The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-05-24
BURCHERS FLEE BEFORE
LORD ROBERTS ADVANCE
Army Under His Command Has Reached the VaaI
River In Its Onward Movement.
British Take Hebron After Lively Engagement
Successes For VictOria'S Forces Are Reported.

OUSSSSS$S Va ANbOA AZ
London, May 23.-The war Office late
this evening published the following
from Lord Roberts;
South Bank of the RhenOster River.
May %, 100 D. m.--We found, on ar
rival here this morning, that the enemy
had fed during the night. They had
occupied a strong position on the north
hank of the river, which had been care
fully entrenched, but they did not think
it advisable to defend it when they
heard that Ian Hamilton's force was
at Hebron, 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 RhenCSter, sew
eral culverts and some miles Of railway
were destroyed.
Ian Hamilton's force drove the Beers
under Ret Dewet before them from
Lindley to Hebron. The passage OF
the Rhenoster was strongly disputed
Our loss might have been heavy but
for we'll concerted plan which brought
Smith DOrren's brigade on the enemy s
flank just at the right moment.
THE officer commanding at BoshOf
reports that upward of $50 Free Skaters
have surrendered during the last few
days, and that they have given up 36O
rifles. 100 horses and a large amount Of
ammunition.
"Kelly-Kenny reports that three com
panies of YeOmanry who We're sent 70
repair the telegraph line and TO clear
the country between BlOemfOntein and
I'D To
having performed the duty exceedingly
We'll"
Fighting at Heilbron.
A dispatch from Hebron. dated
Tuesday, May %, says: Fighting has
been in progress since Sunday, when
three British divisions started to sweep
the country as far as Bethlehem. Yes
terday the Beers attacked the British
rear, but were driven off. Today, after
a slight rear guard action, Colonel
Broadwood arrived with cavalry In
front of the town, having attacked the
commando which held the railway and
driven it headlOng, capturing thirteen
wagons and taking a number of prison
e=s.
''The burghers are fastening to sur
render their arms.
President Stem is at Frankfort.
= dispatch from Hong Spruit Orange
Free State. dated Tuesday evening,
May % says: General French mas
crossed the -Rhenoster river northwest
of here. This movement, combined with
General Ian Hamilton's occupation OF
Hebron. renders the BOer position
twenty miles in the British front IN
tenable. The latest. reports received,
however, say the burghers are prepared
to make a strong resistance, and pos
sess' fifteen guns"
Beers Surrender Near Kimberley.
From Kimberley comes the following
dispatch dated Tuesday, May p:
About SEQ Beers have surrendered at
Vryburg, north of Kimberley, and lit
tie more than half way between that
place and Mafeking. The road is all
clear from Mafeking and all opposl-
ton in this district is practically ended.
Canadians Are Prominent.
The following dispatch has been re-
ceived from Douglas, Cape Colony,
dated Tuesday, May p: "A force I'M
der General Warren, consisting OF
mounted infantry, imperial yeomanry
and two guns of the Canadian artillery
left Sooi Pan, Cape Colony, on the night
of Nav 20 and marched in two columns
under Colonies Hughes and Spence
Nothing was seen hOf the Beers until
, the British were within two miles OF
Douglas. when a few shells from the
Canadian artillery sent the burghers IN
full retreat towards Douglas.
Colonel Hughes column advanced
in diminishing order and after lengthy
exchange of shots the Beers fed. leaV-
ing their lager and a quantity of
stores and ammunition. Again today
800 Beers opened a hot fire on de-
tachment of yeOmanry, and the Cana
dian artillery repeated their excellent
practice and compelled the enemy to
retire"
Roberts is at the Frontier.
Lord, Roberts is drawing near to the
frontier of the Transvaal. His infantry
masses are thirty three miles north OF
KrOonstad. at the Rhenoster river.
Some thousands of cavalry are already
across the river
The Beers are retiring towards the
VaaI with their heavy baggage. They
are reported from Pretoria as already
across that river Twelve thousand
men and four guns compose the re-
treating army. Trains continue to run
from VerOnniging, at the Vaal, to Pre-
toria.
Foreign engineers assert that Preto-
ria is able to stand a years siege. Ac-
cording to advices from LOurenzo
Marques the Pretoria Notifications are
described as complete, but Johannes
burg has not yet been placed entirely
in a state of defense. The Transvaal
government papers and the war chest
have been removed to Lydenburg.
Foreigners continue to leave the re-
public The Dutch cruiser F'rieslan0 is
at Delagoa bay, SO it is reported, To
furnish an asylum to the fleeing HOl-
landers and passage to Europe.
The Boer forces continue to dwindle.
Some of the correspondents assert that
probably only about $4,000 of the hardi-
est fighters yet remain, although there
are detached parties in various parts
of the TransvaaI.
Women Try to Flog Kruger.
One of the curious pieces of gossip
from LOurenzO Marques is that several
women tried to sjambok President Kru-
ger. who was rescued by his body
guard. He rarely leaves the presidency
now, but works necessarily. holding
councils at daybreak and during the
night II was announced at Pretoria
Sunday that the government proposed
removing the British prisoners from
Pretoria.
Mafeking dispatches continue to pour
aNfeking dispatches continue to pour
into London relating to events imme-
diately preceding the relief and entry
of the troops. The correspondents al
agree that the Canadian artillery. Ma
/ iOr Endons' seven guns. did splendid
work Some of them assert that the
Canadians did absolutely essential
work in the lighting"
About in the evening of the day
before the relief, after Colonel Hahon
and Colonel Plumer had defeated the
Beers nine miles from Mafeking, Major