The National tribune., 1900-05-24
SOUTH AFRICAN WAR;.
Relief Of Mafeking-Arriva! of
the Beer Representatives.


The two most important features of the
| South African war situation during the
past 10 days We're the relief of Maieking,
May Is, and the arrival the day before Of
the Boer envoys in America and their subse-
quent arrival i'll Washington.
All England is rejoicing over the relief OF
| Nafeking, the demonstration by the public
! being even more vociferous than on previous
occasions of British triumph during tins
war. Lord Roberts. III his last message
to Col Baden-Powell, promised to raise the
siege on May Is, and it was done that day.
prominent military critic, summing up
the situation on May 10. said:
The relief of Mafeking relieves Lord
Roberts OF an embarrassment. 1t was
probably necessary for him to move north
from Bloemfontein a little before he was
quite ready, in order that his pressure on
the Beers should prevent their reinforcing
the besiegers, or detaching largely toreslst
the relief column. He has now to consider
but the means of ending the war.
whether the Beers stand south of the
Vaal, on the Vaal. at Pretoria, or at Ly-
denburg, they must be crushed, for they
have only between 10000 and 10000 men,
and Lord Roberts has, counting his own
column and those of Gems. Rundle, Butler,
Hunter. and Methuen, not less than 10000
men, all of whom shortly will be ready
to invade the Transyaal positions.
AT the date of the last kilograms re-
ceived, Lord Roberts was at kroonstad.
with his mounted troops spreading out
some 40 or 50 miles on either flank. Gen.
Rundle was at Clocolan, ready to move on
Ficksburg and drive back the Free Staters,
who, i'll diminished numbers, still hold the
field. Hunter is at Fourteen Streams,
with his advance guard at Christiana. and
Buffers advance-guard is at Laing's Mex,
with his leading infantry division at Ingogo,
a days march in the rear.
There were several conflicts marking
the advance of the British during last week.
They were Of minor importance and the
losses We're small, the Beers continuing
their general retiring movement
The steamship Maasdam. with the Peace
ENJOYS from the South African Republic,
arrived after a voyage OF II days from
Rotterdam. The Envoys, Abraham
Fischer, j. NJ. A. Wolmarans, and c. II.
Vessels, were met by a committee, which
went down the hay to greet them, and
later were welcomed by larger body of
Boer sympathizers gathered on the pier at
Hoboken, where the Maasdam docked.
The Mayor of that city extended a welcome
to them, and the party crossed to New York,
then took carriages for hotel.
The ENJOYS are typical Beers in appear
ance, stalwart and bearded, giving the
impression of rugged strength and in
tegrity. DIR. Abraham Fischer, a member
of the Cabinet Of the Orange Free State, is
Chairman of the delegation. Mr.. Vessels
is Chairman of the Vclksraad Of the Orange
Free State, and Mr.. Wolmarans is a MEN,
ber of the Cabinet of the South African Re
public. Mr.. j. NJ. de Bruyn accompanies
the ENJOYS as Secretary.
Two OF the Dnvats speak English, and
they talk intelligently on all subjects that
men of the world take an interest in.
Three or four thousand people, including
members of Congress and citizens Of Wash
ington, greeted the Envoys, when they
arrived from New York. They drove up
Pennsylvania Avenue, escorted by a brass
band and committee of citizens. Red
fire, sky-rockets, and Roman candies
blaZed welcome.s
The Commissioners come to Washing
ton, they announced. as Envoys Extra
ordinary and Ministers Plenipotentiary
from the Joint Republics OF the TranSvaal
and the Orange, Free State to the Govern
ment of the tTnittI States. They are
clothed with fall powers by Presidents
Kruger and Steyn 10 treat with this Govern
ment in any manner which VIII bring about
cessation of hostiities by diplomatic
means. They are authorized to say that
the Boer Governments are willing TO sub
NIT the questions at issue between them
and Great Britain TO the United States
Government for "a full investigation, and 10
abide by the results Of arbitration. They
feel that if they are accorded official recog-t
milton by the Government at Washington
a similar recognition viii be accorded them
by other nations.
Last Monday the Envovs held long
interview with Secretary Hay, and were
told, in substance, that the President SYM
pathized with the effort to restore peace
and had offered TO mediate, but that the
British Government had refused to accept
his good offices, and this Government could
do no more.
The ENJOYS do not abandon hope, and
will proceed west.