The Saint Paul globe., 1900-05-17

IHABA NCHU, Tuesday, May 15.-The
British force advanced this morning
twenty miles to the northwest and took
possession of Maquattlings Mex. Prison
ers continue to come in daily.
LONDON, May 1.-THE British relief
column fought the Beers at Kraai Pan.
thlrty-two miles south Of Mafektng. ON
tuesday, according to a telegram re-
celVed Wednesday night at I,ourenzo
Marques from MoIopo, 100 miles north of
Mateking. This intelligence is accepted
mere with some reserve, because it is diff
ncult to understand how the news could
have been SO quickly put on the wire from
a place 1872 miles from the scene of the
engagement
A correspondent of the Morning Post
presumably John Stuart, is reported cap
tured by the Beers at Kraai Pan.
The British public is keenly expectant
OF the announcement that Mafeking has
been relieved. In army circles the opin-
ION seems to prevail that this has already
been accomplished, although two hours
a1ter midnight the war Office asserted that
news of the relief had not been received.
The steadfast courage of the hunger-bit-
ten garrison has produced a deep impress
sion, and the news of succor is awaited
with more anxiety than has been felt re-
garding any other vent of the war.
Douglass Story, the Daily Mails corre-
spondent at Pretoria, wires:
The Boer government is holding back
some big news. Fevcrish activity pre-
walls here. President Kruger is working
day and night. The latest Boer official
bulletin is that the relief column has been
defeated with great loss"
LORD ROBERTS PASSIVE.
Lord Roberts continues passive at
Kroonstad. His cavalry stretches like a
semi-circle screen many miles in length.
with out-lapping fanks The railway Will
probably be completed today. The Kroon-
stad censor permits the passage of long
dispatches dealing with incidents prior to
the occupation
1t seems that Gen. French's cavalry had
one lively fight after crossing the Zand
river. mixed squadron composed of
the Scots Greys, the Inniskilings, Car
btneers and Australian horse, took a kopje
and dismounted The Beers suddenly fired
from concealed position, killing many
horses and stampeding the rest The
Beers then advanced in overwhelming
numbers and drove off the squadron, cap
turing some. The Beers robbed the dead,
looting many saddles. A body of artil-
Iery drove them off. Far north the caval-
ry charged the enemy killing and wound
Ing many with swords and bayonets
Lord Roberts infantry Tuesday march
ed twelve miles in splendid order They
had recently marched thirty miles in one
day. The Beers in retiring took twelve
guns through Kroonstad
Gen. Butler is moving on Newcastle
He appears to be using 25, 600 men against
5000 or 5000. His operations will almost
certainly result in his forcing his way
into the Transvaal, possibly in time to
cooperate with Lord Roberts advance
although Gen. Butler is now 252 miles
from Johannesburg, or twenty-five days
march.
FOREIGNERS WITH BOERs.
Dane who was captured by the South
African horse says that there are 500
Frenchnen with the Beers who are OPP
posing Gen. Butler, together with many
Germans and other foreigners.
The Ladysmith correspondent of the
Daily Telegraph says that only one Boer
was shot in the movement which resulted
in the taking of Helpmaakar.
Gen. RunGle is sweeping through the
northeast Of the Free State. The Beers
are dissolving before him and some are
surrendering. Their main force is as
sembled between Ficksburg and Win
burg, but it is without close organiza-
ton.
Every installment of news fr1m every
part of the field is therefore apparently of
British success, but with the Beers appar-
emily awaiting a last desperate fling in
the interior and Boer parties looting
stores and houses in the northwest, it
is not all roses for the Beers in resort
ing to guerrilla tactics. The Upington
district is the locality where the guer-
rilla tactics of the Beers are just now in
evidence.
A telegram from Cape Town says that
Cecil Rhodes has decided to retire alto
gether from Cape Colony politics.
The postponed gathering of the Afri-
Paarle June 15