postponed congress of the Afrikand-
er Bund has been called to meet at Paarle
June 15
A Canadian battery of fifteen-pounders
arrived at 3eira, Portuguese East Africa,
May 10.
The Lourenzo Marques correspondent of
the Times, under Tuesdays date, says:
There has been a heated discussion in
the Rad, in secret session. respecting the
expediency of destroying the mines. The
result is not publicly known. The foreign
mining representatives are greatly alarmed
and have addressed strong representations
to their consuls. Persons acquainted with
Col. Baden-P owells scheme of defense at
Mafeking assert that the occupation of the
Kaffir location by the Beers would not en-
danger the garrison provided relief came
quickly.
A telegram from Cape Town says that
Cecil Rhodes has decided to retire alto
gether from Cape Colony politics.
The War Office has asked the National
Rifle Association to draft a plan for ma
tional rifle clubs, as advanced by Lord
Salisbury in his recent speech.