The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-06-13
~ SOUTH AFRICA.

According u the last accounts the bri'ish
communication north Of Kroonstad have been
restored. A body of Briis troops mouns
down from the north had reached Honings
oprult' about midway between Kroons'au anu
Hoodeyal. yesterday. and Gen. Knox COM
mahdlng at the former place was TO II owe OUT
a. d attempt 10 Inherent the Beers who Nere re-
urlnF before the force at Honings Spruit' "here
tNe British column from tho north came from
Il NOT stated, but II might pos IDLY Do ,he
united iorces Of Gems. Methuen and Colville'
VINO have not been heard Of since the ''h'
that Is Thursday. ON that day The former was
s"ld To ID" tgating mort Of Nechtkop ten mleS
from Hebron, on his road to join Gen, 'olvll"
ther'' Assuming that their junction was e'-
fe'ted. they had only twenty-five miles TO
march To l"euw 81 ruit on the railway ten
miles north # Roodeval. aud may very well
10 the troors described hy Gen Kehy-henny as
coming from the north. The northern column
may, however. have cen sent from across inc
Wal but i'm any case the facts should soon be
known officially. The Boer force that has
caused al the trouble onthe British line OF COM
mnnicaiions must ba moving very light. In
which case they will probably be able to cluda
the British marching troops that compose the
~ ~ -"
Gen Burer has made sub, antial progress
and y,atcrday evening was four miles north Of
NoIksrl-t at Joubert's farm. from where his
drsnatch announcing the evacuation Of Inings
Mex by the Beers was sent. The abandonment
Of his positions there by Ge1. Christian Botha,
after tien Butler had crossed the Drakensberg.
was a forcgonc conclusion. The o~bjectof The ar
mi'tica is now explained The resistance offered
the kFlti.l an THAR n1NnpGa frnn ia rs \lni
across thu HIS to Nolksrust seems to have
been Of n rerfnn tory kind, though there Is
talk OF s,ir fighting with few casu ll,ies, and
was merely meant to cover the retreat OF the
main body from Laings Mex on their way
north, probably toward Ermelo. The report
Of Il British column being on lis way
through Swa ziland into the Transvaal l.,
now denied. There was an intention II
seems TO send one. and boats had
been sent in tow of British gunboat to make n
landing at Kosi Bay on the Zulu coast, but for
souc reason the project was dropped The
evacuation Of Utrecht by the British some little
time ago was probably not remotely connected
with rho abandonment OF the Swaziland ex-
petition, which may have been given UP, not
only becaus" it would have been a violation Of
the understanding regarding the Use Of native
'''i'Np'N " bfbiStl'ht purposes, Dut ulSO De-
cause the Swa1is themselves were opposed 10 il.
The reports from Lorenzo Marques purport-
ing 10 describe the state Of things in the Trans
NGnl are not worth noticing, as they are
obviously the mere echoes Of current gossip at
that place What III" effect Of Gen. Buffers
advance into the Transvaal win have on
the fortunes OF the burghcr forces in
the FREQ State is a matter OF consid-
cradle Interest. rs, II they are still
well in hand, they may find scope
for their activity in another direction than the
present one. There are reports Of surrenders
OF burghers at different points. the most i'm
portant being that near Ficksburgh which,
however, needs official confirmation.
The resignation of Mr.. Schreiner as Prime
Minister Of the Cape Colony Government indi-
Gates a grave crisis in the political situation
there, the consequences Of which may be
serious.