The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-05-29
B()[RS BECOMING
MUCH DEMORAL|ZED.
Panic and Confusion Reign
Everywhere.
ARE WEARY OF THE WAR.

Lord Roberts Is Within Eighteen
Miles Of johannesburg.
Boers Abandon Their Positions,
with Little show OF Resistance--
A Correspondent Visits Pretoria
Loureuso Marques, Cables n Re-
markabIe story OF the Panic
Stricken Condition of the Burgh-
to Take, When the British Arrive.
LONDON. May %. 5 a. m.-Lord Rob
erts is now within days march Of
Johannesburg, and Gen. French and Gen,
Hamilton fought the Beers from noon
until evening on Monday. with what re-
suit is not known here
H. j. wigham. in dispitch TO the Daily
Mail dated May y. says:
TransvaaI Is Demoraii,ed.
THE decentralization of the Transvaal is
remarkable. Panic and confusion pre-
walls everywhere. Everyone Is weary OF
the and full of fear as to the COM
ing of the British. Operations we're be-
ing carried on for encrcling Pretoria with
telegraphic communications. Fourteen
points In the line OF defenses were con-
tod tsttth h.Oa don arsn x.rtth al.
Staats artillery, but this apparently was
the only defensive measure adopted
There We're no other visible preparations
Seat OF Government 20 Move.
Not much gold is likely to be found
in the treasury. The salaries OF the of
icias and Judges have not been paid
or have been paid only In national hank
notes, which VIII be worthless when Lord
Roberts arrives. The seat of government
viii be removed 20 Watervalbovan. a
small station on the Delagoa Bay railway
line. and then. II necessary, to I.yden-
burg.
Roberts Doesn't Fight Fair.
Both President steyn and President
Kruger complain bitterly of Lord Rob-
erts' unfair tactics In refusing to meet
the Beers in positions chosen by them.
and in eternaliy turning them by fank
movements.
slight MEASURES of Defense.
Around Johannesburg n few trenches
have been dug. but no other steps have
been taken for defense The railway
line ts blocked with refugees from the
west and southwest, who are packed like
sardlnes In trucks.
The government is now endeavoring to
reassure the public by telling them the
British will not outrage and punder them,
but 1t Is too late. The previous misstate-
ments are bringing their rewards.
Food scarce aud High.
Food is very scarce and prices rule
high. The proposal to release the Brit
lsh prisoners OF war IL due to this cause
Members OF the government and OF the
Volksraad express approval of tho pro-
posai. but President Kruger is violently
opposed to IT,
infernnI Machines Made.
one form of Internal machine which
meets with much approval II to be laid
under the rails OF the various lines A
pressure OF some tons weight OF the en-
gine viii cause this 20 explode with most
terrible effect. Many OF these machines
are being made at the arsenal and great
caution will have to be employed in neu-
tralizing them.
Barghers sick of the war.
There has been decided change in
public opinion. which has become quite
English. The burghers on command
sing GOO sav" the Queen" aud they
cannot be stopped. All are slck OF tho
warfare. In the towns the rabid anti
English element Is less rampant People
are thinking Of their property. The
party eager for surrender IL now very
Influential. and includes the political lead
ers at the front The Intelligent public
feel that the game is up. False news no
longer has any effect, and the lying re-
ports OF the newspapers are universally
disbeileyed. Although the hand II tho
censor has been very heavy on news of
all kinds recently, every one believes the
worst.
Hope for Intervention.
The government has arranged TO con
tinue the agitation against the British
occupation uf the two republics on the
continent of Europe, IN Great Britain and
In the United States Great efforts Hrs
10 he made u this direction and 40 ex-
pense viii be spared. I have excellent
reasons for believing that the BswAar-
piaktasn rights have been sold 10 a
French syndicate without the sanction
Of the volksraad The government hopes
by this means 90 bring about French In
| terventiOn for the protection of French
rights ia tine WttwatersrHnd. Rnd thus
| TO cause England grave difficulties.
The conduct % United States Consul
| with universal praise, alike from BUer
| and British sympathlzers.
| Botha UrEes Peace.
Another dispsth from Lourenzo Mar
| queE says:
Gen. Louis Botha "a At Pretoria urg-
/ ing President Kruger to arrange peace
terms Runaway ourghers from fSalngE
/ mex passed through Heidelberg last week.
/ Wounded officials with thelr families are
| leaving Johannesburg and Pretoria for
! Lydenburg. President Steyn occupies ths
house Of British resident at Pretoria
Passengers arriving AZ Lsourenzo Mar
( aues Monday from Pretoria. said II was
believed thAt the British would not -
at the capital for a month. Neyertheless q
there was much unrest and anxiety"
Roberts' Daily Report.
The war ONCE just before midnight pub
Hshed the following dispatch from Lord
/ Roberts:
kip River, Trangvaal. May y. 5.25 q.
a