Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1900-09-21
B0RRS HARD PRESSED,
Gen. French Captures Prisoners, Sup.
plies and 48 Locomotives.

Gen. Roberts Issues a Proclamation Rec
cOrdInR Flight OF PrssIdents Kruger
and stsyn-.-Britlsh Have 10000 BOsr
Prisoners.
Lord Roberts reports that Gen. French
entered Barberton Thursday, encounter
ing slight opposition The eastward ad-
vance of the British is now moving on in
broad sweep 20 miles long through the
broken valley and mountains Of the Trans
vaal Drakensberg. Gen. French is at the
extreme southern point, at Barberton,
with Gen. Hutton supporting him. Gen.
Pole Carew is in the centre at the railway
near Goodwin river In the extreme north
Gen. Butler has had magnificent success
and has driven the Beers over the passes
beyond Spitzkop.
Both Butler and French have captured
great quantities of supplies. The latter
entered Barberton at the head of his cav
airy division, the main body being 80 miles
behind. By this quick dash he surprised
the enemy, taking many prisoners and in
tercepting several conveys Besides pre-
pared supplies he captured several herds Of
cattle and 43 locomotives, a welcome addi-
eion to Lord Roberts's scant equipment
Should Gen. Botha cross the frontier into
Mozambique, and he and his followers de.
liver their arms to the Portuguese authori-
ties, thus avoiding the chagrin of a sur
render to their enemies, the British, he
would have notable precedent for such
action in the retreat of the French army
under Gen. Bourbaki across the eastern
boundary of France in the latter part Of
January, 1871, at which time about 80, 600
French soldiers, in order to escape the vic
krr ~ 80 h. l.
republic of Switzerland. But whether the
Boer army dispense into small bands and
maintain futile struggle against the over
whelming force Of the British, or surren-
der their arms to the Portuguese the war
in South Africa is 80 near its end as to
leave the British government practically
free to deal with the conquered territory as
its own. The Boer armies virtually have
been overpowered and dispersed, the Trans
vaal republic has been obliterated from the
map, and the British government has taken
over the territory of its late enemies.
Lord Roberts in a proclamation makes
known to the burghers of the Orange Riv-
er and Vaal River colonies the fight OF
former Presidents Kruger and Steyn and
their formal assertions of the Boer cause.
He points out that this action by the chiefs
of the state shows that the struggle is hope
less and should not be carried on any long
er. He points out further that there are
about $4,000 Boer prisoners in the hands
of the British who can be released only
upon unconditional surrender. He con
cludes by stating that the irregular meth
DDS of warfare now practiced, If contln.
ued, will bring ruin and suffering upon thu
country, as the practices of war permit Sc
we're methods for its suppression. Ever
the original well-wishers of the Beers can
not in honesty advise them to fight agains
fate. Indeed, every life lost during tn
last two months has been a needless sacri
fee. 1t long has been perfectly apparent
what the end would be- The die-in. the
last-ditch sentiment which appeals to s.
many is illogical and not good patriotism.