The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1900-06-22
HOSTILITIES RENEWED
Lord Roberts Suggested Disarma-
ment to the Boer Commandant.
Gen. BOtha Declines to Surrender at
the End OF an Armistiee Last
lug for Five Days.


lug for Five Days.
London, June 19.-Lord Roberts,
according to a Boer dispatch from
Machadodorp, sent a message to Com
mandant General Louis BOtha on June
Is, suggesting disarmament and COM
plimenting the bravery of the burgh-
ers. 1t was pointed out that the sur
render would be without dishOnOr to
the burghers and would prevent much
suffering Gen. Botha asked for a six
DAYS armistice in order TO confer and
TO consider it. Lord Roberts consent
ed to five days. Finally Gen. Botha
declined to accept the proposal, and
hostilities were renewed.
The Boer commanders are retiring
on Hiddleburg, followed by the Brit
ish cavalry and artillery, occasionally
shells reaching the rear guards. The
Beers are destroying the bridges and
burning the veldt behind them, car
rying OFF provisions and cattle and
leaving the country barren.
London. June Cot is quite prob
able that the Beers have broken
through Lord Roberts lines and cut
the telegraph wires in his rear, for no
dispatch later than June 16 has been
received. The Beers are gathering in
force in front of Gen. Rumble near
Ficksburg. His forces stretch 40
miles. As some parts of the line are
weakly held, the British fear that the
Beers may break through. Outpost
sllirmishes are of daily occurrence.
The Beers there are commanded by
Devilliers and Hermann.
Mr.. Steyn is at Bethlehem, the tenn
porary capital Of the Free State.
According to dispatches from Lou
renco Marques, the Malana bridge
has been destroyed. One account says
it was blown up. Another asserts
that it was undermined by a patrol
from Swaziland, and so collapsed un-
der the weight of a train. This viii
temporarily interrupt the flow of sup
plies to the Beers from Lourenco
Marques.
The BlOemfOntein correspondent of
the Daily Mail, telegraphing June 16,
says Lord Roberts is getting huts for
10000 men and is arranging retrans-
port for part of his army, although
his plans are not to take effect imme-
diately.
London, June 21.-According to
a Cape Town dispatch Gen. Kitchener
had narrow escape from capture in
the engagement at Leeuw Spruit June
Il. He was sleeping in the repair
train when it was attacked and many
of the engineers were captured.
Gen. Kitchener's sleeping car was
at Kopjes station, when the Beers,
under Gen. Dewet. suddenly opened
rife fire at a. III. Kitchener man
aged to reach his horse and gallOped
TO Rhenoster, two miles distant. The
Beers numbered 900 men, with three
guns They burned the culvert. which
had just been rebuilt, and derailed
the train.
The Beers alleged to be hemmed in
by Gen. Rumble began Smelling Ficks-
burg Tuesday. 1t is said they appre-
bend that force is marching from
the north upon them, and hence they
will endeavor to break through south
ward.
London. June 21.--The British have
penetrated Transvaal territory as far
as Machadodorp. Passengers who ar
rived yesterday at Lourenco Marques
from the TransvaaI report that heavy
artillery was engaged and that the
Beers abandoned MachadodOrP, rae
ing nOrthward.
BOer bulletins regarding Gen. De
Vets operations along Lord Roberts
communications assert that two con-
voys were captured and 300 wOrkmen,
with so military, taken prisoners.
1t is reported from LourencO Mar
ques that a resident of Komati POOrt
has been arrested and shot by the
Beers for completely in the break
down of the Malani bridge.
a member of the British house Of
commons, who has had an important
connection with South Africa. is tell
ing a story of a telegram alleged to
have been received from Cape Town
which says Mr.. Kruger has really es-
capped and is already on the seas
bound for Europe, and that the per-
son occupying the executive ear is not
Mr.. Kruger, but is a substitute.
Advices from Pretoria dated June
II say that an official warning has
been issued to the effect that any fur
Their wrecking of communications will
be followed by the demolition OF the
farms for five miles on both sides.
The Pretoria correspondent of the
Daily Telegraph. in a dispatch dated
Sunday. says: AN informal truce for
five days is in operation between Lord
Roberts and Commandant General
BOtha."