The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1900-06-22
GEN. BOTHA GETS AWAY.
Boer Leader Evacuates the Strong
Position He Held in Front
Of Pretoria.
GEN. BUTLER HELPS ROBERTS OUT.
Line Of Commun icntion Has Been Re-
stored-AlI Lis Quiet In Pretoria
and Johannesburg-The Pncifca-
ton of the Transvaal VIII Take n
Long Time.


London, June 14.-After q weeks ST.
lence Lord Roberts has been heard
from, his line of communications hav-
ing been practically restored by means
of complete victory gained by Gems.
Methuen and Kitchener over Gen. De
Wet at the Rhenoster river, Tuesday,
June 12. The Boer camp was cap
tured and the burghers, it is added,
were scattered in all directions.
All is quiet at Pretoria and johann
nesburg; Lord Roberts says the gov
eminent need have no apprehension
about the security of the army in
South Africa, as it will not take long
to remedy the reverses and repair the
railroad
Retreat of Botha.
London, June 1.-THE war Office is
sues the following report from Lord
Roberts, under date of Pretoria, June
IS, afternoon:
The enemy evacuated their strong po-
sition during the night and have retired
to the eastward. Buffers force and mine
have afforded each other mutual assist
ance. Our occupation of Pretoria caused
numbers OF Beers to withdraw from
Laings Mex, and Buffers advance to-
Volksrust made them feel their rear
would be shortly endangered"
Dispatch from Butler.
Gen. Butler reports to the war Office
as follows:
Headquarters at Laings Mex, June IA,
morning.-Gen. Lyttleton yesterday re-
ceived the formal submission of the town
and district of Wakkerstroom, which the
to- 1o1tA Ioxr lnfa
evacuated
Has a Formidable Force.
London, June 15.-That Command
ant Gen. Louis Botha should have
been able to stand for two days
against Lord Roberts and then to re-
treat without losing any guns or hav-
ing any of his men captured is taken
to mean that he has force which
the British must still reckon as for
midable when acting defensiyely.
The pacification of the whole of the
Transvaal, especially the wide spaces
far from the railways, is looked upon
as business requiring months rather
than weeks.
Gain Strategic Position.
London. June 16.-The war office is
sues the following dispatch from Lord
Roberts:
Pretoria. Residency, June H-Klerks-
dorp surrendered on June to an armed
party sent on by Hunter.
"A messenger from Klerksdorp reports
that Cronje, who commanded there, de-
termined to surrender as soon as he knew
for certain that Pretoria was in our pos
session. His example has been copied
by many in the neighborhood. The court
house is now said to be full of arms"
An Important Position.
By the peaceful occupation of Klerks-
dprp, announced by Lord Roberts, the
British have gained a strategic position
of some Importance, as the town is not
only the terminus of another railroad
to johannesburg, but it is within easy
reach of the -Vierfontein
railroad.
The Cronje who surrendered the
place is a son of the famous Gen.
Cronje, now a prisoner at st. Helena.
The SON was prominent during the
siege of Matching.
Fresh Fighting Expected.
London, June 16.-Lord Roberts dis
patches leave affairs east of Pretoria
with the Beers withdrawn to new posi-
tions Tuesday. News of fresh fighting
is expected at the war Office, but none
came Friday night.
Steyn the Stumbling Block.
The Lourenzo Marques correspond
emit of the Times says:
'It appears that Steyn. and not Kru-
ger. is now the stumbling block in the
way of the surrender of the burghers.
Shortly after the British entry into Pre-
toria Mr.. Kruger proposed to reopen the
peace negotiations. Mr.. Steyn, bearing in
mind that his former advice was secuted,
demurred to this, and pointed out that,
according to the treaty between the re-
publics. neither could conclude peace
without the other. Mr.. kruger, equally
unwilling to incur the charge of breach
of faith, had to continue the war. Moth
ing further is known regarding the ru-
mored peace negotiations. but it is mat
ter of notoriety that Mr.. Kruger favors
peace on almost any terms. but disiikes
personally to take an initiative that
would involve unconditional surrender"