The sun., 1900-06-01
BRITISH IN GOLD cry
Details Of Surrender of johannesburg
to British. :-5a
PLANS LAID BY ROBERTS,
The Beer Rear Guard Remained and
Put Up u Fight In Germiston's
Streets, but Was QuicIS-
~ Defeated.


London, May 31.-Late dispatches from
Lord Roberts shed a somewhat different
light on the military situation from what
was indicated in earlier reports. Pre-
toria is not yet in the hands of the Brit
ish, though there is no reason to doubt
the authenticity of the report that Presi-
dent Kruger has evacuated the place and
that the municipality is ready to surrcn-
der when confronted by superior num-
bers.
The final movement on the Transvaal
capital has apparently not commenced.
All Roberts dispositions Of troops ap-
pear to apply to Johannesburg, and,
though the British seem certain to reach
Pretoria within day or so, they will not
occupy il without fighting if the oppos-
ton of the Beers around Johannesburg
j. any criterion.
General F'rcnch's movement appears
not SO much an immediate advance OH
Pretoria rs part of plan to surround
Johannesburg, from which he was only
q few miles diStant. Lord Roberts him
self is at Blandsfontcin Junction. His
forces will he placed to the south, west
and north Of Johannesburg. These units
will probably be rcconccntratcd while
General French advances from the ad-
vantageous position he already occupies.
The main army Is conVcrging toward
the railroad, following closely on his
heels.
General Brabant's loss of 40 men is
striking evidence that the annexation of
the Free State by no means implies its
pacifcation.
4 CDnp Town 1iSnott.I SnyS.
The British have occupied lIcidcl-
burg, on the railroad connecting Johan-
nesburg with the Transvaal frontier
town of Volksrust, on the Natal frontier
near Laingsnek"
"A dispatch from Germiston, in the
Transvaal dated May 30, says:
Johannesburg is practically in British
possession. The mines are uninjured.
Mine engines, coal train and great
quantity of rolling stock were captured.
The remnants of the Beers rear guard
remained behind and fought in the
streets of Germiston, but they were
easily cleared by the grenadiers."
The Westminster Gazette says it is ri-
mored in quarter likely to be well in
formed 'that President Kruger has
been captured by the British six miles
beyond Pretoria"
JohannesburE's Surrender.
The war office has received the follow
ing dispatch from Lord Roberts, under
date of Germiston, May 30
SIN answer to flag of truce | sent to
Johannesburg this morning the comman
dnnt came to see me. He begged me to
defer entering the town for 24 hours, as
there were many armed burghers still in
side. | agreed to this. as | am most anN-
iAs to avert the possibility of anything
like disturbance inside the town and as
bodies of the enemy are still holding the
hills in the immediate ncighborhood, from!
which they will have to be cleared off
beforehand.
"Rundlc reports that he attacked Il
large party Of Beers near SCnckal on
May 2S. lie said his casualties We're not
heavy
'i;rabant reports that on May % two
of his patrols, consisting of officers and
40 men, We're cut off by the enemy and
takcn prisoners"
The war office has received from Lord
Roberts Il dispatch dated Gcrmiston, May
30. sayings
''Ihc hrunt of the fighting yesterday
fell upon Ian lIamilton's column. | have
sent him, as already mentioned, to work
around to the west of Johannesburg i'll
support Of Frcnch's cavalry, which was
directed to 90 north near the road lead
ing to Pretoria. | have not heard from
French yet, but Hamilton in a report
which has just reached me states that ut
about o'clock in the afternoon he found
Ills way blocked by the enemy strongly
posted on some kopjes and ridges three
miles south of the Rand. They had two
heavy guns and several field guns and
pompoms. Hamilton forthwith attacked.
"The, right was led by the Gordons,
who, after capturing one extremity of the
ridge, wheeled around and worked along
it until after dark, clearing it of the enc
my, who fought most obstinately. The
One Hundred and Fourth led on the 9th
or flank and would not be denied. The
chief share in the action, as in the cas-
ualties, fell to the Gordons, whose gal
liant advance excited the admiration of
all.
Hamilton is now at Florida, due west
OF Johannesburg, and French is a few
miles farther to the northeast. The Cor
dons, the cavalry, the mounted infantry
and the Seventh division are holding the
heights Of the town. The Eleventh divi-
sion, with Batteries III and G and the
heavy artillery, are south of Johannes
burg.
"Hamiton speaks in high terms of
praise of TIE manner in which Bruce
Hamilton and Colonel Spens of the
Shropshire light infantry handled their
mon under Smith Dorrien's direction.