The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1900-06-14
WORDFROMR0B
Pretoria and Johannesburg
Perfectly Quiet.
BOERS RETIRE BEFORE BUTLER.
President Kruger Ready For Imme-
date Flisht-Transvaal Capital
Soon to Be Moved to
Mountain Town.

Mountain Town,
! LONDON, June A. - The dispatch
from Lord Roberts clearing up the stu
alton at Pretoria and along the commu-
nications stands alone. Military OBJ
servers, noting that no mention Is made
of prisoners, assume that General De
Wet got away with his forces practically
intact.
A lengthy dispatch forwarded to the
war office by Major General Knox from
kroonstadt, presumably sent there by
messenger, reads as follows:
I'VE have been requested to forward
you from Lord Roberts the following
dispatch from the Pretoria residency at
sos a. m. today:
Pretoria and johannesburg are per-
fectly quiet, and several of the inhabit-
ants have expressed gratitude for the
peace and order which prevail
"'After surrendering the city Botha
retired to a place about Is miles east on
the Middleburg road. He had small
force ut first, but during the last few
days his numbers increased, and his be-
ing SO near the town kept up the excite
ment in the country, prevented the
burghers from laying down their arms
and interfered with the collection of sup
plies. 1t therefore became necessary to
attack him. This l did yesterday. He
held a very strong position, practically
unassailable in front, which enabled him
to place the lhain portion of his troops
on his tanks, which he knew from for
mer experience were his vulnerable parts.
l sent French with Porter's and Dixon's
cavalry brigades and Hutton's mounted
infantry round by our left and Ian Ham
ilton, with Brentwood and Gordon's cav
airy brigade, Ridleys mounted infantry
and Bruce Hamilton's infantry brigade
round by our right. Both columns met
with great opposition. At about 8 in the
afternoon l saw two Of Hamiton's in
fantry battaions advancing to what ap-
peared to be the key of the enemy's de-
Tense on their left flank. This was al
most gained before dark, and | ordered
the force to bivouac on the ground they
had won
"'Pole Carew, with his division, occu-
pied our center.
"'As l have explained, he could not
attack, but he gradually advanced, so as
to support Ian Hamilton, and when l
left the field he was on the line held by
the enemys outposts in the morning.
81 hurried back to get news Of Meth
uen's movement. On hearing that the
Free Staters had taken advantage Of our
crossing the Vaal to interrupt our line
of communication l sent Kitchener with
such troops as l could then spare to Yer
[ Vredefort? with orders to push south
and communicate with Methuen, who,
knew, had very compact force in the
vicinity of Hebron. l also dispatched
a special messenger to Methuen, instruct
Ing him to push on at all speed to the
main line Of railway. These two officers
met at Vredefort road station in the
evening of June 10. They marched yes
terday to Rhenoster river, where Meth
uen gained complete victory over De
Wet and took possession of his camp
and scattered his troops In al~directions.
He and Kitchener marched today toward
Kroonstadt
"'Her majestys government need have
no apprehension ms to the security of the
army in South Africa. The enemy gain
ed slight success, which was unfortu-
nate, but which will be remedied very
shortly, and 1t will not take long to re-
pair the damage done to the railway. As |
these diversions are all in existence, am
low able to hold the line between this
md Rhenoster in strength. Methuen
will arrange to guard it onward as he
advances
General Butler entered Volsrust on
Wednesday, passed through Charleston
md encamped near Laingsnek. The
unnel was not much damaged. Both
'nds were blown up, but the engineers
hink that repairs can be effected in
lbout four days.
The advance troops Of General Butler
aw the Bocr rear guard fouY miles dis
ant yesterday. 1t was estimated that
1000 Beers were withdrawing The
ownspeople at Ermelo counted Is guns.
Three hundred Free Staters, released
rom guarding Van Reenen's pass, have
zone to join President Steyn's commando
n the eastern part of Orange River Col
my. General Rumble has sent notice to
he Free Staters that unless they surren-
Ter by June 10 their farms and other
possessions will be contiscatcd.
President Kruger, according to dis.
latch from Lourenco Marques, keeps a
otpHi'tiNe WIN hp htthNH'u "
he car in which he concentrates the cx-
cutive offices Of the government, and h,
Intends to leave Machadodorp soon and
0 establish the Transvaal capital at Mel
pruit, in the mountains, fine defensive
egion
The state printing press is operating at !
producing leaflets contain
ng war news for distribution among
he Beers.
1t is again reported at Lourenco Mar
ues that the British are advancing
Trough Swaziland. Lord Roberts it APP
ears, however, counternandcd the order
iven to Strathcona's horse to land on
he coast and to penetrate to the Trans
aal through the Swat country.