The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1900-05-31
BRITISH IN PRETORIA
Roberts Advance Guard Meets
No Resistance.
DISCUSSING IERMSAT JOHANNESBURG
London Press Proclaims the End OF
the War - TranHvnal Fugitives
Flee 10 the COast-Buller Re-
ports Evacuation of DOrnberg.


ports Evacuation of Dornberg.
LONDON, May 31.-Yesterday at noon
the British were only about two hours
march from Pretoria. and the Boer mill
tary force had abandoned the city. This
intelligence comes from the Reuter- agent
at the Transyaal capital and from the
Earl of Rosslyn in press dispatch. The
two messages left about the same time.
AT O'Clock this morning the war Office
had received no news from Lord Roberts
which the officials would make public,
but it is assumed that the press advices
are correct.
The morning papers print Lord Ross.
lyn's dispatch and comment upon it.,
treating the war as ended. Some of the
more cautious critics think that guerrilla
warfare is likely to be carried on TO.
some time In various parts of the con
quered territories.
Although the Boer forces are dissolv.
ing Lord Roberts apparently has not yet
taken any considerable quantities of ar.
tillery, arms or stores. Large bodies OF
Beers must still be somewhere in the
field.
The Daily Mail publishes the follow.
Ing dispatch, dated Pretoria, May 30,
II 40 a. M, from the Earl of Rosslyn.
who was a prisoner at Pretoria, but who.
as a civilian, appears to have been re-
leased:
Pretoria will be occupied in about
two hours without resistance. The pres.
ident has gone to Watervalboven.
Burgomaster de Souza is authorized tc
receive the British. He, with an intlu,
entail committee of citizens, including
Chief Justice Gregorowski, has been ap.
pointed to preserve life and property
during the interregnum.
Everything is quiet, but crowds are
waiting expectantly in Church square fol
the arrival of the British.
Clearing possible disturbance and.
bloodshed among the prisoners of war at
Waterfall, United States Consul Hay and
Mr.. Leigh Wood insisted upon 20 officers
being liberated on parole to go to the
men Their action cannot be too highly
praised
II was permitted to accompany the
officers. Everything was quiet
Another dispatch from Pretoria, dated
May so, says:
burg debating terms of surrender. The
British advance guard is half way be.
tween Johannesburg and Pretoria. 1t Is
reported that there is force also at
Hatherly. All the forces have been dis
missed from the forts around Pretoria.
President Kruger is now at Waterfall
bowen.
sat n public meeting called this morn.
ing by the burgomaster Of Pretoria
committee was appointed to keep public
order"
Waterfall Bowen, or Waterfall Bowen,
Is 100 miles due east of Pretoria on the
Delagoa Bay railway. 1t should not be
confused with Waterfall, ten miles north
of Pretoria, whore the British prisoners
are. Waterfall Bowen is a small place in
mountainous country. The seat Of the
Boer government-wha there is left of
twill probably be Lydenburg, TO the
north.
A dispatch from Lourenco Marques,
dated Wednesday. says:
"Commandant Kraus has surrendered
Johannesburg to Lord Roberts. By to-
nights train from Pretoria arrived few
Greeks, who say they were told to leave
IEeloTld ueSuay. lutS dlni III thdt tHe
train in which they left was sheled by
the British and that half of the train was
cut off, the remainder steamins away.
This incident probably occurred at
Eleandsfontein junction.
70 Passengers from Pretoria assert that
the town is utterly demoralzed, There is
mad rush for the coast. Five train
loadsFof fugitives are expected here to.
night
The war office has just announced that
no news has been received here tending
to confirm rumor said to be current in
Berlin thut Johannesburg has been
blown up.
General Butler cabled the war office
that he had invaded the Transvael. His
dispatch. dated Newcastle, Natal, May
80, was as follows:
General Hildyard has captured
Utrecht, in the Transyaa
Celery is bombarding Laingsnek.
''The enemy has been forced to retire
from Dornberg, where he threatened my
right and rear.
The Beers are dsheartened, and IL
they did not occupy such strong positions
doubt il they would show fight"