The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-06-06
THE FALL OF PRETORIA
Boer Capital Internationally
Surrendered ---RobertS
Would Discuss No
Other Terms.
TOWN WAS NOT DEFENDED
BOTHA ASKED IN ARMISTICE AND
WIS REFUSED.~

Ctty-A Few of the British Prisoners
Taken Away but tho Majority Are ut
Wnteryal-Roberts Reports u British
Reverse at LfndIey battalion of I'm =
periuI Yeomanry Compelled to Sur
render.
London, June 5-11;07 p. m.-The war
office has received the following from
Lord Roberts:
pretoria, June 5-12:55 p. Must
before dark yesterday the enemy We're
beaten back from nearly all the posi-
tions they had been holding, and Ian
Hamilton's mounted infantry followed
them to within two thousand yards of
Pretoria, through which they retreated
hastily.
de Lisle then sent an officer with
flag of truce into the town, demanding
its surrender in my name. Shortly be-
fore midnight l was awakened by two
officials of the South African republic,
Sandberg, military secretary to Com
mandant General Botha, and a general
officer Of the Boer army, who brought
me letter from Botha proposing an
armistice for the purpose of settling the
terms of surrender.
"I replied that / would gladly meet
the commandant general the next
morning, but that l was not prepared
to discuss any terms as the surrender
of the town must be unconditional. l
asked for a reply by daybreak, as
had ordered the troops to march on the
town as soon as it was light.
"In his reply Botha told me, that he
had decided not to defend Pretoria and
that he trusted the women, children
and property would be protected At
a. m. to-day while on the line of
march I was met by three of the prin
cipals with a flag of truce stating their
wish to surrender the town.
"It was arranged that Pretoria
should be taken possession Of by her
majesty's troops at 2 o'clock this after
noon.
MRS. Botha and Mrs. Kruger are
both in Pretoria. Some few of the
British prisoners have been taken
away, but the majority are still at Wa
terval. over a hundred of the officers
are in Pretoria The few I have seen
are looking WE'LL
1t was announced verbally at the war
office this afternoon that Lord Roberts
entered Pretoria at 2 o'clock South At
rican time. One of the first things
done was to direct General French to
relieve the British prisoners confined |
at waterfall.
The first official inkling that the pub
lie had that Roberts was so near Pre- |
toria was given in the following dis
patches, which were published by the |
war office earlier in the day:
pretoria, June 5--11:40 a. m.--We are |
now in possession of Pretoria. The Of
fetal entry will be made this afternoon
at o'clock"
Just before the above bulletin was
posted the war office gave out the fol
lowing:
"Six Miles Spruit $50 p M, June A.
We started this morning at daybreak
and marched about ten miles to Six
Miles Spruit, both banks of which were
occupied by the enemy.
'Henrys and Ross mounted infan-
try. with the West Somerset, Dorset,
and Sussex companies of yoe-
nanry, quickly dislodged them from the
south bank and pursued them nearly a
mile, when they found themselves un-
Ter heavy fire from guns which the
Beers had placed in a well-concealed
position.
'Our heavy guns of the Naval and
Royal artillery, which had purposely
oeen placed in the front part of the col
INN, were hurried to the assistance
If the mounted infantry as fast as oxen
md mules could travel over the great
'olling hills surrounding Pretoria The
guns We're supported by Stevenson's
brigade of Pole-Carew's division and
.fter a few rounds, drove the enemy
rom their positions.
1.-THE Beers then attempted to turn
.ur left flank, in which they We're again
oiled by the mounted infantry and
-oemanry, supported by Maxwell's brig
de of fuckers division. AS, however.
hey still kept pressing our left rear, I ,
ent word to Ian Hamilton, who was
dvancing three miles to our left, to
ncline toward and fill up the gap be-
ween the two columns. This finally
hecked the enemy, who Were driven
ack toward Pretoria.
II hoped we would have been able to
ollow them up, but the days now are f
cry short in this part Of the world; 7
nd after nearly two hours marching +
nd fighting we had to bivouac on the +
round gained during the day. 9
1.-THE Guards Brigade is quite near i
he southernmost fort by which Preto- G
la is defended, and less than four miles =
rom the town. +
French, with the Third and Fourth a
avalry brigades and Hutton's New h
outh Wales Mounted Rifles, is north of &
retoria. Broadwood's brigade is be- &
Ween French'S and Hamilton's col n