The semi-weekly messenger., 1900-05-25
ADVISED TO SURRENDER
ENVOY flSCHER'S ADVICE To KRUGER
FROM WASHINGTON.
ROBERTS is DRAWING NEARER
To the Transvaal Frontier-Boers Civ
Ing Back-They Abandon a Strong
Position Their Army Decreasing-A
Description ofthe Relief of Mafeking.
Pretoria Prepared for a Seige OF
Twelve Months Wife of Secretary of
State Reitz Sails for Europe.

a
Twelve Months-wife of Secretary of
State Reitz Sails for Europe.
London, May "a, 4:90 m-Lord Rob-
erts is drawing near 10 the frontier
of the Transvaal His infantry masses
are thirty three miles north of Kroon
stad, at the Rhenoster river. Some
thousands of cavalry are already across
the river. The Beers are retiring to-
ward the Vaal with their heavy bag
gage. They are reported from Pre-
toria as already across that river.
Twelve thousand men and four guns
compose the retreating army. Trains
continue to run from Veronniging, at
the Vaal, to Pretoria.
Foreign engineers assert that Pre-
toria is able to stand a years siege.
The Boer forces continue to dwin-
die, some correspondent asserting tnat
only about "a 900 of the hardest hgnt-
ers yet remain.
1t was announced at Pretoria Sunday
thAt the government purposed remoV-
| ing the British prisoners from Preto-
ria
Lady Sarah Wilson cables regarding
| the relief of Mafeking: The fighting
| before the relief was very hard A
severe struggle proceeded yesterday
! CMay 16) from o'clock p. M, until
| dusk The Beers were forced SLOWLY
| to retreat, contesting every inch. AT
sunset they still held the last position.
| Colonel Mahon entered the town IN
| the brilliant moonlight. The Beers
| were as tired out as we were, and they
never guessed that an attempt would
be made to force an entry before morn
| ing Therefore their surprise was
| complete. They deserted their laagers,
| leaving a lot of food which was divid-
| ed up among the people of Mafeklng.
DR.. Leyds, according to the Brussels
correspondent of The Daily Express,
has quarreled' with the Transvaal gov
| ernment A representative of Kruger
is alleged to have demanded an ac-
| counting respecting $2,5O0,000 that has
| passed through DR.. Leyds' hands DR..
| Leyds is said to have replied that the
| money had all been expended and to
| have expressed indignation when ask
4 ed for an itemized statement.
\ MRS. REITZ SAILS FOR EUROPE.
London, May 24-The Lourenzo Mar
| ques correspondent of the Times says:
Mrs. Reitz, wife of the Transvaal
state secretary and her children have
| gone to Europe on the Bundesrath,
which is believed to have taken large
quantity of bullion, and possibly sew
| eral important Boer politicians.
Cape Town, May 23.-It is reported
here that President Kruger has re-
| ceiyed a communication from Abra-
| ham Fischer, one Of the Boer delegates
in the United States, advising him to
| surrender on the best terms OBTAIN
able from Lord Roberts. 1t is also un-
derstood that when Lord ROBERTS
crosses the Vaal river he will issue
proclamation announcing that IL lne
| burghers return to their farms tnelr
| property and stock will be respected.
Honing Spruit, Orange Free State,
Tuesday Evening, May 22-General
French has crossed the Rhenoster river
northeast Of here. This movement
combined with General Ian Hamilton $
occupation of Heilbron, renders the
Boer position twenty miles in the Brit
ish front untenable.
BOERS ABANDON A STRONG PO-
SITION.
London, May 23.-The war office, late
this evening, published the following
from Lord Roberts:
South bank Of the Rhenoster river,
May %, 1:30 p. m.-We found on ar
rival here this morning that the enemy
had fed during the night. They had
occupied strong position on the north
bank of the river, which had Deen
carefully entrenched, but they did not
think advisable to defend it when they
heard that Ian HamiltOn's force was
at Heilbron and that our cavalry,
which had crossed the Rhenoster,
some miles lower down the stream,
were threatening their right and rear.
The bridge over the Rhenoster. sew
eral culverts and some miles or rail-
way were destroyed.
Ian Hamilton's force drove the
Beers under deWet before them from
Lindley to Heilbron. The passage OF
the Rhenoster was strongly disputeC
Our loss might have been heavy, but
for a we'll concerted plan which
brought Smith Dorrien's brigade on
the enemy's flank, just at the right
moment.
''Kelly-Kenny reports that three
companies of yeomanry who were sent
to repair the telegraph and to clear
the country between Bloemfontein and
Bosha have returned to Bloemfontein,
having performed the duty exceeding
ly WELL
HOW MAFEKING WAS RELIEVED.
London, May 23.-The war office is
sues a dispatch from Lord Roberts
under date Of Henings spruit, May %,
announcing the receipt by him Of the
following message from Major General
Baden-Powell:
"Mafekng, May II.
Il am happy to inform you that
Mafeling was successfully relieved to-
day. The northern and southern col
umns Joined hands on May 18th and
attacked the enemy yesterday, but
after small engagement, entirely de-
feated them with loss. The British cas-
ualdes were three killed and twenty
two wounded.
The relieving force marched into
Ma1eking at o'clock this morning;
and the relief and defense forces COM
bined and moved out and attacked the
enemys head laager. We shelled them
out and nearly captured Snyman, and
took one gun. a flag and large amount
or ammunition. stores, etc. Five dead
and fifteen wounded Beers were found.
The enemy appear to be retreating in
all directions. except one commando
which is lying low, possibly to cover the
retreat Of the remainder.
] Captain MacLaren and Corporal