Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-05-28
L00KsCR|T|CAL
BOERS WILL MAKE A LAST STAND
AT aATsfAHD MOUNTAINS.
MINES ARE IN DANGER.
Fierce Battle Expected at Laing's Mex
100000 Cases of Dynamite to
Blow up the British.

81 miles from Johannesburg and ~ miles
from Pretoria. His immensely superior
forces had passed the Naal river. their
last great natural obstacle, at three
points. The Naal has a curve of 50 miles
on the west to Zand drift on the east.
The concave of the current is toward the
Free State. Thus Lord Roberts. advanc-
ing along the railway, was i'll a position
to strike any part of the crescent by
shorter lines than those by which the
Beers could reinforce the threatened
points. The Beers reiterated almost with
out a Show of defense. General French
and General Hamilton apparently did
not fire a shot. /,
Of Lord Roberts force. II men belong
ing to the Sth mounted infantry We're
the first to ford the river. They came
upon a Boer patrol looting at VieljohllS
drift. and after a skirmish lasting 10
minutes. followed. Three hundr Beers
trisd feGbly to hold the Nereeniging coll
liely. but We're dislodged. !
The Boer rear guard is at Moyerton, +.
10 miles south of Vereeniging. Their
main body is moving toward the Kip
river hills that cover the south side OF
Johannesburg.
While Lord Roberts $4,000 infantry,
10000 horse and 100 guns are moving on
Johannesburg and Pretoria through a
parehed and deserted country, the situa-
ton at the T~ransvaal capital, as it was
last Friday, is thus described by an OBJ
server who sent his message by private
Udllu 10 IkJuItllCO MdIQutZ StStSiucS.
""The situation, both from a military
and a political point of view. has become
very critical. President Kruger yester-
day admitted for the first time that mat
teIs are very grave. The Boer deter
mination is to trust everything to a last
stand on the Gatsrand mountains. to the
north of Potchetsroom where 5000 KAT
frs are digging trenches. To that point
every available man and gun has been
sent.
uS. xl..,o 80 +lo x-o~{a,,, 1nr1nr ~
the T1ansvaal from end to end is de-
fenseless and General Baden-PoWeu can
march in when he likes. Lord Robrts
on the other hand will encounter the
greatest resistance. h Boer endeaVor
is to lure the British into appearing to
threaten Johannesburg with an attack.
The Transvaal government will not dare
destroy the mines and property without
an excuse. Much dynamite has been
sent down the line and 16O, 900 cases lie
ready at Zuurfontein, near
burg. General Louis BothA and General
Lucas Meier have pleaded for the pres
ervation of property. Both are large
land proprietors n fear confiscation,
but they have not received satisfactory
replies from President Kruger.
Meanwhile, many French and German
adventures have come forward With
schemes and inventions for blowing up
the British troops, some OF these naVlhs
received tacit permission to experiment.
ttne HERMAN IL Siillti 10 Iva u~ IA -
railway, where it lies perfectly conceal
ed until the weight of a passing train ex-
plodes the cha rye.
'Generol Lucas Meier says surren-
der would be at once proposed by t.l4
Beers, but that everybody fears the
ignominy of being the one to make
the proposition. He declares that he
is assured that his men will not stand.
President Steyn, and2 Mr.. Reitz, the
Transvaal state secretary, are strongly
opposed to peace, but Mr.. Kruger Is
no, 50 much against it,
President kruger's proclamation to
the burghers asking their votes fol- or
against continuing the war is UNDER
stood to say they can quit now with
he prospect of retaining their farms
or continue to the bitter end. Rumors
are current in Lord Roberts army that
the Beers intend to surrender.
Several correspondents wire the Lon
don papers that there are 10000 for
eigners in the Boer ranks, but this is
hardly credible.
The indications are that a pitched
battle is imminent at Laing's Mex
where General Butler faces the Beers
reinforced and seemingly determined
with an estimated strength of from
5000 to 10000 men. The reinforcement
include a large party from LadybranG
and fresh commands from Pretoria
Londoners are doubtful of the Beers
displaying the same tenaeity of fight.
ing as at Ladysmith. The British are
confident that when the moment ar
rises they will lie able to force thu
passes.
Two boxes of dynamite fuse have
been found under the New Castle cit,
hall. General Butler is causing mum
erous arrests of suspected rebels
Forty-two nave been sent to Pieter
harrisburg. G. w. Thorpe. chemist
and his wife, have been arrested on
charge of high treason.
With the exception of a few shot
exchanged with the retiring Beers a
Verreeniging the only fighting during tn
last two days with all the great armie
in the field appears to nave been tw'
small engagements in the eastern par
of the Free State. At Ficksburg OF
Saturday the Beers attacked the British
occupying the town. but they We're force'
to etire towards Siabbart's Mex. !
Maseru correspondent confirms the fac
adding that nothing is known regardin
casualties.
The same day General Brabant'
scouts located 200 Beers entrenche
near C~aloccolan. The scouts advance
within 200 yards when the Beers fire
heavily. The scouts retired and fou
are missing.
General Rumble is slowly sweepin
the eastern section of the Free Stat
Occasionally his squadrons come acros
parties of Beers. two or three in Il
Der and usually On foot, who are veal
lily going back to their farms. Son
of them carry saddles on their back
Wholesale surrenders arc expected, hi
thus far they have not occurred in thu
region. Small are describe
by the correspondent as hurrying
and fro and finding every road barred.
The British troops at Mafeking ha,
been having same exciting crick
matches. The relieving troops a
resting, ana the defending troops a
feeding up. The Southern railroad h.
been repaired to a point within 4 mil
of Mafeking-
Some 800 Beers are operating east