The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-05-25
HumiIton's Cavalry Thirty Miles from
the vaal and the Center Ten
Miles Further South.
BURGHERs TAKING vo
VOTE
MAY DECIDE WITHIN FORTNIGHT
TO GUT FIGHTING.
Nothing Known as to what Is Trans
pfrfng at Pretoria-Movement
of Gen. Buffers Forces.

LONDON, May ., 900 d. in--LOfu fNoo-
erts's infantry advance is delayed at the
Rhenoster river for day or two by the
depth OF the stream. which is not fordable.
The banks. which are precipitous. are forty
feet high. A pontoon and temporary bridge
constructions are under way. The railway
has not been damaged to any great extent
between Kroonstad and Rhenoster. The
Transvaalers have offended the Free
S.aters by destroying their splendid bridges
when retiring to Kroonstad. They re-
Trained from doing this on the retreat to
Rhenoster, but now they are destroying the
railroad and bridges almost completely
north OF the Rhenoster.
The British troops are in the form of
crescent. Gen. Ian Hamilton's mounted
men are within thirty miles Of the Vaal.
The center OF the crescent is about forty
miles from the vaal. Seventy or eighty
miles to the left Lord Methuen is advanc-
ing up the vaal
Boer kilograms say that three thousand
British. with ten guns, are near Vreend-
fort. which is close to the vaal and close to
Parys. One correspondent refers to the ad-
vance as e promenade" Another describes
IL as "Boer hunt" The Free Staters are
pictured as ''bolting like hares'' at the first
sight of the British. The latter, according
to one writer. do not even find women and
children. as the fleeing farmers take their
families with them. in consequence of the
reports current among the Transvaalers
that the British kidnap all children over
twelve years of age. The Boer rear guard
was composed Of Russians. to whom was
committed the task OF destroying the
bridges. They also looted freely
What the Beers are doing is an absolute
mystery. The embargo of news out of Pre-
toria for the last twenty-four hours has
been complete. Such shreds Of information
as the correspondents at Lourenzo Marques
have picked UP do not illuminate the Boer
designs and dispositions further than that
the movement toward Lydenburg contin-
ues and that referendum on the question
OF continuing the war is going on among
the Boer fighting men. II may be a fort
night before the results of this singular
vote are fully before the Transvaal gov
ernment. II the English view of Boer dis
coura cement is one-half right, the Beers
will vote TO quit.
The Lourenzo Marques correspondent of
the Times. telegraphing Wednesday says:
According to a private letter, smuggled
now favors surrender, on the ground that
continuance Of the war would ruin the
property of the burghers. He has thrown
upon the commandants the onus of what
course to pursue. Civilian prisoners re-
leased at Pretoria report extraordinary
activity during the last two weeks on the
railway from Pretoria to Petersburg AS
many as twenty trains are running dailv
aud a.
been used to move supplies northward for
safety"
In Natal General Dartnelrs volunteers
occupied Mount Prospect on Monday Lord
,Dundonald's cavalry is at Firmstones, near
Insoge- His infantry rests at Schoen-
shoogte- The names are all of fateful MEM
ory In the first Boer war. The British face
Laing's mex. where the Beers. through the
range glasses of the British. are occasion
ally visible. In the march across the Big
garsberg all the farms except one were
found vacant. temporary bridge has
been finished at Waschbank. Trains now go
to Dundee. General Butler said the best
way to celebrate the Queens birthday was
to repair the railway to Newcastle. and
every man was put to work.
Earl De la War;. who was supposed to
have been captured at the time of the dis
aster that befell the squadron of Bethune's $
horse. contrived to escape. He lay all night
with a wounded leg behind an ant beap.
reaching the camp next day.
AS the railway is now open north of
Mafeking. an abundance OF provisions Is
entering the town. plenty of flour and meat.
and few laxuries. The telegraph mes
sages will probably come from Mafeking
direct over the northern route in a day or
two.
South Africa has another inffiction An
extraordinary issue OF the Gazette. al Dur
ban. announces the death of an East In
dian from the bubonic plague. The govern
ment has put into force the most stringent
preventive measures. but fears are ex-
pressed that the pestilence may get among
the troops.
The Transvaal National Bank has sus-
pended gold payments. under authorization
from the government requiring the accent
ance OF bank notes The institution has
large assets. apparently. I'm London. one
hundred and fifty thousand pounds were
seized at Cape Town and e25.O00 at Durham
Mr.. Lucan, chairman OF the London COM
mittee OF the bank says: "The Transvaal
government is laying hands on every ounce
OF gold IL can find in the country. The gov
ernment has notking 10 lose and everything
TO gain thereby. Financial circles here are
interested in many indirect ways. espe-
cially as TO whether the Transvaars I. O.
Us will be redeemed"
The Birmingham Argus. which keeps I'm
pretty close touch with the Colonial once.
says: I'VE understand that general cleo
ton viii be ordered soon as Lord Rob
srts obtains an additional success. The