The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-05-16

London, May 10, 4:30 a. m.-"FOOd
will last until about June TO-" is the
latest official word from Colonel Baden
Powell, the British commander at
Mafeking. sent to Lord Roberts, under
date of May Z. Five days later the
Beers attempted to storm the town, and
it is possible that they succeeded. al
though nothing is known of the attack
or II its results except through Pre-
toria sources, which have no counten-
ance here
The British relief column is due there
now. Ten days ago General Snyman
was having difficulty in keeping the
burghers together owing to the ap-
proach of the British, and when the
last Associated Press dispatch left
Mafeking on May Z, the Beers had
Killed, on the previous day. one of the
horse guards and had captured several
Of Colonel Baden-Powelrs few remain
ing horses.
Major F. J. Battle has sent to the
Morning Post from Mafeking, under
date of May Z, this message:
This morning the Beers attacked
us. Result as usual. There is an aching
void here. Pass the loaf"
No Doubt of Battle.
A dispatch to the Daily Mail from
Lourenzo Marquee, dated Tuesday
saws:
There is now no doubt that there
was desperate lighting at Mafeking
Saturday, but it is believed to have
gone in favor of the garrison. All that
can be ascertained of a reliable char
acter follows:
THE Beers, using artillery, attacked
the town Saturday. Very soon the
Kaffir location was in flames, some say
as the result of shell fire, others as the
result Of treachery. Fighting at close
quarters became general, and in the
midst Of the confusion the Beers gained
possession of the Kaffir location, from
which point of vantage they brought
guns to bear on the town at close
range.
BY an adroit movement. the garri-
son, despite its attenuated numbers,
succeeded in actually surrounding the
party of Beers who had completed the
Kafir location. Severe fighting fol-
lowed, but according to the latest re-
ports the Beers still hold the location
in which they are probably surround
ed.
'"Fhe truth is, 1 believe, that the
Pretoria authorities, knowing of the
progress of the relief column, gave
orders to General Snyman to storm
the place. AS soon as the location was
in flames Boer bulletins of victory were
flying about everywhere to encourage
weakened burghers. Beers who came
down here yesterday from Pretoria
produced for the edificatiOn Of in
credulous Britishers two kilograms by
officials, one of which was signed by
Snyman and said:
Baden-POwelI with 900 this morning.
"A telegram from the Portuguese
consul to the governor general here
confirms that there was heavy fighting
and there is little doubt of the Occupa-
ton of the Kaffir stadt But similar
kilograms were published at Pretoria
about Ladysmith and quite recently
about Wepener. just before Colonel
Dalgety was relieved
kilograms received at LOurenzO
Marquee report very heavy fighting at
Mafeking. Pretoria reports that MAIZE
king has fallen, and the Netherlands
Railroad company has issued state
men that Colonel Baden-POwell has
captured a large force of Beers.
war bulletin posted at Pretoria,
May IL, announced that the British are
advancing to the relief of Mafeking.
Lady Sarah Wilson has wired TO her
sister, Lady GeOrgiana CurzCn, from
Mafeking, under date Of May 8, saying:
''Our breakfast consisted of horse
sausages and lunch of minced mule and
curried locusts. All we'll
Butler Tells of Battles
The war office today furnishes tardy
confirmation of the Associated Press
story of yesterday, telling of General
Buffers move on the Biggarsberg. A
dispatch received from General Butler
is rs follows:
"Kemp's Farm, May 15.-The follow
ing kilograms sent to Roberts are now
repeated to you. They begin under
date of May 10:
q" In accordance with instructions to
keep the enemy occupied at the Big
garsberg, on May II I concentrated
the Third cavalry brigade of the Sec
Ond division and some corps of artil-
lery at Dunday's river drift, on the
Helpmaakar road, and directed Colonel
Bethune to advance on Greytown with
the Bethune mounted infantry, the
Umvoti mounted rifles and the imperial
light infantry
&c ON May IL we moved to Washbank
and Bethune and Pomeroy. while Gen+
eral Hildyard, from 44landslaagte, Oc+
cupied Indoda mountain. On May IL
sent General Hamilton with three bat
talions up the slope Of Witcheck hill.
The Third cavalry brigade crowned a
hill on each side of the main road and
Bethune attacked the PomerOy road
from three sides. The eneL2y hurried
ly abandoned the position which they
had strongly entrenched, and retired to
the mex in front of Helpmaakar, where
we have to dislodge them tomorrow, as
maQV of them have retired We have
gained the summit of the berg with the
loss of only few men wounded. / ad-
vance tomorrow on Beth, and Hid
yard moves on Wesselsnek. Our small
loss, l think, was certainly due to the
excellent troop leading Of Generals
Hamilton and Lord DundOnald and
Colonel Bethune.
Helpmaaker Is Evacuated.
May Il: The enemy evacuated
Helpmaakar during the night leaving
a rear guard of about LOCO men in front
of US. These we have forced back
throughout the day under considerable
difficulty. as they fired all the grass on
top of the berg as they retreated. and
the wind being unfavorable to us we
were scarcely able to see at all. I
halted the infantry, who marched very
well through the hot smoke, at Beth.
The cavalry have not yet reported. but
are some miles ahead. We have taken
few prisoners. Our casualties are
small
" kemp'S Farm. May 15.-Dundonald
reported late last night that he had
driven the rear guard on to the main
body of the enemy near Buralinden
where they occupied in force a strong
position with three powerful guns Ma