The Savannah morning news., 1900-06-16
BRITISH TOOK DIAMOND HILL.
SPLENDID ADVANCE MADE OVER
DIFFICULT GROUND.

rounded and Hastily Retired.
Beers VIII Withdraw Through the
LydenburE District Into the Zout-
pansberg Region-It Is Said steyn
Stands in the Way of Peace.
Troops May he Sent to China.
London, June 15 6:1e p. m.-The war Of
ice has received the following dispatch
from Lord Roberts:
Pretoria, June 15.-As 1 telegraphed
teen miles east of Pretoria, the Beers
evacuated their position during the night
of June u. They had paid SO much at
tention to Strengthening their f1anks,
that their center was weakly held. and
as soon as this became evident on June
12, I directed Ian Hamilton TO attack.
He moved against Diamond Hill with the
Suffolks, Derbyshires and City Imperial
Volunteers. supported on the left by the
Guards brigade under lingo Jones.
''It was grand, seeing the way our men
advanced over the difficult ground and
under a heavy fire.
THE casualties, I am thankful to say,
were less than 1OO a very small number.
considering the natural strength of the
position which had to be carried.
Made the Beers Retreat.
"Our seizure of Diamond Hill caused the
Beers to feel they were practically sur
rounded and this resulted in their hasty
retirement. They were being followed yes
terday by some of our mounted corps
Hamilton spoke in high terms of the
troops engag ged. Hamilton received con-
fusion from a shrapnel bullet in the
shoulder, but is not, L am happy to say
unable to perform his duty"
The rest of Lord Roberts dispatch
deals with the casualties and Gen. Ba-
den-Powelfs movemen nts in Western
Transvaal where Baden-Powell with 800
men is systematically re-establishing or
der and collecting arms and supplies.
About COO Beers have surrendered and
Baden-Powen captured 230 prisoners.
According to Baden-Powells report the
Beers will readily discuss terms of sur
render and they all appreciate the work
OF pacification performed by his troops.
No News of Fresh Fighting.
London, June 16, a. m.-Lord Roberts
dispatches leave affairs east of Pretoria
with the Beers Withdrawn TO new posi-
tons Tuesday. News of fresh fighting Is
expected at the war Office, but none came
last night.
Gen. Rundles patrol had a skirmish
with Boer videttes again Wednesday.
Some wonder is expressed here as to what
he is doing with three divisions. 1t is
assumed by some that Gen. Butler will
move into Orange River Colony and CO.
operate with Lord Methuen and Gen.
Rumble in bagging President Steyn and
his seven or eight thousand followers.
Part of Christian Botha's force has halt
ed at Paardekop, eighteen miles northwest
of Volksrust. Boer parties are still near
Volksrust and fire occasionally upon the
British pickets.
The British government is considering
whether substantial force should not be
sent to China from South Africa. II IS
thought unofficially, that Lord Roberts
could spare a brigade or two, and the
necessary transports are now in South
African waters. The commander Of the
expedition, it is said, would probably be
Gen. Sir William Nicholson.
Where the Beers Will Go.
A dispatch from Lorenzo Marques
dated yesterday, says:
Persons have arrived here, who have
seen the preparations of the Beers, and
learned that they will retire, when forced
through the Lydenburg District into the
Zcutpansberg region, adjoining Rhodesia
and Gazaland."
The Daily Mail has a dispatch from
Bloemfontein, dated Wednesday, saying:
Gen. DeWets attack on the railway
was made after he had succeeded in Turing
Lord Methuen from where he had destroy
ed the line. Then he cleverly seized 1t
north of Kroonstad, blew up the bridge
and destroyed long section of the line
with dynamite"
Maj Gen. Baden-Powell has been ap-
pointed to the temporary rank of lieuten-
ant general.
The Cape Town correspondent of the
Daily Telegraph in dispatch dated yes
terday, says:
II understand that Gen. Dewet, in ad-
dition to the Derbyshlre battalion, cap
tured two companies of the City Volun-
teers and two companies of Yeomanry, two
men only escaping to tell the tale
Steyn i'm the Way of Peace.
The Lorenzo Marquee correspondent of
the Times says:
1T appears that Steyn and not Kruger
is now the stumbling block in the way
of the surrender of the burghers. Short
ly after the British entry into Pretoria,
Mr.. Kruger proposed to reopen the peace
negotiations. Mr.. Steyn, bearing in mind
that his former advice was secuted, de-
Ia III leu ~ tAiiS' uHN POAHtcu OOt tllot, az
cording to the treaty between the repub-
lies, neither could conclude peace, with
out the other.
Mr.. Kruger equally unwilling to incur
the charge of a breach of faith, had to
continue the war. Nothing further is
known regarding the rumored peace ne
gotiations; but it is a matter of notoriety
that Mr.. Kruger favors peace on almost
any terms. but dislikes personally to take
any initiative that would involve uncondi-
tional surrender.
"Ninety-seven burghers out OF 200 in one
commando have returned to their homes"
CRONJE GAVE UP F2LERK SDORP.