Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1900-05-17
MARCH TO MAFEKINC
A British Force May Arrive at the
Beleaguered City Monday.
EXCITING SCENE IN The VOLKSRAAD
President Kruger Ia Accused Of squander'
ing Mon~y and He Makes Passionate
Reply Beers Ready To Meet
the Brit,sh

LOIluOH, hul i"' "a i'it'"" sNiuNA'
5000 strong. has arrived at Vryburg,
100 miles from Mafeking. 1t reached
there Thursday; and, though har-
assed by the Beers, is pushing swift
" forward. Fifty miles south of Vry-
burg, at Taungs, is Gen. Hunters
main body, moving slowly and con
tending with considerable forces.
The pick of his mounted men are the
5000 who are going without wheeled
transport and at rate that may pos
sibly bring them to Mafeking on Mon
day or Tuesday night.
Lord Roberts narrative closes with
Thursday evening, but he continued
his march yesterday toward Kroon,
stad, 20 miles distant, and, by this
time, he must know whether the
Beers intend to fight there.
President Steyn and a council of
the leaders of several thousand Free
Staters in the Ladybrand and Ficks.
burg district determined to submit
to the men the question Of continu'
ing the war or not at great open air
meeting. The fighting men decided to
fight on. Steyn, who appears to be in
active command, began to advance to-
ward the British and came into con.
tact on Thursday, with Campbell's
brigade and Brabant's horse 20 miles
northeast Of Thaba N'Chu. A smart
engagement ensued with no positive
success on either side except that the
Boer advance was stopped. Gen. Rum
die has disposed 10000 infantry along
a 2O-mie front in such way as to
bar Boer advance toward Lord Rob-
erts' communications. With the eX-
ception of Brabants colonials, Gen.
Rumble has no horsemen. The cav
airy are all with Lord Roberts ad-
vance. According to Pretoria tele-
gram, Gen. Butler is moving from
Elandslaagte in the direction of Help
makaar and the British vanguard en-
gagged Boer patrol of Italians on
Thursday Twelve Italians are re.
ported as routing 80 British. The dis
patch also says that British recon-
noiterng parties have invaded the
Transvaal near Fourteen Streams and
that the scouts on both sides meet
frequently with varying results.
Exciting Scene In thu volRsrasd.
London, May 1.-THE Lorenzo Mar
ques correspondent of the Times,
telegraphing Friday, says: The dis
cussion in the Volksraad concerning
the sale of undermining rights caused
an exciting scene. President Kruger
said the money was wanted for the
purposes of war. Members retorted
that this statement conficted with
the declaration in the presidential
speech that there were ample funds
for prosecuting the war, and they &C.
cused the government of squandering
money. Finally Mr.. Kruger quieted
the chamber in a fit of passion, de-
claring that he had done his duty
and that he washed his hands OF the
business.
Bosrs Ready to Meet the British.
Maseru, Basutoland, May 12.-Brit-
ish forces from Thaba N'Chu, under
Gen. Rumble and Gen. Brabant, are re-
ported to have advanced towards Clo-
coloan and Platberg. A large ex-com-
mando of Beers has returned from the
Korannaberg hills and is in readiness
to meet the British, but the Beers
are puzzled to know by which route
the British will appear.