Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1900-05-16

Thursday, says the Mafeking relief
force has passed through yryburg.
A special dispatch from Pretoria,
dated May 10. says: ut is announced
that a British relief force of 5000 is
advancing along the Bechuana railway
by forced marches night and day. 1t
reached Vryburg yesterday"
lNOte.-Vryburg is about 100 miles
south Of Mafeklng.l
London, May 14.-General Roberts
has an army Of 100000 men for guard
ing his communications and operating
on front virtually 200 miles wide,
from Fourteen Streams to Biggars-
burg. Against this army the Beers
have 10000 burghers In the Transvaal
and Natal. and President Steyn has,
perhaps, 5000 burghers under arms in
the Bethlehem district. The Dutch
have fought bravely and made won
derful defense, but the day of miracles
has passed. There was sharp Skin
mishing on Friday on the road to
Kroonstad, and Gordon's kavalry bril-
gade acted with gallantry in the final
onset. The town was formally sur
rendered by the LandrOst after the
Transyaal burghers had removed the
bulk of their own stores, blown up
bridge, wrecked the railway station
and done other damage.
Bioemfontein Scenes Repeated.
There were groups of British SYM
pathizers in the streets when General
Roberts entered the town at the head
of his troops, and the scenes enacted
at Bloemfontein under similar c0ndi-
lions were repeated. The troops halt
ed after their long march, the two
columns, which had been forty miles
apart at the outset, having been
massed at Kroonstad. This town will
now be converted into an advanced
base of supplies for operations in the
Transvaal.
While General Botha, with the
Transvaal burghers, has retired to the
Vaal river, President Steyn, with the
remnant of the Free State army, is
making a feeble stand in the north
eastern corner. Heilbron has been
abandoned, because it lies on the line
Of General Roberts march north, but
Lindley, on the Vaalsch river, north
of Ficksburg, is held by a small Dutch
force as temporary capital, with
Bethlehem and Harrismith as places OF
refuge.
Beers Moving North.
Olivier's commanders have been OPP
Grating against Rundle's division from
Mequatlings' Mex, from which the
line Of retreat leads through Ficksburg
to Bethlehem. General Brabant's
scouts reported Saturday that the
Beers were moving north. What re-
mains Of the Free State force could
be easily dispersed IL General Hid
yards division were sent from Natal
over the mountains to Harrismith.
General Roberts plan of campaign,
unless all signs fail, will not include
operations on large scale against
Bethlehem and the scattered Free
State commanders on the eastern
flank. He will make a fresh start
for the Vaal after a brief halt, and
carry the bulk of his army into the
Transvaal, leaving Steyn's burghers at
liberty to retain control of small
section of the country around Bethle-
hem, where they will gradually dis
perse under pressure from Rumble.
BULLER MEETS WITH SUCCESS.
According to n Dispatch Received by the
Associated Press.
London, May IA dispatch re-
ceiyed by The Associated Press from
Pietermaritzburg. Natal. timed 1905
o. m. Monday. brings the first intima-
ton of success attained by General
Butler in northern Natal. The sender
OF this dispatch evidently assumes that
news Of the affair has been received
direct from the scene of hostilities, for
he merely says:
General Buffers official telegram
notifying his success at the Blggars.
berg. received here an hour ago. has
given keen satisfaction. 1t is confident
" anticipated that Dundee will be Oc.
cupied by the British today. The resi-.
dents of the north country are delight
ed, as forcing the Biggarsberg means
that they will speedily be enabled to
return to their homes"
Another dispatch to The Associated
Press dated Stone Hill Farm, $40
Monday morning, says:
''After four days march eastwards
at the foot Of the Bggarsberg ridges,
In the direction Of Helpmakaar. which
was occupied by the federals. the Sec
ond brigade, Sunday, led the attack
DundOnald's cavalry broke the Beers
center aud Bethunes' Horse advanced
on their extreme right. In the dlrec-
tion OF Pomoroy small party OF
burghers occupied ridge overlooking
Helpmakaar. but they did not wait
Tor the assault"
A special dispatch from Stone Hill
Farm, Natal, dated Monday, says:
General Buffers advance com
menced Thursday, when he left Lady
smith, In strength. When within two
miles Of Helpmakaar the Beers opened
q heavy artillery fire and the British
guns replied, while portion of Bul
ler's troops worked round the BoeI
TANKS. The British attack was pressed
home Sunday. Bethune on the right
outfianked the Beers, whose splendid
defensive positions on the Biggarsberp
were practically taken. General Bull
ler's march subsequent to the attack
was carried out without hitch. The
British are still pushing on"
Dreyfus Worries Paris.
Paris, May 14.-Captain ALFRED
Dreyfus left Geneva and arrived will
his wife In Paris, The government II
much worried by this journey, which
was quite unlocked for. and will TAKE
measures to have him leave as sooI
as possible, owing TO its fear Of dem
onstratiops.