The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-06-13

apparently at ssaudstill. For day
or two tue tired troops of Lord Roberts
are resting. and be is filling the maga-
ziues aud warehouses Of his new base,
Pretoria. preparatory to a long chase
after The retiring Beers 10 the direetloo
of the Lydenburg. The cavalry are
probably seeking to intercept Command
ant General Boshs.
Sone dispatches are to hand which
left Pretoria Monday. while the fghtlcg
was going on outside the city. They
come by way Of Loreozo Marques
Ooe of tocm says ''Tovard the end
Of the cay. when tie big uaVal guns
were shel!ing the southero forts, pun
Der of orojecsiles burst, damaging the
suburbs All day armed burg6ers have
been leaving Presoria, going east. Tie
greater part of the railway rolling
stock has been removed.
Geperal Botha was fighting an
essentially rear guard action, bis object
being DOT to defend Pretoria bat TO
delay Lord Roberts until the railway
switch had been cleared aud the maiu
part of the Boer army had started to
withdraw. The British advance appears
to have left open to the Beers the best
lipe of retreat along the railway"
Possibly the British have been able
to Gu. the railway before fall retire
meot was effected. That Pretoria would
be defended was apparently given out
after the couucil Of war. with view Of
misleading the British. Lydenburg.
the district ioto which The provisions
originally destined for Pretoria have
been diverted aud where cartridge
factory has been erected aoc reserve
supplies of al sorts are stored. is q
volcanic region Of fertile valleys.
enclosed by grea. ramparts of precipi-
tious rocks. penetrated by uarrcw,
Winding passes There are herds of
cattle 10 the valleys. aud there is much
native labor available for fo.tifylog
The Beers used both heavy and light
artillery at Pretoria What was sup
posed to have been the last train
cut Of Pretoria arrived at Lorenzo
Marques Sunday evening. The pas
sepgers included number of
foreign volunteers who we're leav,
log the Beers and also the
wives and children of Holianders
They described Pretoria as destitute Of
food and clothing. What the Boer
officials could not take the natives and
towospeople did
Probably the mos: important Boer
army is a: Lsing's Mex. where both
sides are passive. Gen Raudie and
Gen Bcabaut have withdrawn little
southwark
Gen Baden Powell has extended
martial law to the Marico aud oorth
LichteDburg districts. Shots were ex-
changed between Boer and British
patrols Is miles east OF Mafekioe on
May % Part Of the forces lately at
Pretoria are reported to have gone
westward to meet Baden Powell sod to
make show Of holding the country
through which be and Gen Huoter are
moving
A dispatch to The Daily Telegraph
from Newcastle dated Tuesday, June 5,
describes the Beers there as an unorgan
ized rabble. without -four. meat or
sugar Their surrender is only ques.
tlou of time Nevertheless. the CORES
poedent AYERS. they bold strong positions
with the proapec, of safe retreat
toward Lydeuburg.
It is understood at Newcastle that
tie British government has approached
the Natal government with proposi-
ton that Natal should voluntarily
renounce local self.goverumept for a
time in order that general system Of
crowu government may be instituted
for all South Africa, leading 10 the
course of time to federation and the
subsequent autonomy of the various
statoo - m =, "a = eouciv