The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1900-05-30
CROSSED THE VAAL RIVER
Invasion Of Transvaal by Roberts
Officially Announced.
MORETROOPS ARE SENT
Mysterious Movements of the Beers
Rhodes Scheme to CONSOLE
date South Africa.

London, May 26.-2:55 p. NIT is Off
cially announced that the British have
crossed the Vaal river.
Bennett Burleigh, wiring to the Tele-
graph from Vredefort Thursday morning,
said Lord Roberts would doubtless cross
the Vaal river on Saturday or Sunday.
The British Outposts were then at Erste
Geuck, nine miles north of Vredefort
and twenty-siX miles south of the Vaal
river. The railway is much damaged.
While the British in overwhelming
force are thus entering the Transvaal,
the movements Of the Beers are enyel-
oped in mystery. The last Pretoria news
paper to reach Lourenco Marques was a
week old Everyone seeking to cross the
Portuguese border from the Transvaal is
searched for newspapers and letters. Dis
patches and mail letters containing even
harmless references to the war are sup
pressed; the only news that has emerged
from the Transvaal during the last ten
days has come by word of mouth.
Roberts Sends the News.
The war office has received the follow
ing dispatch from Lord Roberts, dated
Wolvehoek (Orange Free State, May %:
AN advanced portion of this force
crossed the Naal river Gu the Queen S
birthday, near Parys. Hamilton's col
now at Viljoen's drift ION the frontier
north of Wolvehoekl. The local mines
are uninjured and work is going on as
usual. There is no enemy this side of
the river. Hunter reached Fryberg May
"a"
More Troops for Roberts.
The secretary of state for war, the
Marquis of Lansdowne, discussing mill
tary matters in the House of Lords today,
announced that 1000 additional troops
would be sent to South Africa next
month. He also said that the government
feared recruiting could not be kept up
now that the excitement Of the present
campaign has worn off. The government
he said, was considering offering an in
crease of pay for soldiers.
Beers Fortify Majuba.
The Times has the following from
Newcastle dated Thursday: THE Beers
are terrifying a very large semi-circular
position extending from Majuba to Pong
wanna"
Gen. Butler has communicated to the
colonial government Col. Bethune's report
of the loss of the squadron of Bethunes
horse in the ambush at Vryheid. The re-
port says that tins regrettable affair was
due to the impetuosity of Capt. Golf, who
was Killed.
Cecil Rhodes Working.
Cecil Rhodes is at Beir, Portuguese
East Africa. Mr.. Fuller, member Of
the Cape Parliament, who is supposed
to be a contidant of Rhodes. said in the
course of a speech at Cape Town yester-
day when proposing the health of Mr.
Rhodes, that the latter was working TO
consolidate South Africa from the Fam
best to Table Bay"
Denounced as Nonsense.
In reply to a request for statement in
reference to the allegations of the Daily
Express of this city, claiming to expose
the use made by DIR. Leyds, the diplo-
matte agent of the Transvaal, of the
Transvaal secret service fund, it being
asserted that numerous continental news
papers were bribed. it has just received
the following authorized statement signed
by the legation at Brussels:
Relative to the English reports. DR..
Leyds does not consider it necessary to
say anything about such nonsense. In
regard to the peace rumors and the posi-
Utilities Of prolonging the struggle, he
can't express his opinion"