The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-05-30
THE WAR IN AFRICA.
THE BoERs SAID TO BE
DEMORALIzED.
Predictions Made That British Flag
Will Fly Over johannesburg To-
day and Pretoria Saturday.

Will Fly Over johannesburg To-
day and Pretoria Saturday.
London, May 2s, 3 m.-Lord
Roberts is now within days march
of johannesburg and Gen French
and Gen Ian Hamilton fought the
Beers from noon until evening on
Monday, with what result is not
known here
g. j Whighem, in a diepatch to
the Daily Mail, dated May 28, says :
..The demonstration of the Trans.
vaal is remarkable. Panic aud con
fusion prevails everywhere. Every
( one is weary of the war and full OF
fear as to the coming OF the British.
Operations were being carried on for
encircliug Pretoria with te'egraphic
communications. Fourteen points in
the line of defenses were connected
with headquarters and with the
Staats artillery, but this apparently
was the only defensive measure adopt
ed There were no other visible
preparations
.:Not much gold is likely to be
found in the treasury. The salaries
of the officials and judges have not
been paid. or have been paid only in
national bank notes. which will be
worthless when Lord Roberts arrives.
The seat of government will be re-
moved to Waterfall Bovau, a small
station on the Delegoa Bay railway
line aud then. if necessary, to Lyd-
enburg.
"Both President Steyn and Presi
dent Kruger complain bitterly Of
Lord Roberts unfair tactics in refus
ing to meet the Beers in positions
chosen by them and ir eternally
turning them by flank movements
"Around johannesburg fe"
trenchs have been dug, but no other
steps have been taken for defense
The railway line is blocked with
refugees from the west and southwest,
who are packed like sardipes in
trunks.
Zone form of internal machine
which meets with much approval. ls
to be laid onder the rails Of verious
lines A pressae of some tons
weight of the engine will cause this
TO explode with most terrible effect.
Many of these machines are being
made at the arsenal and great caution
will have to be employed iu neutral
izing them.
"There has been decided change
in public opinion which has become
quite English They are ali sick OF
warfare. The party eager for surren-
der is now very influential and in
cludes the principal leaders at the
front
| The government has arranged to
continue to agitation against the
BRITISH occupation Of the two reoao
lies on the continent Of Europe in
Gres: Britain and in the United
States No expense will be spared
have exceIleut reasons for believing
that the Bcwarrplaatzen rights have
been sold to a French syndicate,
without the sanction cf the volksraad
an order to bring about French inter
ventiop for the protection OF French
rights in the Witwate.srand and thus
to cause England gave difficulties
LORD ROBERTS REPORT,
London, May % -Midnigb.-Tbe
war cAi,e, just before midnight publish
ed tie following dispatch from Lord
Roberts:
Kip River. Traosvasl. May %.
525 p m-We marched 20 miles
TODAY ADD are now Is @iles from
Johannesburg. Toe enemy had pre-
pared several positions "be'e they
ia,eaded to oppose as s; but they aDau
dooed Que after The other as NC neared
them.
I'VE pressed then SO hard thas they
! aad only just tima to gst toe!r i've guus
ipto tray aod to leave this station as
soGe of she West Australian nounted
iuiauuy dashed TOTO It
"Ffeoch's aod (su Hamil,oo s forces
are appsreO,Iy engaged With TIE eoemy
about ten miles to cur LETT. as hriog
has been bear :inoe noon
H }. Wnigham has just returned
to Lorenzo Marques from Pretoria,
where be wcnt disguised. Hs wires
tha: Kruger has all the arrangements
made for fight, presumably to Holland
A special train. provlsioued, is always
ready With steam up. The train waits
some distance from Pretoria.
The farmers near our lioe Of
| ....,n1 o.,v.o with thc ~