The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-06-07
B0ERs IN A SAFE RETREAT.
LYDENBURG IS FORTIFIED BY
PRECIPITOus ROCKS.

There They Are We'll Proyisioned
nnce--British Operations Are Mt u
standstiII for the Present-Refu-
gees From Pretoria-Important
Boer Army at Lnlng's NeIz--A
Proposition Made TO Natal.
London, June 7. 3:15 a. m.--Military op-
erations in South Africa are apparently
at standstiii. For day or two the
tired troops of Lord Roberts are resting.
and he is filling the magazines and ware-
houses at his new base. Pretoria prepar-
atory TO a long chase after the retiring
Beers In the direction of Luxembourg. His
cavalry are probably seeking to intercept
commandant General Botha.
Some dispatches are TO hand which left
Pretoria Monday, while the fighting was
going on outside the city. They come by
way of Lorenzo Marques. One OF them
says:
Toward the end Of the day when ths
British naval guns were shelling tha
southern forts, a number OF projectiles
burst, damaging the suburbs. All day the
armed burghers have been leaving Pres
toria. going east. The greater part OF the
railway rolling stock has been removed.
Gen. Botha was fighting an essentially
rear guard action. his object being not to
defend Pretoria, but to delay Lord Rob-
erts until the railway switch had been
cleared and the main part of the Boer
army had started to withdraw. The Brit-
ish advance appears to have left open t0
the Beers the best line OF retreat along
the railway"
Possibly Lord Roberts may have been
nj "a n ant tl.o s~0tfx. f.fa
tirement was effected. That Pretoria
would be defended was apparently given
out after the council of war, with a view
OF misleading the British.
Lydenburg Well Fortified.
Lydenburg. the district into which the
provisions Originally destined for Pretoria
have been diverted and where a cartridge
factory has been erected and reserve sup
plies OF all sorts are stored is a volcanic
region Of fertile valleys, enclosed by grear
ramparts of precipitous rocks, penetrated
by narrow winding passes. There are
herds of cattle in the valleys, and there
Is much native labor available for FORTH
flying,
The Beers used both heavy and light
artillery at Pretoria.
What is supposed to have been the last
train out of Pretoria arrived at Lorenzo
Marques Sunday evening. The passengers
included number Of foreign volunteers.
who were leaving the Beers, and also the
wives and children Of the Hollanders. They
|deseribed Pretoria a. destitute Of food ara
clothing. What the Boer offictals could
not take the natives and townspeople did.
Probably the most important Boer army
is at I4aing's Mex. where both sides are
passive. Gen. Rumble and Gen. Brabant
have Withdrawn a little southward.
Gen. Baden-Powell has extended martial
law TO the Marico and North Idtchenherg
districts Shots were EXCHANGED between
Boer and British patrols eighteen miles
east of Mafeking on May 2S Part OF the
forces lately at Pretoria are reported to
have gone westward to meet Baden-Pow-
ell and 10 make show of holding the
country through which he and Gen Hun
ter are moving.
Beers Are Unorganized.
A dispatch to the Daily Telegraph from
Newcastle, dated Tuesday, describes tho
Beers there as an unorganized rabbie,
without -four, meat or sugar. Their sur
render Is only question OF time. Never
theless the correspondent AYERS. they hold
strong positions with the prospect OF .
safe retreat toward Lydenberg.
II Is understood at Newcastle that the
British government has approached the
Natal government with the propost en-
that Natal should voluntarily renounce
local sef-goyernment for a time In order
that a general system of crown govein n
ment may be Instituted for all South Az
rlca, leading, In the course OF time, to
federation and the subsequent autonomy
of the various states simultaneously.
Lourenzo Marques correspondents attach
Significance to the number of British war
ships In Delegoa Bay, suggesting that they
are there possibly In anticipation Of aid~
ing the Portuguese In the event Of dis-
turbances on th eTransvaal border.