Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-05-28


there on telegraph duty. 1t was not
known that our troops had been tenn
porarily Withdrawn"
KroonstlG, Sunday, May 27.-Gen
Hamilton has invaded the Transvaal.
having crossed at Wonderfontein drift
London, May $3.50 A. M.-When
Lord Roberts wrote his first dispatch
cn Transvaal t4rritory, yesterday.
shortly before O'Clock in the after
noon. he was 81 miles from Johannes
burg and Il from Pretoria His i'm
mensely superior forces had passed the
Vaal river, their last great natural OBJ
stacIe al three points. The Vaal forms
curve Of 50 miles from Parys on the
west to Zand Drift on the east. The
cCncave of the curve is toward the Free
state Thus Lord Roberts, advancing
along the railways. was in position
to strike any part of the crescent by
shorter lines than those by which the
Beers could reinforce the threatened
points. The Beers retreated almost
without q show Of defense. Gen.
French and Gen. Hamilton apparently
did not fire a shot.
Of Lord Roberts immediate force, II
men. belonging to the Sth Mounted In
fantry, were the first II ford the river.
They came upon a Boer patrol looting
at Viijoens drift, and a Skirmish. last
ing 10 minutes. followed. Two hun
dred Beers tried feebly to hold the
NeIeeniging colliary, but they were dis
lodged.
Major Hunter Weston and Lieut..
Earl rode in advance Of Lord Robertst
80 miles into a hostile country to try
to cut the railway behind the Beers.
before the Vaal was crossed, but they
were too late.
The BUer rear guard is at Meyerton,
10 miles north Of Nereeniging Their
main body is moving toward the Kip
river hills that cover the south side of
johannesburg.
While Lord Roberts 10000 infantry.
20 oG0 horse and $50 guns are moving on
Johannesburg and Pretoria through a
parchcd and deserted country, the sit
uation at the Transvaal capital. as 1t
was last Friday. Is thus described by
an observer who sent his message by
private hand to Lourenzo Marques, yes
terday: The situation, both from
military and political point Of view,
has became very critical. President
Kruger. yesterday. admitted for the
first time that matters were very
grave The Boer determination is to
trust everything to a last stand on the
Gatsrani mountains. to the north or
Potchefstroom. where 5000 Kaffirs are
digging trenches. To that point every
available man and gun have been sent.
The whole Of the western border of
| the Transvaal from end to end Is de-
fenselesz: and Gen. Baden-Powell can
march in when he likes. Lord Roberts
on the other hand. will encounter the
greatest resistance. The Boer erdeav-
or is to lure the British into appearing
to threaten Johannesburg with attack.
I'll excuse thus being given them for
the d, struCtion If property. The Trans
vaal government will not dare destroy
the mines or property without an ex-
cusc. Much dynamite has been sent
down the line. and 5000 cases lie
ready near Johannesburg. Gen. Louis
Bothl and Gen. LukaS Meyer have
pleaded for the preservation of prop
erty. Both are large landed proprie-
tors and fear confiscation.
meanwhile, many French and Ger
man Adventures have come forward
with schemes and inventions for blow
ing up the British troops. Some Of
these have received n tactic permission
CONTINUED on page %