The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-05-17
BRITAIN IS ANXIOUS
OVER MAFEKINC'S FATE
Many Conflicting Reports AS To Its Fall or Relief
Are Received From Various Sources.
General Roberts Remains Passive While Buffers Forces
Press Onward Toward Newcastle

London, May II, 800 a. m.-The Brit
ish relief column fought the Beers at
Kraai Pan, thirty-two miles south of
Mafeking, on Tuesday, according to a
telegram received Wednesday at Lou
renzO Marques from Molopo, loo miles
north of Mafeking.
This intelligence is accepted here
with some reserve, because it is diff
cult to understand how the news could
have been so quickly put on the wire
from place 1872 miles from the scene
OF the engagement.
A correspondent of the Morning Post
presumably John Stuart, is reported
captured by the Beers at Kraai Pan
The British public is keeping ex-
pectant Of the. announcement that
Mafeking has been relieved. In army
circles the opinion seems to prevail
that this has already been accom-
pllshed, although, two hours after mid
night, the war Office asserted that news
OF the relief had not been received. The
steadfast courage of the hunger-bitten
garrison has produced a deep impress
sion. and the news of succor is await
ed with more anxiety than has been
felt regarding any other event of the
war
Douglass Story, the Mails CORE
spondent at Pretoria. wires:
The Boer government is holding
back some big news Fever prevails
here. President Kruger is working day
and night. The latest BOer official
bulletin is that the relief column has
been defeated with great loss"
Roberts Remains Quiet.
Lord Roberts continues passive at
KrOOnstad. His cavalry is stretching
like a semi-circular screen many miles
in length. without tapping TANKS The
railway vii! probably be completed to-
daY.
The Kroonstad censor. permits the
passage of long dispatches dealing with
incidents prior to the occupation It
seems that General French's cavalry
had one lively fight after crossing the
Zand river A mixed squadron, COM
posed of the Scots Greys. the Innis-
killing carbineers and the Australian
horse. took a kopje and dismOunted.
The Beers suddenly fired from a con
eealed position, killing many horses
and stampeding the rest. The Beers
then advanced in overwhelming num-
bers and drove back the squadron,
capturing some. The Beers robbed the
dead and looted the saddles. a small
brigade of cavalry drove them off
Farther north the Hussars charged
the Beers, killing ard wOUnding many
straggiers with sabres and pistols.
Lord Roberts infantry marched 120
miles in seven days, General French
marched thirty miles in one day The
Beers. when retiring, dragged thirty
two guns through Kroonstad.
Butler Heads for Newcastle.
General Butler is moving toward
Newcastle. He appears to be using
25,0 900 men against 5000 or 5000 His
operations viii almost certainly result
in his forcing his way into the Trans
vaal, possibly in time to cooperate
with Lord Roberts advance, although
General Butler is now 252 miles from
Johannesburg, or twenty-five days
march.
Dane who was captured by the
South African holders says that there
are 500 Frenchmen with the Beers who
are opposing General Butler, together
with many Germans and other foreign
ers.
General Rumble is sweeping through
the northeast of the Free State. The
Beers are dissolving before him, and