The Saint Paul globe., 1900-05-26
BRITISH HEARING TRlISVlAL
ARE IN OVERWHELMING FORCE.
AND BOERS KEEP RETREAT
ING BEFORE THEM
PRESIDENT KRUGER's PLANS
Said That He Will Retire to Lyden-
burg When Fighting Is Immi-
nent at johannesburg and
Pretoria.

LO\DON, May 26.-The latest jnteli-
| gence from Lord Roberts Headquarters
! at Vredsfort station, filed Thursday, 5:45
p. M, was that the British were rapidly
advancing. Gen. Hamilton had effected
a junction with Lord Roberts. The coun-
try in front of them was clear of Beers
to VilJoen's drift. The Peers We're eYac-
uating all their positions south Of the
Vaal river, and 5000 had already cro.s ID
to the north bank. Probably Gen.
French's cavalry is already reconnoiter-
ing the fords of the Vaal
War office observers expect that the
next dispatch srom the fclG marshal will
be dated in sight Of the Transvaal from
:i-r Mr.. Beur4:t hurlcigh wiring
the Daily Telegraph from Vredsfort,
Thursday morning, said Lord Roberts
would doubtless cross the Vaal river on
Saturday or Sunday. The British cut
posts were then at Erste Geluk, nine
miles south Of the Vaal river The rail-
way is much damaged.
While the British, in overwhelming
force are thus rapidly approaching the
Transvaal the movements Of the Beers
are enveloped in mystery. The last Pre-
toria newspaper to reach Lourenzo
Marques was a week old Every one
seeking to cross the Portuguese border
from the Transvaal Is searched for news
papers and letters. Dispatches and mail
letters containing even harmless recer-
ences to the war are suppressed. The only
news that has emerged from the Trans
Vaal during the last ten days has come
by word of mouth
BOERS QUARRELING.
According to these oral reports yester-
day the Beers were quarreIlng among
themselves. Transvaal paper money was
circulating at so per cent discount. Beck
cts firm was giving 91 in gold for e5
In paper. Krouse and Klinke, the engi-
neers who opposed the blowing up of the
mines. have been dismissed. Command
ant Schultz has been appointed to de-
fend Johannesburg, and all the British
subjects had been turned out
The Transvaalers fear that the British
will blow up the bridge at Komati Poort,
thus cutting off their supplies from Della
goa, and a commando of 500 is guarding
the bridge against any such attempt by
British raiders.
1t is asserted that President Kruger will
-ON-AO ~ Ny NC1iOuIS WI6n uSnllnR Is I'M
mlnent at Johannesburg and Pretoria
concern Is expressed at Pretoria with
reference to the possibility that Gen. Car
rlngton may come down from Rhodesia.
with 5000 men, to cooperate with as manv
more entering the TransvaaI by Yay of
Mafeking.
Maj. Baden-Powell declines to act on
the suggestions of his friends that he
should return to England for a rest. He
Is determined tn
mand at the front
ADVANCE OF LORD ROBERTS.
Another advance along the railroad
toward Pretoria has brought Lord Rob
erts troops to Vredefort road, a few
miles north of Prospect, where they ar
rived at noon Thursday. In the mean
Whlle' Cen Methuen is progressing along
the southern bank of the Vaal river with
the object possibly of making a dash at
Alerksdorp when he arrives opposite the
railroad terminus.
Gen. Hutton's column is apparently in
the neighborhood Of Vredefort, IS miles
west of the railroad, whence it threatens
the Beers flank. The next couple of days
ought to settle whether Lord Roberts Will
encounter serious opposition south of the
Faal, but the best opinion believes the
next big engagement will be fought lust
south of Johannesburg and that the fight
| there and possibly cne at Laing's Mex
will prove the last pitched battles of the
war.
DIR. LEYDS UNDISTURBED
In reply to the Associated Press for a
statement in reference to the allegations
of the Daily Express, of this city, Claim
Ing to expose the use made by Dr.
I1eyds. the diplomatic agent Of the Trans
vaal. of the TransvaaTs secret service
fund, it being asserted that numerous
continental newspapers were bribed, it
has just received the following authorized
statement signed by the legation at
Brussels:
Relative to the English reports Dr.
Leyds does not consider it necessary to
say anything about such nonsense. In
regard to the peace runners and the pos
sibilities of prolonging the struggle he
| cannot express his opinion"
BRITISH IN vREDEFOT.
PRETORIA. May 25.-An official bulle-
tin issued here says it is reported the
British have occupied Vredefot and are
advancing on Schoeman's Drift
Gen. De Wet announces that the fed
erals have occupied Heilbron and
Potchefstrom. He reports that the call
to arms is meeting with noble response