Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-06-07
BoERs RETREAT TOWARD EAST.
Believed That They Will Make n
Stand at LydenburH.

Stand at Lydenbur9.
LONDON. June military operations in
South Africa are apparently at a standstill.
For day or two the tired troops of Lord
Roberts are resting. and he is filling the
magazines and warehouses at his new base,
Pretoria, preparatory to a long chase after
the retiring Beers In the direction of Ly-
denburg. His cavalry are probably seek
ing to intercept Commandant Genera!
Botha. Beyond dispatch from Lord Rob-
erts briefly telling of the occupation of
Pretoria and the unfurling Of the British
colors, the war office received no news to-
day, and the wires seem to be closed to the
correspondents who are In a position to
describe current events at the front.
Some dispatches are at hand which left
Pretoria Monday while the fighting was
going on outside the city. They come by
way of Lourenco Marquee. One of them
says:
Toward the end of the day. when the
British naval guns were shelling the south
ern forts. number of protecties burst,
damaging the suburbs. All day armed
burghers have been leaving Pretoria, going
east The greater part of the railway roll
ing stock has been removed.
Gen. Botha was fighting an essentially
rear guard action. his object being not to
defend Pretoria, but to delay Lord Roberts
until the railway switch had been cleared
and the main part of the Boer army had
started to withdraw. The British advance
appears to have left open to the Beers the
best line of retreat along the railway.
Roberts May Have Cut Railroad.
Possibly Lord Roberts may have been
able to cut the railway before full re-
tircment was effected. That Pretoria would
be defended was apparently given out after
the council of war with a view of mislead-
ing the British.
T1rdo fha 1fsfrf int uh n
provisions originally destined for Pretoria
have been diverted and where cartridge
factory has been erected and reserve sup
plies of all sorts are stored. is volcanic
region of fertile valleys, inciosed by great
ramparts of precipitous rocks, penetrated
by narrow, winding passes. There are
herds of cattle in the valleys, and there
Is much native labor available for fortify-
ing.
The Beers used both heavy and light ar
tillery at Pretoria. What is supposed to
have been the last train out of Pretoria
ing. The passengers included a number OF
foreign volunteers. who were leaving the
Beers, and also the wives and children Of
Holanders. They described Pretoria as
destitute of food and clothing. What the
Boer officials could not take the natives
and townSpeople did.
Probably the most important Boer army
Is at 1aings Mex, where both sides are
passive.
Gen. Rumble and Gen. Brabant have with
drawn a little southwark.
Gen. Baden-PoWell has extended martial
law to the Marico and North Lichtenberg
districts. Shots were exchanged between
Boer and British patrols eighteen miles
east of Mafeking on May %. Part of the
forces lately at Pretoria are reported to
have gone westward to meet Baden-Powell
and to make show of holding the country
through which he and Gen. Hunter are
moving.
disnatch tn the DaiIv Teleeranh from
Newcastle, dated Tuesday, describes the
Beers there as an unorganized rabble, with
out flour, meat or sugar. Their surrender
is only question of time. Nevertheless,
the correspondent AYERS, they hold strong
positions with the prospect of safe re-
treat toward Lydenburg.
British Scheme for Future.
1t is understood at Newcastle that the
British government has approached the
Natal government with a proposition that
Natal should voluntarily renounce local
self-government for time in order that
general system Of crown government may
be instituted for all South Africa, leading
in the course of time to federation and the
subsequent autonomy Of the various states
simultaneously.
Lourenco Marquee correspondents attach
significance to the number Of British war
ships in Delagoa bay, suggesting that they
the Portuguese in the event of disturbances
on the Transvaal border.
Lord Salisbury cabled to Lord Roberts as
follows: IT earnestly congratulate you on
the crowning result Of your brilliant STRAIT
egy and the devotion of your gallant SOL
diers.'
There is a strong feeling throughout the
country that striking honors should be con-
ferred Immediately upon Lord Roberts,
without waiting until he returns to Eng
land.
The Lourenco Marquez correspondent OF
the Times, telegraphing June s, says: "Ac-
cording to refugees from Pretoria thous-
ands Of burghers, under Gen. Botha, have
taken an oath to continue the struggle to
the bitter end.
Omitted States Consul Hollis started for
the Transvaal today. The nature Of his
mission is not made public here
A dispatch to the Times from Bulawayo
dated May 25. says that the Rhodesian
government has proclaimed public holi-
day for three days to celebrate the relief
of Mafeking.
A Cane Town dispatch says: '"The boy