The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-05-11
THE BRITISH
Continued Steadily Toward Pretoria.
Roberts Outposts Reach the Zand,
Where the Beers are Found in Force.
Dispatches from Mafeking.

NiSPoINLCo IIOIH aIekl
Warrenton, Cape Colony, May s.
A British camp is now being formed
at Fourteen Streams. HI old railroad
bridge "a be repaired in a week. A
Boer prisoner says the burghers. who
numbered 10000, are now on their way
to Christiana.
Smaldeel, O. F. S., May 7.-General
Hutton's advanced camp of the COL
onial regiments is tonight settled at
Lodgelegen siding.
According to reports, the Beers in
tend to make a big stand near the
Zand river The railroad has been re-
paired to the south side of the Vet
river and the engineers are busy MAX
ing a deviation across the bed.
Beers AT MAFEKING REIN
FORCED.
Lorenzo Marques, Sunday, May g.
A dispatch received here from Colonel
Plumer's camp, bearing date April
18th, states that the Beers around
Mafeking have been gradually rein
forced, and their strength is estimated
at 5000.
Colonel Plumer has succeeded in
communicating with Mafeking by
means of carrier pigeons and is en-
uedNOTluS 10 communicate with the
southern relief column.
London, May S.-The following dis
ratch from Lord Roberts has been re-
ceived at the war office:
"Smaldeel, May THE railway from
BrandfOrt to this place has been con-
siderably damaged and the bridge over
the Vet river has been hopeleSsly dam
aged. This delays supplies coming up.
Every few yards charges of rackarock
have been laid under rails. This might
a created loss of life, but was for
tunately discovered by a West Aus
tralian infantryman.
In spite of these wrecked railroads
the British advance goes on steadily.
Lord Roberts %outpoSts are apparently
about twelve miles north of Smaldeel.
General Brabant has Joined General
Rumble at Thambuchu whence they
are moving forward. The country is all
quiet in that direction.
The Beers evacuation of Thabanchu
is reported to have been due to the re-
ceipt of an urgent message from Pres
ident Stein. The Beers are said to be
moving forward, but their immediate
destination is not known.
The whereabouts of the British cav
airy under General french is still a
mystery, while Genera Kelly-Kenny'S
and General Chermside's divisions are
also u~naccounted for.
A dispatch from Cape Town, dated
today, says: Lord Roberts phenom-
n a advance is not only utterly de-
moralizing the Beers, but is striking
| terror into the rebel colonists. The re-
relief of Mafeking is expected at any
moment"
DISPATCHES FROM MAFEKING.
The Cape Town correspondent is
slightly optimistic as regards Mafe-
king. Judging from the recent dis
patches, the British forces south of
Mafekiag are still nearly 200 miles
from their objective, while the latest
| advices from Mafeking itself, dated
April 29th, show little amelioration in
the conditions there. These dispatches
say: 1.-THE besieged are celebrating the
200th day of the siege with horse din
ners."
Colonel Baden-Powell sem a mes
sage to Lord Roberts, saying: After
200 days of siege 1 desire to bring to
your l~ordship's notice the exception
ally good spirit and loyalty which per
vades all classes of the garrison. and
king in making the best of things un-
der the long strain of anxiety, hard
ship and privations, which is beyond
all praise and admiration to me. The
men, half of whom are not accustom-
ed to h use of arms, have adapted
themselves 10 tnelT duties WIFI the
greatest zeal and readiness. The pluck
and devotion of the women have beer
remarkable. With such spirits our or
ganiZation runs like clock work. 1 have
every hope it will pull us through"
THE BOERS' STAND ON THE ZANI
London, May S.-The war office ha:
Issued the following dispatch from
Lord Roberts, dated Smaldeel, Ma.
Sth
General Hutton, with mounted in
fantry, reconnoitered yesterday to tn,
Zand river n found the enemy il
considerable force. General Broad
woods brigade Of cavalry, with Gen
eral Ian Hamilton's force, performed
the same operation with much tn
same result"