The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-05-25

London, May %, $3.50 a. m.-The
Transvaal government has informed
the correspondents at Pretoria that il
has not considered n does not intend
to consider unconditional surrender,
but will fight to a finish.
The foreign consuIs have been in
formed h a Johannesburg will be de-
Tended and the government
that il will not hold itself responsible
for injuries to person or property re-
sulting from the defenders measures.
Pretoria dispatches affirm that Kruger,
Steyn and all the most prominent lead
ers of both republics, after prolonged
interchange of views, are determined
to continue the resistance, but that a
minority of the leaders advocate sur
render without terms.
Mrs. Reitz. and her family, with the
families of other officials nave zone to
LOurenZo Marques. johannesburg n
Pretoria are being cleared Of nOn-com-
batants. The Boer chiefs, who now
recognize the possibility that they will
have TO defend these cities, are pre-
pairing with the utmost haste. The
BOer spirit has been rising from a low
ebb, and is now ready for a steadfast
resistance.
Nevertheless, according to The Daily
Chronicle, long messages in Dutch have
been received by the British govern
ment by way of Amsterdam, in which
President Kruger seeks peace. Ac-
cOrding to one account President
Kurger Surrenders Internationally;
according to another he asks for terms.
Cape Town, May 21.-British troops
ha - arrived at V~ereeniging Gin the
Transvaal, north of the a river.)
The bridge across the was found
to be intact. Twenty-seven Free State
and T~ransvaal locomotives were cap
tured.
London, May pa dispatch from
Pietermaritzburg, dated Monday, May
21st, says the Beers are reported to
hav entirely left Natal, leaving Laings
mex free. This leaves General Butler
free TO advance into he Transvaal
when the railroads are repaired.
Lord Roberts is still at KrOOnstad,
re-Organizing his forces.
General Rundle's forces are encamp-
ed at Trommel, r~ecuperating. a patrol,
four miles from Trommel. was attack
ed by the Beers. One man was wound
ed and some horses were killed.
Further details of the fighting at
Mafeking say that Commandant Eloff's
followers deserted him, w~hereupon
Eloff fired on them himself and then
surrendered with eighty followers. The
dispatch also says that one party Of
Beers was driven Out of the staat and
allowed to escape, as I'VE a sutfi-
cient prisoners" The capture of Elof
n his followers cost Baden-Powell
three men killed and seven wounded.
The war office has received the fol-
lowing dispatch from General Butler:
New Castle. May 22.-I have receiv-
ed the following from Bethune May
21st while marching in the direction
of New Castle, one of my squadrons
of mounted infantry was ambushed by
Beers six miles west of Vryheid and
very few escaped. L~ieutenants Lausum
and Capitol are among the missing.
Captain The Earl de La War; is slight
ly wounded in the leg. The total cas-
ualties are about sixty-six- 1 have
returned to Nqutu for supplies Will
march tomorrow for New Castle via
Dundee"
General Butler then proceeds: Il
detached Colonel Bethune and about
500 men from Dundee May 18th with
instructions to march by Vaults drift
and show his force at Nqutu, which
was reported to have been evacuated
by the enemy, preparatory to the re-
turn of the magistrates and the civil
establishment tt the district. He was
to rejoin me at New Castle after
yards"