The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1900-05-15
BULLER GIVES
BOERS A BEATING
Drives Them From Their Strong.
holds in Natal Toward North.
END OF WAR is IN SIGHT
AirikaSder Women Meet and Demand That
the Men be Sent to the Front and They
Be Given Guns to Fight wlth--
Roberts Resting.

Roberts Resting.
LONDON. May 15.--General Buffers
turning Of Biggarsoerg position was
made by a bold movement. The Beers
had evacuated Heipmaaker but were
making stand Monday evening at
BIeskoplaagte. seven miles from Dun
dee. A corps on the spot regarded this
as rear guard action and intended 10
cover retreat Of the army.
At the same time General Hildyard
took Innobaand. II is reported that the
Roers withdrew In disorder General
Butler. who seems to be employing his
full strength, is expected to push on.
His FIRST marches were forty miles In
three days. He Is thus breaking into
British territory. which has been ad-
niinlstered FOR six months by Trans
vaalers. as though II were part Of the
republic. they holding courts and levy
ing taxes.
His success. therefore. has a politi-
cal as well as military consequence.
While Lord Roberts Infantry are
concentrating at Kroonstad. where they
win rest for a day or two. his horse
men have penetrated eighteen miles
northwa ard. Nothing definite has been
heard about the expected relief OF Ma
feKing Cape Town correspondents
continue TO wire that relief is immi-
nent. fixing Tuesday or Wednesday as
the probable dates.
The Beers are described as quite dis-
organized and as retreating northward.
President Steyn's lieutenants are try
ing to rally them. The same stories
OF rising disintegration come from
nearly every point where English cor
respondents are.
Hollawell. formerly correspondent at
Mafeking, who was put over the Trans
vaal border. telegraphing from Louren-
co Marques on Sunday. says:
Judging from the talks 1 have had
with the Beers, the end Of the war
will come in a month or six weeks"
At the British hospitals in Bloem-
fontein. deaths from fever average
from eight to ten 'iaily."
PRETORIA, Saturday, May u, via
Lourenco Marques.-A war bulletin is
sued here announcing that he British
are advancing against the federals at
Helpmaakar and Tonerders Mex. The
Rurghcrs this morning attacked Ma
feking. The telegraphist at Malope
says that heavy rifle and cannon firing
was heard before o'clock today and
that the Kafiir location was in flames
within an hour and vas totally de-
stroyad. AT meeting Of $50 Afrikan
der women. yesterday, it was resolved
to ask the government for arms and
ammunition and suggest that they do
the work of the men officials in the
town. who they declared ought to
be lighting at the front" The resolu-
tiOn was carried unanimously.
NEW YORK, May 14.-A dispatch to
the Tribune from London, SAYS: Gen
eral Roberts has an army of 200.0 900 men
for guarding his communications and
operating ON front virtually 200 miles
wide from Fourteen Streams to Big
garsberg. Against this army the Beers
have 10000 burghers in the Transvaal
and Natal and President Steyn has per-
haps 5000 burghers under arms in the
Bethlehem district. The Dutch have
fought bravely and made a wonderful
defense, but the day Of miracles has
passed,
There was sharp skirmishing on Fri
day on the road 10 Kroonstaad, and
Gordon's cavalry brigade acted with
galantry in the final onset. The town
was formally surrendered by the Lam
drost after the Transvlal burghers had
removed the bulk of their own stores,
blown up a bridge. wrecked the rail-
way station and done other damage.
There We're groups of British sympa-
thizers in the streets when General
Roberts entered the town at the head
of his troops and the scenes enacted at
Bloemfontein under cimilar conditions
We're repeated.
The troops halted yesterday, after
their long march, the two columns
which had been 40 miles apart at the
outset, having been massed at Kroons-
taad This town will now be convert
ed into an advanced base of supplies
While General Botha, with the Trans
vaal burghers, has retired to the Vaal
river, President Steyn, with the rem
nant of the Free State army is making
a feeble stand in the northeastern cor
ner. Heilbron has been abandoned be-
cause it lies on the line of General Rob-
err's march. but Lindley on the Vaalsch
river, north of Fricksburg, Is held by
a small Dutch force as a temporary
capital. with Bethlehem and Harri-
smith as places of refuge.
divers commanders have been oper-
ating against Rundle's division from
Mex from which the line
of retreat leads through Fricksburg to
Bethlehem. General Brabants scouts
reported Saturday that the Bores were
moving north. What remains of the
Free State force could be easily dis
persed If General Hildyadd's division
were sent from Natal over the noun
tains to Harrismith. but Rundle's divi-
sion, with cavalry. seems entirely COM
petent to deal with them without as
sistance.
General Roberts plan Of campaign
unless all signs fail will not include Op-
arations on large scale against Beth
lehem and the scattered Free State
on the eastern flank He
will make fresh start for the Vaal
after brief halt, and carry the bulk
Df his army into the TransVaal leaving
Steyns burghers at liberty TO retain
control Of small section Of the country