The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-06-19


London, June 15-The war office is
sues the following dispatch from Lord
Roberts:
Pretoria Presidency, June 14.-10:4O
a m--Klerksdorp surrendered on June
9Th to an armed party sent on by Hun
ter.
"kItchiner reports that the Beers at
tackled a reconstruction train early this
morning a few miles north of Rhenos-
ter river. He sent out rpounted troops
and drove he enemy off before they
could do much damage. One man was
killed and eleven wounded. including
two officers.
"A messenger from KIerksdorp re-
ports that CrOnje, who
there, was determined to surrender as
soon as he knew for certain that Pre-
ample has been copied by many in the
neighborhOod. The court house is now
said to be full of arms"
London, June 15.-6:15 p. m.-The war
office has received the following dis
patch from Lord Roberts,:
Pretoria, June 15.-As 1 telegraphed
yesterday from one of our outposts.
the Beers evacuated their position dur
ing the night of June 18th. They had
paid so much attention to strengthen
ing their TANKS that their center was
weakly held, and as soon as this be-
came evident, on June 18th, 1 directed
Ian Hamilton to attack. He moved
against Diamond hill with the Suffolks,
Derbyshires n City Imperial volun-
teerS, supported on the left by the
Guards brigade under lingo Jones.
1T was grand, seeing the way our
men advanced over the difficult ground
and under a heavy fire. The casualties,
l am thankful to say, were less than
100, a very small number, considering
the natural strength of the position
which had to be carried.
Our seizure of Diamond hill caused
the Beers to feel they were practically
surrounded and made their hasty re-
tirement. They were being followed
yesterday by some Of our mounted
corps.
Hamilton spoke in high terms Of
the troops engaged. Hamilton received
a confusion from a shrapnel bullet in
the shoulder, but he is not, / am happy
to say, unable to perform his duty"
The rest of Lord Roberts dispatch
deals with the casualties n General
Baden-Powells movements in Western
Transvaal, where Baden-Powell, with
800 men, is Systematically ~reestablish-
ing order and collecting arms and sup
plies. About 600 Beers have surren-
dered and Baden-Powell captured 230
prisoners.
According to Baden-PowelTs report
the Beers will readily discuss terms of
surrender and they all appreciate the
work of p~acification performed by his
troops.
London, June 16.-4:OO a.
Roberts dispatches leave affairs east
of Pretoria with the Beers withdrawn
to new portions tonight. News of fresh
fighting is expected at the war office,
but none came last night. General Run
dies patrol had a skirmish with Boer
outposts again Wednesday. Some won
der is expressed as to what he is doing
with three divisions. 1t is assumed by
some that General Butler will move
into Orange River colony and cooper
ate with Lord Methuen and General
Rumble in bagging President Steyn and
his seven or eight thousand followers
Part of Christian Botha's force has
halted at Paarde kop, eight miles north
west of Volksrust. Boer parties are
still near VOlksrust and fire OCCASION
ally upon the British pickets.
TO SEND TROOPS TO CHINA.
The British government is consider
ing whether a substantial force a not
better be sem to China from South
Africa. 1t is thought unofficially that
Lord Roberts could spare a brigade or
two, and the necessary transports are
now in South African waters. The
commander of the expedition, it is said,
would probably be General Nicholson.
A dispatch from Lourenzo Marques,
dated yesterday, says: Persons have
arrived here who have seen the prepar-
atoms of the Beers and learn that they
will retire, when forced, through the
Lydenburg district into the Zoutpats-
berg region, adjoining RhodeSia and
GaZaland."
HOW ROBERTS COMMUNICATION
WAS CUT.
The Daily Mail has a dispatch from
Bloemfontein, dated Wednesday, say
ing: General DeWet's attack on the
railway was made after he had sue
ceeded in Turing Lord Methuen from
where he had destroyed the II Then
he blew up the bridge and destroyed a
long section of the line with dyna-
mite"
Major General Baden-Powen a
been appointed to the temporary rank
of lieutenant general. .
The Cape Town correspondent or
The Daily Telegraph, in a dispatch
that General DeWet, in addition to the
Derbyshire battalion, captured w
companies of the city volunteers and
two companies of yeomanry, W men
only escaping to tell the tale"
The Lourenzo Marques correspondent
of The Times says: 1T appears that
Steyn and not Kruger is now the
stumbling block in the way of surren-
der of the burghers. Shortly after the
British entry into Pretoria, Kruger
proposed to reopen the peace ~negotions.
Steyn, bearing in mind that his former
advice was secuted, demurred to this
and pointed out that, according to the
treaty between the republics, neither
could conclude peace without the other.
Kruger, equally unwilling to incur
the charge of a breach OF faith, had
to continue the war. Nothing further
Is known regarding h rumcred
peace negotiations; but it is a matter
of notoriety that Kruger favors peace
on almost any terms, but dislikes per
sonally TO take an initiative tna'