Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-05-22

LONDON, May 22.-3:15 a. m.-Brit-
ish horsemen, according to a dispatch
from Lourenzo Marques, are now close
to the Vaal river, within forty miles of
johannesburg.
The migration from Pretoria has be-
gun. Women and children are being
sent in trains to Machadadorp, on the
way to L%ydenburg. Trains are arriv-
ing at Lourenzo Marques filled with
passengers, among whom are many
Germans who are bound for Europe.
Some details of Col. Mahon's Mafe-
king relief expedition are now coming
through from wayside points. It was
one long rush to Mafeking. c. f.
Hands, the Daily Mail correspondent.
mentioned in Lord Roberts's dispatch
to the war Office as dangerously wound
ed in the fight in the bush May 10, sent
his last message from Vryburg, May g..
by runner o Kimberley, May q. He
says:
The flying mounted column, secretly
and swifted organized by Gen. Hunter,
started from Barkly and arrived here
tonight, covering $50 miles in five
days. 1t is a grand force oil mounted
men, imperial light horse from Lady,
smith, the Kimberley mounted corps.
with royal horse artillery and pom
poms n a selected body of infantry
from the fuSilier brigade. A special
equipment of light springed mule trans
ports completes this splendid force.
The force so equipped was enabled
to o with such rapidity that al
though this is a difficult country re-
curing vigilant scouting, the Beers
were surprised. The column moved
parallel with the enemy's positions on
the Vaal at Roordam and Fourteen
Streams, actually getting behind them
without firing a shot. So close were
we Sunday and Monday that Gen. Hun
ter's balloon was visible and his bonn
bardment heard.
The route taken was between the
Vaal and the Hart rivers, then along
the right bank of the dry Hart to a
point abreast of Toungs, and thence to
Pudimoe, Roedport and Vryburg."
A correspondent with Gen. Hunter
~telegraphs as follows from Fourteen
Streams:
Col. Mahon's relieving column left
Barley West under secret orders May
4th and reached Vryburg May 18th.
The Beers marched on the right flank
of the British and a strange race fol-
lowed, Mahon pressing toward MAIZE
king with the utmost speed consistent
with keeping the force in condition
and the Beers hurrying parallel in an
effort to pass him and to throw them
selves across his path.
THE Beers succeeded. Mahon then
turned west during the night. The
Beers followed, overlook and attacked
him in the bush, but were beaten of"
Then, as Lord Roberts wired, Col
onel Mahon and Colonel Plumer united
forces at Jamaib, May Is, and Mafe-
king was relieved three days later
under conditions not yet known here.
A correspondent of the Daily Elk
press says:
General Hunter devised and guided
the relief, which was daringly exc
cuted by Colonel Mahon."
The last message from Colonel Ma
hons column before the relief was
dated at Majanamabili, May il. 1t
says:
THE column left Vryburg yesterday
and did nineteen miles, o~utspanning
at 2 a. m. No fires were allowed. We
started at dawn to-day and trekked
here"
Colonel Baden-Powelrs hardest blow
to the besiegers was the capture of
Commandant Sarel Eloff, President
Kruger's grandson, and his men.
7 oIxy C1roh Wilson IN a dfCna%ch
from Mafeking, dated May II. gives
the following description of the final
days of the siege:
"As we near the end of the siege
conditions in this little town are per-
haps becoming more cheerful. The
rainy season is apparently over. The
weather is splendid and consequently
the fever epidemic is diminishing. Ra-
tions are still very small, but it is
wonderful how little II needs for ex-
istence, and the new food, drawn from
horse and OK hides, is a great success.
This food and porridge, the inventor
of which has received a five pound
bonus from the government, is the
equivalent of six weeks additional
provisions. The natives prefer 1t Is
any other, so that the siege has taught
them a new food"
Lord Roberts is advised that little re.
s~istance may be expected south of Kip
R~iversburg, near Johannesburg. where
the natives are digging trenches, but
the position, according 10 a correspond
ent, can be turned.
The same authority thinks ii is inn
probable that there viii be any desper-
ate defense south of Pretoria, and that
even the capitol of the Transvaal is
likely TO be evacuated. The orders
from the war Office directing six more
siege trains TO go out, however, indi-
cate preparations in expectancy of a
siege.
Twenty-one war correspondents have
been killed or have died Of disease dur
ing the war. In this respect the Daily
Mail has been particularly unfortunate.
ten of its representatives AVE been put
out of service by death or illness.
Ala p. m--The war office announces
that eleven vessels will leave home
ports during the next thirty days. with
1859 officers and men and 1855 horses.
The promotion of Col. 3aden-PoweIl
is generally expected to be followed by
other honors, probably an important
command with a temporary rank OF
lieutenant general. He onIy got his
L royonoIa-r IN 1907 and he n1- ~rn-