The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-05-17
BRITISH ARE EXPECTANT
Are More Anxious to Hear of Relief of
Mafeking Than Any Other Event.
BULLER IS MOVING TOWARD NEW CASTLE
Hes Using Twenty-Five Thousand Men Against
Five Thousand The Beers Are Or
ganizing For Desperate Re-
SlStance.
(By the Associated Press)


London, May 17.-(3:30 a. m.)-The
British relief column fought the 30
ers at Kraaipan, 80 miles south OF
Mafeking on Tuesday, according to
telegram received Wednesday night
at Lorenzo Marques from Molopo, one
hundred miles north of Mafelling
This intelligence is accepted here
with some reserve. because it is diff
cult to understand how the news
could have been so quickly put on
the wire from a place 1872 miles from
the scene of the engagement.
The correspondent of the Morning
Post. presumably John Stuart, is re-
ported captured by the Beers at
kraalpan.
The British public is leenly eXpec-
tant of the announcement that Mafe-
king has been relieved.
News of its succor is awaited with
more anxiety than has been felt re-
garding any other event of the war
Douglas Story. the Daily Mails cor
respondent at Pretoria wires:
.''rhe Boer government is holding
itv prevails here. President Kruger
is working day and night. Tke latest
Boer official bulletin is that the re-
lief column has been defeated with
great loss
Lord Roberts continues passive at
Kroonstad His cavalry are stretch
ing like a semi-circular screen many
miles in length, with overlapping
TANKS.
General French's cavalry had one
lively fight after crossing the Zand
River. A mixed squadron. composed
of the Scots GreyS, the lnniskilling,
Carbineers and Australian Horse. took
a kopie and dismounted. The Beers
suddenly fired from Il a concealed
position. killing many horses and
stampeding the rest The Beers then
advanced in Overwhelming numbers
and drove the squadron. capturing
some.
Farther north the Hussars charged
the Beers. killing and wounding many
stragglers with sabres and pistols.
Lord Roberts infantry marched 120
miles in seven days. General French
marched thirty miles in one day. The
Beers when retiring dragged thirty
two guns trough Kroonstad.
General Butler is moving toward
Newcastle He appears to be using
2j.000 men against 5000 or 5000. His
operations will almost certainly result
in his forcing the Beers back and his
way into the Transvaal. possibly in
time to cooperate with Lord Roberts
advance, although General Butler is
now 252 miles from johannesburg or
25 days march.
\ Dane who was captured by the
South African Horse, says that there
are five hundred Frenchmen with the
Boers who are opposing General Bull
Ter. together with many Germans
and other foreigners.
The Ladysmith correspondence of
the Daily Telegraph says that only
one Boer was shot in the movement
which resulted in the taking of Help
makaar
Today's instalment of the war story
in every part of the field is therefore,
seemingly narrative of British sue
cesses. but with the Beers preparing
for a last desperate fling farther in
the interior and with Boer guerilla
parties looting houses and stores in
the northwest section of Cape Colony.
it not all roses for the British. The
Upington district is the locality where
the guerilla tactics of the Beers are
just now most in evidence.
The postponed congress of the Af-
rikander Bund has been called to
meet at Paarle June Is.
BOERs REPULsED.
Lorenzo Marques, May 16-A Por-
tuguese official dispatcn says an en-
counter has occurred at Mafeking,
and that the Beers have been repuls-
ed with heavy loss.
DISPATCH FROM GENERAL BULLER
London, May l6.-Q0:35 a. m.)-
The War Office has posted the fol-
lowing dispatch from General Butler
dated Dundee, May 10th:
We occupied Glencoe Yesterday.
The Transvaalers have now eyacu-
ated Biggarsberg. The Free Staters
on the Drakensberg are much reduced
i'm numbers. The Carolina, Lydepbero
and Pretoria commanders treked
north from Hlatikulu on the 18th and
l4th Of May. Eleven guns were en-
trained at Glencoe. The last train
with ambulance left there at dawn.
May 18th. This result has been large
~ produced by the action Of the Fifth
division. which, during the last few