Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-05-29
A DAYS MARCH
ROBERTS Is RAPIDLY NEARING
JOHANNESBURG,
FIGHTING THE Beers,
Panic and Confusion Exists-Fev
Trenches Have Been Dug Around
Johannesburg.

Cape Town, May est Is rumored
here that General French has cut the
Boer communications W Heidel-
berg and Bokesburg, within a few miles
of Johannesburg.
London, May 20, 5 a. m.-Lord Roberts
is now within a days march OF JUhan-
nesburg and General French and len
.eral Hamilton fought the Beers from
noon until evening on Monday, with what
result is not known here. H. j. Whigan,
in a dispatch to the Daily Mail, dated
May %, says:
The generalization Of the T%ransvaal
is remarkable. Panic and confusion pre-
vail everywhere. Every n is wearying
of the war and full Of ear as to the COM
ing of the British. Operations were be-
ing carried on for encircling Pretoria
with Geographic communications Four
teen points in the line of defense were
connected with headquarters and with
Stats artillery, but this apparently was
the only defensive measure adopted.
There Were no other visible preparations.
Not much gold is likely to be found
in the treasury. The salaries of the of
ficials n judges have not been paid or
have been paid only in national bank
notes. which will be worthless when Lord
Roberts arrives. The seat of government
will be removed to Watervalbovan, a
small station on the Delagoa Bay rail-
way line. and then if necessary to Ly-
tdenburg. Both President Steyn and
President Kruger complain bitterly of
Lord Roberts unfair tactics in refusing
to meet the presidents in positions chosen
by them and in ~eternally turning them
by flank movements.
Around Johannesburg a few trenches
have been dug, but no other steps have
been taken for defense The railway
line is blocked with refugees from the
west and southwest, who are packed like
SaI'dineS in trucks.
1.-The government is now endeavoring
70 a,rS,,r fhh n1Ih1jn nv tpN1inp fhQm
that the British will not outrage and
plumber them, but it is too late. The pre-
viuus misstatelnentS are bringing their
rewards Food is very scarce and prices
rule high. The proposal to release the
British prisoners of war is due to this
cause. Members of the government and
of the volkraad express approval of the
proposal. but President Kruger is vio-
IDENTIFY opposed to 1t.
'One form of Internal machine which
meets with much approval is to be laid
under the rails of various lines. A pres
sure of some tons weight of - engine
will cause this to Xplod With most ter
rible effect. Many of these machines are
being made at the arsenal and great call
tion will have to be employed in neutral
izing them.
'There has been a decided change, in
public opinion. which has become quite
English. The burghers on command
sing God Save the Queen" and they
cannot De SIOppSL. All are SHth pl "aA
fare. In the towns the rabid anti-tn-
glish feeling is less rampant. People
are thinking of their property. The party
eager for surrender is now very 'nfu-
entail and includes the political leaders
at the front. The Intelligent pubic fee
that the game is up. False news nc
longer has any effect. and the lying re
ports of the newspapers are universally
disbelieved. Although the hand of the
censor has been very heavy on news OF
all kinds recently, every one believes the
worst.
THE government has arranged to con,
:tinue the agitation against the British
occupation of the two republics on the
continent of Europe, in Great Britain
and in the United States. Great efforts
are to be made in this direction and NJ
expense will be spared. I have excelien
reasons for believing the Bewaarplast,
sen rights have been sold to a Frencf
syndicate without the sanction of TIT
volhsraad. The government hopes D,
this e to bring about French inter
ivention for the protection of Frencf
rights in the Witwatersrand. and thu:
to cause England grave difficulties.
"The conduct OF United States Consu
Hay is admirably discreet and meets
with universal praise allk from Doe
and British sympat hizens.'
Another dispatch from L~ourenzo Mar
uues says:
urging President Kruger to arrang'
lpeace terms. Runaway ~burghers iron
Laing's Mex passed through Heidelber'
I]ast week. Wounded officials with the1
families are leaving Johannesburg ant
Pretoria for L%ydenburg. President stey'
oep,nies the house Of a British residen
at Pretoria.
Passengers arriving at Lourenzo Mar
io,es honda from Pretoria said 1t wa
believed that the British would not D.
at their capital for a month. Neverthe
ilass there was much unrest and anx
liety."
AnYNS ARPRE