The Portland daily press., 1900-06-15
Kruger Issuing Paper
Notes From Car.
Boer Govt's Gold Stock Is Be-
coming Low.


Commandant General Louis Botha
should have been able to stand for two
DAYS against Lord Roberts and then re
treat without losing any guns or having
any Of his men captured, is taken to
mean that he has force which the Brit
ish must still reckon as formidable when
acting defensively.
The modification of the whole Of the
Transvaal, especially the wide spaces far
from the railways, is looked upon as
business requiring months rather than
weeks.
Meanwhile everything goes well for the
British arms. A Boer bulletin issued
June 10 at Machadodorp said:
Both wings Of the federal forces
touched the advancing enemy at ! q. m,
yesterday east of Pretoria. Fighting
continued until dark. The enemy,
though in overwhelming numbers, were
checked along a line of 36 miles; and the
burghers succeeded in driving back their
right wing five miles. Two burghers
were killed and ten wounded"
Another Machadodorp announcement is
that the first regiment of Gen. Buffers
force to attack Almond Mex was AN
initiated" but as the British were in
overwhelming force, the burghers We're
compelled to abandon the Mex.
A despatch from Lorenzo Marquee dat
ed yesterday, says:
president Kruger is holding on to HIS
gold and issuing paper notes from a
press in his executive car. The Boer
governments coin stock is exhausted,
and the officials are now paying out
plain gold discs unstamped. Some who
have declined to accept notes have taken
their salaries In gold bars. The Boer
government is still paying out much
gold in that way. Two steamers ar
rived at Lorenzo Marques yesterday
bringing several thousand tons OF sup
plies consigned to Portuguese merchants,
but destined for the Beers. One hun
bred Americans, Frenchmen, Germans
and Hollanders have arrived there by
yarious steamers EN- route for the Trans
vaal.
has large stocks of clothing for the Brit
ish prisoners; but he will not forward
these until he gets assurances that the
Beers will not take them for their own
use. Gen. Butler will be unable to adj
vance further until he gets supplies. de
will probably wait until the tunnel
has been cleared. Nearly every farm
house his troops passed few white
flag. The British took nothing without
paying for it; and a brisk business was
done in milk, eggs, bread and chickens
by thrifty housewives, who We're pleased
to get so much English money. One
woman, whose husband and two sons
have been fighting, said;
"You British are unlike our people.
They took my horses in exchange Tor
sheep and mealies and made me make
butter, which they never paid for: l am
sending to have my men come home at
once"
Usually the first question Boer wom-
an puts is: "Will my husband be shot
II he is captured?' One young man was
pulled from under the bed and he went
on his knees begging the British patrol
not to shoot him.
Gen. Rumble had sharp skirmish at
Ficksburg ON June II. The Beers had
been aggressive along the whole Ftcks-
burg-Senekal line and menaced Ficks-
burg in force. The British outposts re-
tired to the village. Gen. Rumble held
the attention of the Beers in front with
two guns. while yeomanry were sent
round 10 their rear and drove them OF,
with loss to the British of three
wounded, Two patrols were also wound
ed. President Steyn is at Uitkop. His
presence there is supposed to account for
the Boer activity.
BUTLER HELPING ROBERTS.
London, June IA, 1).s5.-The war
Office issued the following report from
Lord Roberts under date of Pretoria June
10, afternoon:
"The enemy evacuated their strong
position during the night and have re-
tired to the eastward. Bull ler's force
and mine have afforded each other mu-
tual assistance. Our occupation OF
Pretoria caused numbers Of Beers to
withdraw from Laing's Mex and Bull
ler's advance to Volksrust made them
feel their rear would be shortly en-
dangered."
A TOWN GIVES IN.
London, June 14.--General Butler re-
ports to the War office as follows:
Headquarters at Laing's Mex, june
IA, Morning-General Lyttleton yesterday
received the formal submission of the
town and district of Wakkerstroom
which the enemy is believed TO have
completely evacu ated."