New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-05-27
on THE QUEENS BIRTHDAY
THE ANNIVERSARY MARKED BY THE IN
VASIoN OF THE TRANSvAAL
Copyright: 1900. BY The New-York Tr4bune.l
[BY CABLE TO THE TRIBUNE.l


IBY CABLE TO THE TRIBUNE.I
London. May -. ! a. m.-The news from the
front comes slowly when there is only a single
wire from General Roberts's cart to Kroonstad
and Cape Town and all details of the campaign
have TO pass over it. Whenever the cart hats
after a long days march, this wire brings the
Commander in Chief into touch with Newcastle
Ficksburg Bloemfontein. Kimberley, Vryburg
and Mafeking, and the complex business of
every branch Of the service is transacted
through it, Naturally the special correspond
ents can make little of ii for press messages
and General Roberts himself counts his words
in communicating with the War Office For
these reasons there are few details of the Brit
ish advance across the Vaal
The passage Of the river first made on the
Queens birthday by the left wing, consisting
Of French's mounted force. Two cavalry bri-
gades and a body of mounted infantry had taken
the Potchefstroom road from Kroonstad, turned
the Boer position the Rhenoster River, di-
verged from the main road eastward, galloped
through Vredefort, and crossed the Vaal Thurs
DAY near Parys. The occupation of Nredefort
IS confirmed officially from Pretoria, but General
Roberts's bulletin carries Frenchs troopers nine
miles further and over the Vaal into President
Kruger's territory. There is no evidence that
the passage of the river was seriously opposed
by the Beers. Lord Roberts, with two infantry
divisions and a mounted force, had been follow
ing the railway from the Rhenoster River. and
cary Saturday morning at Nolve Hoek,
fifteen miles from the Vaal, while his scouts
were at Viljoens Drift General Hamilton with
Broadwood's cavalry brigade and infantry
division, had been advancing steadily the
right from Heilbron. the road to Heidelberg,
and yesterday was at Boschbank, place identi-
fed with difficulty the maps but apparently
not Far in he
From Pretoria there is an official report that
De Wet has reoccupied Hebron. This bulletin,
If correct, proves that the Free State comraan-
does have not retreated across the Vaal with
kriiger's burghers but are lowering the flank
and rear Of thu British right wing and seeking
10 capture conveys. General Roberts's own re-
pert is that the Beers are no longer south of the
Vaal
A summary Of the situation places General
Roberts's centre al Viltoens Drift on Saturday,
heading directly for johannesburg, forty miles
distant, with French in the Transvaal to the
west, threatening Potchefstroom and turning
the Boer position at Vereeniging, and Hamilton
10 the east rnenacing Heidelberg. Dispatches
from Pretoria refer to a British advance upon
Schoeman's Drift. but this clearly a feint,
as the Vaal was crossed further east, near
Parys. The burghers Of Potchefstroom and else
where were reported TO be arming in defence Of
their homes. and this was indication that
there would be severe fighting before Johannes
burg could be taken. Three railways-from
Laing's Mex. Viljoens and Potchefstroon-offer
the Beers facilities for massing their comman-
does in front Of johannesburg. and there will
probably be a battle next week for the possession
OF the Rand
General Roberts's concentrate are unknown
but he must have called UP a considerable body
of reserves for holding Kroonstad and guarding
lis extended lines OF communication. Methucn's s
division is somewhere on the left flank, and
General Rundle. in the east has occupied Ffcks-
burg, and is slowly approaching Bethlehem.
ihere Is no change in the situation Laing s
Mex and nothing fresh from Natal except Colo
nei Bethune's account of the reverse near Vry-
held' which he attributes to the inpetuosity Of
captain Con in attacking an intrenched com
nando.
Connandant Snyman is reported as halting
ten miles east Of Mafeking and attempting to
block the road to Pretoria, over which Jsrneson.s
raiders passed.
There are fresh accounts of dissensions and
panic at Pretoria, but reports that President
krdger is suing for peace on any terms obtafna
ole are obviously premature. The Trans,,aa al
burghers have made too plucky a fight 70 chr
render without brave stand somewhere tr ,he,r
own territory. and President Steyn will pror, nI,,
succeed in holding his scattered commanders 70
gether in the Free State until his allies are De
feate6 ~