The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-05-16
MAFEKING'S FATE
Beers Report That 1t Has
| Fallen.
English Do Not Credit
The Story.
Reli,f Column Was Due There
Yesterday.
Food Enough to Last
Until June 10.
Portuguese Consul Ordered to
Leave Pretoria.
Portuguese Consul Ordered to
Leave Pretoria.

London, May l6. 4.s0 q. a.m.-"good will
last until about June TO-" Is ths latest
Official word from Coi. Baden Powell. the
British commander ct Mafsking, sent 70
Lord Roberts, under date Of May Z. Five
days later the Bees attempted to Issorn
the town and 1t IL possible that they sue
cssded. although nothing is known OF
the attack or OF its results except through
Pretoria sources whion have no counte-
nance here.
The British relief column Is due there
now. len days ago Gsneral Snyman was
having diff ,ulty In keeping the burghers
together, owias to the approach Of tbs
British; and when the last Assooiatse
Press despatch isfs Mafsking on May q,
the Beers had killed on the previous day
,ne OF the horse guards and had captured
several Of Col. Baden-P Powsll's few re-
mnining horses.
Mrjo y. B. Baillis has sent to tht
Morning Post from, Mafeking. under date
Of May z, this message:
"This morning, the Beers attacked rs
Result as usual There Is an aohine
void here. PaSs the Loaf"
Ths Transvaal army has tAksn n pssi-
ion at Blaauwbaschdoort Pass rear He'll
Iron read station, fifty miles north CT
Kroonstad. It's rear guard ID still hold
ng the hills north Of the Valaoh river.
while the Boer scouts are In touch with
British accommodating parties twenty
miles north Of Kroonstad.
The Beers have held o council OF war
at Lindisy, ard the British spies havs
learned that the Boers decided TO hold
Harrismith as long ~ possible. Loro
Roberts infantry are stili at kroonstad
The railway lAborers are hard at work,
and the engineers hope to have the lire
repaired within three days r.
The prairie has put on russet Winter
coAt The nights are. bitterly oold; bui
the days are hot.
The Free Staters are surrendsring ir
'arger numbsrs than after the occupation
Of Bloen fontsin. One officer Of the
TransvaAi artillery says:
"There viii be no serious fighting this
side OF Pretoria as Bereeniging, on the
vaal, is indefensible. Heavy guns are
being mounted at Pretoris. but Generals
Boths and Limmsr are agreed that ulti.
mate successes is impossibls. President
Kruger ia obstinate and q me jority Of the
Transvaalers hold firmly with him.
1t is estimated that the Transvaalers
can still muster thirty thousand men on
the fighting line.
General Buffers advance, a. his tell .
grams indicate, was by the instructions
of Lord Roberts; and 1t will cease or 90
forward a. Lord Roberts may direct.
Csrtain commentators affiliated to the
war offioe, say that General Butler
orders TO keep the Beers employed have
been supplemented by an order to drive
them completely out Of Natal and then
to move to Harrismith.
General Rumble and General BIZ abant
are taking possession Of tho wide regions
around Lady brand almost without oppo-
sltion. They lind the country plentifully
supplied with cattle. horse feed and flour.
General Rnndls is reducing his transport
and feeding mis- m N and animals largely
s9ff the country.
The Beers in that quarter surrender
uoiAy auu ~ N tnU eAHcctntloh ol buc
correspondents on the spot that the
saitsrn section Of the Free State will soon
be as tranquil as the western.
General Rundls's front Ia thirty miles
long but his forces are disposed so that
II any point sho lid be attacked, the troops
there could be quickly reinforced.
Lord Roberts contributes line to the
discussion going on in the press as to
when the war will end. BY the following
telegram. dated Monday, and sent
through a correspondent who had made
the direct inquiry:
~ regret that 1 cannot give any reply
to your question, as 1t is Impossible ut
pTssent TO predict when the campaign
may md"
The view OF the other side is reported
By correspondent to whom President
Stsyn said:
"Soonsr than leave this country to fall
into the hands Of the British. / won Id
destroy all our houses and leave ID .
desert"
The relations between the Trausvaal
and the Portuguese appear 20 bs strained.