The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-05-12
Relief Column of Three Thousand British Fiobt-
ing Its Way Toward the Be-
leaguered City.
Expected That the Long-Looked for Relief May
Be Accomplished Within the Next
Forty-Eight Hours.

LONDON, May PA British column
5000 strong has arrived at Vryburg, 100
miles from Mafeking. 1t reached there
thursday, and though harassed by the
Beers is pushing swiftly forward. Fifty
miles south of Vryburg, at Taungs, is
Gen. Hunters main body, moving slow
ly and contending with considerable
forces. The pick of his mounted men
are 5000, who are going without wheeled
transport. and at a rate that may pos
or Tuesday next.
Lord Roberts narrative closes with
Thursday evening, but he continued his
march yesterday toward Kroonstad,
twenty miles distant, and by this time
he must know whether the Beers intend
to fight.
Mr.. Winston Churchill says there were
only 2,0OO Beers who opposed the British
at Zand river. Another estimate is
that 5000 Beers, with six guns, made
rear guard action while many other thou
sands with conveys retired without firing
shot.
DECIDED TO FIGHT.
President Steyn and council of the
leaders of several thousand Free Staters
In the Ladybrand and Ficksburg dis
trict. determined to submit to the men
the question Of continuing the war or
not at a great open air meeting. The
fighting men decided to fight on ,Steyn,
who appears to be in active command,
began to advance toward the British, and
came into contact, on Thursday, with
Campbell's brigade and Brabant's horse
twenty miles northeast of Thaba N'Chu.
smart engagement ensued, with no
positive success on either side, except
that the Boer advance was stopped.
Gen. Rundle disposed of 10000 infantry
along mile front in such a way TO bar
Boer advance toward Lord Roberts
communications. With the exception of
Brabant's colonials, Gen. Rumble having
no horsemen, the cavalry are all with
Lord Roberts advance.
According to a Pretoria telegram Gen.
Butler is moving from Elandslaagte in
the direction of Helpmakar, and the Brit
ish vanguard engaged a Boer patrol Of
Italians on Thursday. Twelve Italians
are reported as routing fifty British.
The dispatch also says that British re-
connotering parties have invaded the
Transvaal near Fourteen Streams and
that the scouts on both sides met fire.
quently, with varying results.
HAVE FAITH IN AMERICA.
w. T. Stead, who was the last man In
Europe to bid farewell to the Boer dele
gates, obtained from Abraham Fischer
"a member of the Orange Free State
executive council, and one of the dele
gates a message to the American peo-
pie, which IS practically in the same
words as the message previously sent
through the Associated Press. Mr.. Fisch-
er, however, added:
THE governments Of the old world ap-
pear paralyzed. We hope to find a diff
ferent state of things in the new world.
I'VE know at the very time when the
Jameson raid threatened the indepen-
dence of the Transvaal, the American
republic succeeded in Inducing Great
Britain to submit TO arbitration a Ques-
ton which involved not her existence,
but the frontier interests of the republic
of Venezuela. AS you obtained arbitra-
ton for Venezuela, after England had
declared 1t was impossible, so we venture
to hope the free, enlightened public opin-
ion of the American people will sue
ceed in inducing the power attacking
our very existence to stay her hand and
submit the question of the future gov
ernment of these regions to a free judg-
ment of an impartial tribunal"
GEN. HAMILTON's VICTORY.
- A special dispatch from Riet spruit
dated May 10, describing more fully yes
terday's successful operation, says:
Gen. Hamilton's scouts had on two
previous days ascertained the Beers po-
sition and strength. On Wednesday night
the Cheshire regiment crossed the river,
intrenched themselves and prepared to
hold the passage for the regiments fol-
lowing them.
"At daybreak on Thursday the main
body crossed at two or three points. The
mounted infantry were then in action,
driving off the advanced Beers, prepara-
tory to a general forward movement.