The Portland daily press., 1900-06-07
Beers at Newcastle a
Demoralized Rabble.
Their Surrender Said To BE
Only Question Of Time.

London, June z, $40 a. m.-Military
operations in South Africa are apparently
at standstill. For day or two the
tired troops of Lord Roberts are resting;
and he is filling the magazines at his
new base, Pretoria, preparatory to long
chase after the retiring Beers in the
direction of Iydenburg. His cavalry are
probably seeking to intercept Comman-
dant General Botha.
Some dispatches are to hand which left
Pretoria Monday while the fighting was
by way of Lourenzo Marques. One Of
them says:
Toward the end of the day when the
British naval guns were shelling the
southern forts a number Of projectiles
burst, damaging the suburbs. All day
armed burghers have been leaving Pre-
toria, going east. The greater part of the
railway rolling stock has been removed.
General Botha was fighting an essen
TALLY rear guard action, his object not
being to defend Pretoria, but to delay
Lord Roberts until the railway switch
had been cleared and the main part of the
Boer army had started to withdraw. The
British advance appears to have left open
to the Beers the best line of retreat along
the railway"
Possibly Lord Roberts may have been
able to cut the railway before full
retirement was effected.
That Pretoria would be defended was
apparently given out after the council OF
war, with view of misleading the
British. Lydenburg, the district into
which the provisions originally destined
for Pretoria have been diverted and
where q cartridge factory has been
erected and reserve supplies of all sorts
are stored, is a volcanic region of fertile
valleys, enclosed by great ramparts of
precipitous rock, penetrated by narrow
winding passes.
There are herds of cattle In the valleys,
and there is much native labor available
for fortifying.
The Beers used both heavy and light
artillery at Pretoria. What is supposed
to have been the last train out of Pretoria
evening. The passengers included
number of foreign volunteers who were
leaving the Beers, and also the wives and
children of Hollanders. They described
Pretoria as destitute of food and clothing.
Probably the most important Boer
army is at Laings Mex where both sides
ale passive. General Rumble and General
Brabant have withdrawn a little south
ward.
General Baden Powell has extended
martial law to the Marlco and North |
Lichtenberg departments. Shots were
exchanged between Boer and British |
patrols 1S miles east Of Mafeking ON May |
2S. Part of the forces lately at Pretoria |
are reported to have gone westward to
meet General Baden Powell and to make |
a show of holding the country through |
which he and General Hunter are NOV |
ing.
A despatch to the Daily Telegraph from
Newcastle, dated Tuesday, describes the |
Beers there as an unorganized rabble |
W ithout -four, meat or sugar. Their sur
render is only qlestion of time. Never
tn eless the correspondent AYERS they hold
strong positions with the prospect of
safe retreat toward Lydenburg
1t is understood at Newcastle that the
British government has approached the
Natal government with a proposition
that Natal should voluntarily renounce
local self-goyernment for time, In order
that a general system of crown govern
ment may be instituted for all South
Africa, leading in the course of time to
fed Grafton and the subsequent autonomy
of the various states simultaneously.
Lourenzo Marques correspondents attach
significance to the number Of British
in Delagoa Bay, suggesting
hat they are there possibly in anticipa-
ion Of aiding the Portuguese In the event
If disturbances on the Transvaal border.
There is strong feeling throughout
she country that striking honors should
be conferred Immediately upon Lord Rob-
,rts without waiting until hs rsturns to
Eng land.
SWORN TO FIGHT IT OUT.