Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1900-06-14
BRITISH RAPIDLY
REPAIRING RAILROAD.
Hunter Whips a Force Of Beers and
Butler Controls Laing's
Mex.
FATE OF mE1HuEN is UNKNOWN
Was Fighting North of vatchk or
on the 9TH, When Lact Heard
Fron---Bocr Version Of
Roodcvl flight.

| R0oucvl flight.
London, June 1.-two pieces of
news, encouraging to the British, in
the official dispatches, are that the
broken communications of Lord Rob
erts are in a fair way to be mended
by the forces moving northward and
southwark and driving off the raiding
commanders, and that Sir Redvers
Butler is at last master of Laings
mex.
Telegraphic communication with
Lord Roberts is expected to be re-
stored today, as a dispatch from
| Bloemfontcin, dated yesterday, says
that the railway is in British posses
sion again and that the work of re-
pairing the line is going on rapidly
with the abundant material ware
housed at Bloemfontein.
From the subjoihed telegram 1T
would appear that General Hunter Is
in command of troops referred to by
General Kelly-kenncy iii his dispatch
from Bloemfontein:
"Bloemfontein, June 12.-Gencral
Hunter is coming up rapidly from the
northwest, having severely defeated
a large commando of Beers who had
destroyed two miles of the railway
north of Kroonstad."
The Boer government is also issu
ing news cheering to it's sympathiz-
ers. The following bulletin, the I'oer
version of the disaster to the Derby
shires, was posted by President Krue
ger Monday at Machadorp:
ION June four divisions of burgh-
ers, commanded by Steenkamp,
Froneman, Duploy, Fourie and Mel,
attacked the British at Roodcval,
killed 200, took 700 prisoners and cap
tured immense stores of food and am
mnnition-a maxim gun and 1000 lyd-
lite shells. Some food was taken by
the Boer farmers and the rest was
burned. The English mail was taken.
The burghers attacked from the open
veldt, and gave evidence of unprece-
dented bravery"
General DeWet was also fighting on
June 2, whether at Roodeval or else
where is not clear, but the Boer war
office gives it out that he captured
5000 suits of clothing, blankets,
gloves, boots, etc. Being unable to
carry them with him in his rapid
sweep through the country, accord
ing to the Tlansvaal war Office, he
Wet has also reported that he put
1000 Britishers out of action and de-
stroyed property valued at 100000.
scribed as fighting on June Z, it is
possible that he was engaging General
DeWet.
According to dispatch to the Daily
Express from Machadorp, dated
June 10, via Lourehzo Marquee. those
around President Kruger say that
Louis Botha and Delarcy have been
offered indirectly $4,000 year to lay
down their arms, and President Krue-
ger expects the same offer to he mada
to himself, President Steyn and De-
Wet. President Kruger believes that
the British make these offers to close
the war, on the principle that would
cost less than to fight it out.
More Fighting in Free State.
London, June 14.-The war office
has received the following from Kelly
Kenny:
"Bloemfontein.- troops back
from the north at Honigspruit, south
of Observation-Disclosures the Beers cut the
British lines of communication-hav-
ing defeated the enemy. They will
be at America siding tomorrow. Cen
eral Knox moved out from Kroonstad
to intercept the enemy
The following dispatch has been re-
ceived at the war Office from General
Forestier-W Walker:
Cape Town, June 12.-The follow
ing is from kelly-Kenny: NO COM
munication from Methuen since the
18th. He was fighting on the 9th to
the north of Vatchkop.'
British prisoners sent to Nrede
well treated"
The war Office has posted the fol-
lowing dispatch from General Butler:
Headquarters in Natal, June IL
We forced Almonds mex today. 1t is
not marked on the map, but is the
last detile to Charleston flats. The
enemy was in considerable force, with
several guns in position. The brunt
of the fighting fell upon the Second
Dorsets, who carried the position at
the point of the bayonet, and the
Third cavalry brigade, who was heav-
lily attacked on our right from the
very broken country round Ikelini
mountain. l hope our casualties are
less tnan lOO, Whlcn, considering the
extreme length of our line, is much
less than expected. The whole at
tack was directed by IIildeyard,
whose dispositions were extremely
good. The artillery, Tenth brigade
and Third cavalry brigade, did most
of the work."
Lomrenzo Marquee Rumors.
London, June IA crop of sensa-
tions has been filtering through Lou
reno Marquee. According to these
Dewet, with 10000 burghers is march
ing on Johannesburg; the Beers have
retalsen Bloemfontein, where Steyll
has again occupied the presidency;
the British sustained a severe defeat
at Elandsfontein and have also lost
$50 killed and wounded and $50 pris-
oners in the fight at Vredefort. Moth
ing from any other source lends color
to these stories, with the exception of
the last, which is probably the Boer
version of the disaster to the militia
battalion of the Derbyshire regiment
at Roodeval. In regard to Steyn being
at Blocmfontein, dispatch from
Maseru, Basutoland, dated Monday,
June 10, says Steyn was thtA at
Nreda oOO miles from ploo,ofon+o;u