The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-05-25
He is on Left of a Crescent and
Within % Miles of VaaI.
VALUABLE BRIDGES DESTROYED
Free statcrs Arc, Offended at the De-
struct on of Thcis Property by
Transyaalcrs-Thcrc Isan EIn-
barso-on News from Pretoria
and No One Knows
What Going On

LONDON, May 25-3:SS a. M.-Lord
Roberts infantry advance s detained TO-
night at the Rhenoster River for day
or two by the depth of the stream, which
IS not fordable The banks, which are
precipitious, are forty feet. high pom
toon and temporary bridge construction
are under way.
The railway has not been damaged TO
any great extent between Rhenoster and
kronstadt The Transvaalers have OF
Tended the Free Staters by destroying
their splendid bridges, when retiring to
Kroonstadt They refra:ned from doing
this on the retreat to Rhenoster, but now
they are destroying the railway ana
bridges almost completely north of the
Rhenoster.
The British troops are in the form OF a
crescent, with horns thirty miles apart,
with General French's cavalry on the leit'
within ;wenty-three miles OF the Vaai'
and General Ian Hamilton's mounted tneil
on the right within thirty miles OF the
NaaI. The centre Of the crescent Is Hoout
forty miles from the Vaai.
Roer kilograms say that 5000 British,
with ten guns, are near Vredefort, Wh:ch
Is close to the Naal, and close TO Parys
One correspondent refers to the advance
as a ..promenade" Another describes 1t
as a "boer hunt"
The Roer rear-Suard consisted or Rus-
SLAMS. to whom was committed the task
OF destroying the bridges. What the
Beers are doing is an absolute mystery.
The embargo on news out of Pretoria for
the last twenty-four hours has been
complete.
The movement toward Lydenburg, how
ever, continues, and referandum on the
question of continuing the war is gong
on among the Boer fighting men.
Lord Dundonald's cavalry is at Firm
stones. near Ingoge; the infantry rests
at Schoonshoogte The names are all OF
fateful memory in the first Boer war.
The British face Lainss Mex, where the
Beers, through the range glasses of the
British, are occasionally visible.
Waschbank Bridge has been finished,
and trains now go to Dundee General
Butler said the best way to celebrate the
Queens birthday was to repair the rall-
way to Newcastle, and every man was
put to work.
Earl De La War;, who was supposed
to have been captured at the time OF the
disaster that befell the squadron of
Bethune's Horse, contrived TO escape
He lay all nlgnt with wounded leg oe-
SN>HAAF
next day.
AS the railway is now open north of
Mafeking an stoundanca Of provisions are
entering the town-plenty of flour and
meat ana a few luxuries.
South Africa has another infiction. An
extra issue of the Gazette at Durham an
nounces the death of an East Indian from
the bubonc plague. Fears are expressed
that the pestilence may get among the
troops.
The Transvaa: National Bank has sus-
pended gold payments, under authorize
ton from the government requiring the
acceptance of bank notes.
The Birmingham Argus, which keeps in
pretty close touch with the Colonial Office,
says:
I'VE understand that a general election
will be ordered as soon as Lord Roberts
obtains an additional success. The govern
ment will ask the country what it wishes
to do with the conquered republics