The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-06-01
1T WAS TO TAME.
London Made No Demonstration Over
the Fall of Johannesburg.

New York, June IA dispatch to the |
Tribune from London says:
The war is closing with something /
like an anti-climax, but with logical |
consistency Johannesburg has been /
occupied without a struggle and Pre-
| toria either has been or will be taken |
without siege. The last stage of the |
march between Bloemfontein and Pre-
1 toria has been hardly more than a holt |
! day promenade and President Kruger's !
! prediction that the price would ''stagger |
humanity has not been fulfilled. A bri- |
gade of English prisoners has virtually
| been released and the war ends with
out the scenes of carnage and despair
ing Dutch valor which have been an
ticipated London was dazed by the
suddenness of the collapse of the Boer
defenses and the quietness and precision
with which General Roberts had worked
out his purpose Flags We're f1uttering
| from housetops, but there was no revel
| of people rejoicing in the streets. The
| popular enthusiasm was srnothered by
the anti-climax of the tame ending
| after an eight months campaign filled
with startling surprises and dramatic
incidents. Yet there was something log
zeal in the coincidence which brought
/ Ian IIamilton's column within a few
miles of the scene of Jameson's sur
render when what was likely to prove
the last battle was fought The cam
paign so far as actual hOstilities are
concerned, has ended within Runshot
of Jameson's final stand after he had
been beaten back from Krugersdorp.
The story of these closing scenes is
incomplete and athere are missing links
in the official chain Hamilton's col
umn which was supporting F'rench's
cavalry brigades, was confronted on
Tuesday with a Boer force strongly in
trenched among the kopjes west of JO-
} hannesbuTg. Hamilton attacked the po-
sitiOn with vigCr, although it was de-
. Tended with two heavy guns and other
artillery. The Beers fought with per-
sistent courage but the kopjes were
cleared before nightfan. The GordOns,
who were nearly cut to pieces at Mag
eIsfOntein, showed how we'll they could
fight by capturing one position after
another, and the city imperial vOiun
teers, al the opposite end of the line,
displayed equal gallantry. Hamilton 3
column after clearing the hills adj
vanced to Florida, on the railway he
tween johannesburg and KrUgersdorp
! and halted there Wednesday night
| While French was on the road to Pre-
toIia, a few miles away. General Rob
| erts had deferred for twenty-fOur hours
J his entry into Johannesburg, but the
seventh division was holding the hills
! north of the city and portion Of Ham
ilton's column was guarding the west
! eIn approaches. Johannesburg was de-
) fencelsss and the local. authorities had
arranged for the British occupation and
protection of the mines. The city had
been surrendered and General Roberts
) and -Comnandant Kraus We're cooper
ating to prevent an outbreak of violence
and the destruction Of valuable prop
q er'ty
D The chief breaks in the continuity Of
this story We're caused by the lack of
information respecting E'rench's cav
airy force and PoIe-CareW'S division
with the guards brigade. Both forces
8 were known to be moving in the direc-
3 ton of Pretoria, but not so rapidly as
Lord Rosslin's imagination has pict-
ured. Pretoria was at the mercy of the
3 advancing cavalry and infantry, and
3 arrangements had been made for tbs
: surrender of the canital and for the re-
| lease of the British prisoners, but there
was no official news respecting these
= two events at midnight. Johannesburg
had been occupied on Thursday, tbs
is British troops under General Roberts
is having marched in and the flag having
s been raised over the gold reef city
IT The occupation of Pretoria is a fore
gone conclusion, even if it has not oc-
Cured already.
There are two theories here respect
i ing the complete collapse Of the Dutch
defense. One was briefly summed III
by a prominent official yesterday il
these words
l. Kruger has been forced out TIL,
people of Pretoria are unwilling to fol
low his fortunes longer and have taken
measures to protect the city agains
t. I,vdenburg in final attempt to rail-.
A. the Beers in that mountain stronghold
"a and the burgherS are now saving thei
property and separating themselve
y from a lost cause Johannesburg ha
y looked after it's interests in the sam
way and the Boer generals are not dis
es ! posed to sacrifice their business invest
no ments"
Ne The other story has already been re
d ferred to in these dispatches as SUP
in ported by members Of parliament an
" ! military men It assumes that Kruger
h. Botha, Kraus and other Boer leader
have entered into secret engagement
with either Alfred Miner or Lord Rob
TO erts by which the march Of the BIRTHS
lg columns has been expedited and tn
s Boer commanders scattered and KEEP
% under restrainty with a view to the pro
lection of property and the preventlo
= of needless bloodshed. If Presiden
". Kruger has made terms of his own
h has been the deepest game ever playe
id by him, but there are members of par
=, lament who believe that this has bee
- done and that he has retired to Dyder
II burg for the purpose OF conceallng hi
e own arrangements for bringing the wa
b. to an end and obtaining guarantee
r OF personal security and immunity frol
-. imprisonment
H. The Boer powers of resistance hay
~, weakened so unexpectedly and tt
British successes have been so rapid an
lal complete that this theory helps to e.
IT. plain what is happening in South Afrio'
re; Possibly more accurate summary
IN, the case would be the simple state
n; ment that from Is coo to 10000 burghel
ly, have found the onrush OF an army
J. $780, 900 British soldiers Irresistible, ar
tt; have suddenly abandoned a hopele:
T. undertaking.
p Milwaukee and Return $3.50 v
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