Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1900-05-26

| London, May "a Mafeking dlspat, hes
| continue to pour Into London, relating 10
the events immediately preceding the
| relief and the entry of the ilpopg, The
correspondents agree that the Canadian
| artillery did splendid work,
About In the evening of the day be'
fore the relief, after Colonel Mahon and
| Colonel Plumer had defeated the Roers
nine miles from Mafeking, Major Davies
and nine scouts entered the town. The
bocrs were then retreating, Al 4 on the
following morning 1000 men arrived
with them were 20 wagon loads Of food,
which were received with wild demon
strations. The armored train and de-
tachment then pushed forward 10
Gametree fort the scene OF the unsue-
cessful sortie In December, The Beers
had evacuated II on the east. They
were pursued, and the correspondent,
telegraphing these facts Thursday az
tcrnoon, closed his dispatch thus: I'VE
caught up with the retreatlng Boo III
and have them now surrounded
Lady Sarah Wilson has managed to
ct through q message from Mafeking.
lated Thursday. and announcing the
entry OF the relief column. She says:
1.-THE lighting before the relief was very
rard. a severe struggle proceeded
yesterday (May lS) from p m, until
dusk. The Beers were forced slowly 10
retreat, contestlng every inch. At sun
set they still held the last position.
Colonel MahOn entered the town In the
brilliant moonlight. The Beers we're rs
tired out as we were; and they never
guessed that an attempt would be made
to force an entry before morning. There
fore their surprise was complete, They
deserted their laagers, leaving a lot Of
food. which was divided up among the
people OF Mafeking."
Lord Roberts is drawing near to the
frontier of the Transvaal. His infantry
masses are 33 miles north of Kroonstad.
at the Rhenoster river. Some thousands
Of cavalry are already across the river.
The Beers are retiring toward the
Vaal with their heavy baggage. They
are reported from Pretoria as already
across that river. Twelve thousand
men and IA guns compose the retreating
army. Trains continue to run from
Verennlging. at the Vaal. to Pretoria.
Foreign engineers asert that Pretoria
is able to stand q years Siege. Ac-
cording to advices from Lourenzo Mar
uuez, the Pretoria Notifications are
described as complete. but Johannesburg
has not yet been placed entirely In
state Of defense. The Transvaal gov
ernment papers and the war chest have
been removed to Lydenburg.
Foreigners continue to leave the coun-
try. The Dutch cruiser Friesland is at
Delagoa Bay-so 1t Is reported-to fur
nish an asylum to the fleeing HOllanders
and passage to Europe.
The Boer forces continue to dwindle.
Some Of the correspondents asert that
probably only about "a 900 Of the hardest
fighters yet remain, although there are
detached parties In various parts of the
Transvaal.
DR.. Leyds, according to the Brussels
correspondent of The Daily Express.
has quarreled with the Transvaal gov
ernment. A representative Of President
Kruger is alleged to have demanded an
accounting respecting e500,0OO 32,5O0,-
0OO) that has passed through DR.. Leyds'
hands. DR.. Leyds Is said to have replied
that the money had all been expended.
and to have expressed indignation when
asked for an itemlzed statement.
President Kruger's emissary Is de.
scribed as showing to DR.. Leyds certain
ante-war letters, in which Germany and
France said they would intervene; and
DR.. Leyds, according to this account,
grabbed the documents and threw them
into the fire, having bodily struggle
with the emissary. These alleged in
cidents are cited to explain the recent
reserve Of DR.. Leyds.
The ensnarng Of the squadron OF
Bethune's horse appears to have been
quite as bad as was at first reported. |
General Bethune. thinking there were |
no Beers at Vryheid. determined to &C
that way toward Newcastle as a short
cut. The advance squadron was hurry.
ing to make Vryheld before dark. II
left the main bOdy behind and trotte(
into the ambush. The Beers had Max.
inns; and the British. seeing they had nc
chance to retire. dashed forward to
point within 20 yards Of the Boer rifles
Five officers and So men were killed OF
wounded. Bethune ordered his fOui
other -quadrons to retire.