Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1900-05-31
NEAR JOHANNESBURG
Lord Roberts Is Within a Days
March Of the Town.


London, May 20.-Lord Roberts is
now within days march Of johann
nesburg and Gen. French and Gen. Ian
Hamilton fought the Beers from noon
until evening Monday, with what re-
suit is not known here.
H. J. Whigham, in dispatch to the
Daily Mail, dated May 2s, says: 1.-The
decentralization of the Transvaal is re-
markable. Panic and confusion pre-
walls everywhere. Everyone is weary
of the war and full of fear as to the
coming Of the British. Operations
were being carried on for encirclng
Pretoria with telegraphic commune
cations. Fourteen points in the line
Of defenses were connected with head
quarters and with the Stats artillery.
but this apparently was the only de-
fensive measure adopted. There were
no other visible preparations.
"The government is now endeavor-
ing to reassnre the public by telling
them that the British win not out
rage and plumber them, but it is too
late. The previous misstatements are
bringing their rewards. Food is very
scarce and prices rule high. The pro-
posal to release the British prisoners
Of war is due to this cause Members
Of the government and the volksraad
express approval of the proposal, but
President Kruger is violently opposed
to 1t.
"One form of internal machine
which meets with much approval is
to be laid under the rails of various
lines. A pressure of some tons weight
OF the engine will cause this to ey-
plode with most terrible effect. Many
of these machines are being made at
the arsenal and great caution will
have to be employed in neutralizing
them.
"There has been a decided change
In public opinion, which has become
quite English. The burghers on com
mand sing God Save the Queen and
they cannot be stopped. All are sick
Of warfare. In the towns the rabid
anti-Englishism is less rampant. Peo-
pie are thinking of their property.
The party eager for surrender is now
very influential and includes the prin-
cipal leaders at the front. The intelli-
gent public feel that the game is up.
False news no longer has any effect
and the lying reports Of the newspa-
pers are universally dsbelieved, Al
though the hand of the censor has
been very heavy on news Of all kinds
recently, everyone believes the worst"
Last Dispatch from Lord Roberts
London, May 2o.-The war office,
just before midnight, published the
following dispatch from Lord Rob
erts:
"Klip River, Transvaal, May 2S-We
marched 20 miles to-day and are now
IS miles from Johannesburg, The
enemy had prepared several positions
where they intended to oppose us, but
they abandoned one after the other as
we neared them. We pressed them
10 hard that they had only Just time
to get their five guns into train and
to leave as soon as some of the in
fantry dashed into it, f'rcnch's and
Ian Hnmlton's forces are apparently |
engaged with the enemy about ten
miles to our left, as firing has been
heard since noon. II. j. Whigham
has just returned to Lourcnzo Mar
ques from Pretoria, where he went
disguised. He wires that Kruger has
oil the arrangements made for fight,
presumably to Holland. 4 special
train, provisioned, is always ready,
with steam up, The train waits some
distance from Pretoria. The farmers
near our line Of advance are surren-
dering with their arms and horses"
Rutgers Warning.
London, May 2o.-The Morning Post
has the following dispatch from Lou
reno Marques, dated Monday: pres
ident Kruger has issued public proc
lamation warning all people to leave
Johannesburg or to remain there at
the peril Of their lives, as il might
become necessary to destroy the town
and the mines,