The age-herald., 1900-05-31
PRETORIA ABANDONED
British Within Two Hours March and
 Boers Have Withdrawn

London, May 31.-3 a. m.-Yesterday at noon the British were only about two hours march from Pretoria, and the Boer military forces had abandoned the city. This intelligence comes from tire Reuter- agent at the Transvaal capital and from the Earl of Rosslyn, in a press dispatch. The two messages left about the same time.
 At ? o'clock this morning the war office had received no news from Lord Roberts which the officials would make public, but it is assumed that the press advices are correct Most of the London morning papers, through the courtesy of the Daily Mail, print Lord Rosslyn's dispatch and comment upon 1t, treating the war as ended. Some of the more cautious critics think guerilla warfare Is likely to be carried on for some time in various parts of the con- quered territories.
 All the Boer forces are dssolving. Lord Roberts apparently has not yet taken any considerable quantities of artillery or arr nor stores. Large bodies of Boers must sl..l be somewhere in the field.
 Wateryalboven or Waterfallboven is 130 miles due east of Pretoria, on the Delagoa Bay Railway. It should not be confused with Waterval, ten miles north of Pretoria, where the British prisoners are. Waterval- bowen Is a small place in a mountainous country. The seat of the Boer government what there is left of twill probably be Lydenburg, to the north.
 A dispatch from Lourenzo Marques, dated Wednesday says:
 "Commandmant Kraus has surrendered Johannesburg to Lord Roberts. By to- nights train from Pretoria arrived a few Greeks. who say they were told to leave Pretoria Tuesday. They affirm that the train in which they left was sheled by the British and that half of the train was cut off, the remainder steaming away. This incident prObabV occurred at ElandS- fontein Junction.
 Pretoria Utterly Demoraized
 Passengers from Pretoria assert that the town is utterly demoralized There is a mad rush for the coast Five train loads of fugitives are expected here tonight
 The Lourenzo Marques correspondents think the border trouble between the Transvaal and Portugal may come to a head at any moment. Komati bridge Is strongly defended. Yesterday the Portu- guese authorities were preparing to resist a possible engagement. A mule battery was sent to the frontier. The Lourenzo Marques correspondent of the Times says
 "It would not be surprising if a large proportion of the rebels sought temporary refuge on Portuguese territory. Although the authorities here are reticent, they are not blind to such a possibility"
 It is reported that a special train from Pretoria, With fugltlVeS, was deralled on the Transvaal side of Komatipoort, num- Der of passengers being killed or injured.
 The Brit ' authorities at Bulwayo think the Boers Il retire into southern Rho- desia.
 By the release of the British prisoners at Waterval, full brigade will be added to the army of Lord Roberts, as there were IF officers and 4,1S2 privates among them.
 Events elsewhere in the field of war seem to dwndle in comparison. General Huntep re-entered the Transvaal at Maribogopan Tuesday. The advance was made off the railway. Water Is scarce, and all the farms are deserted. Yesterday General Hunter re- stunned march for Geysdersdorps, with ten days supply.
 Marigibopan Is half way between Vry- burg and Mafeking. Geysdorp is from 12 to 15 miles east. General Hunter meets with no resistance.
 General Baden-Powell is invading further north without opposition, Commandant Snyman having gone toward Pretoria.
 In northern Natal, Ut0recht has surren- dered to General Mldyard and General Lyttleton is moving to Vrysheid. Three different correspondents estimated the number of Boers at Laings Mex at 10000.
 Two Australians who escaped from Pre-
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 Continued on Second PaRe.)