The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1900-05-31
'ON B0ER SOIL
BRIT0KS MARCH
Roberts Leads His Army
Into the TransVaal.
CLIMAX NEARLY REACHED
Redcoats Are In Neighborhood Of Je-
hannesburg, the Bnrgher Metrops'
lis, and Pretoria, the Capital.

When Lord Roberts wrote hls nrsb
dispatch on Transvaal territory Sun
day, shortly before 2 o'clock in the
afternoon. he was fifty-one miles from
johannesburg and seventy-seven from
Pretoria. His immensely superior
forces had passed the Vaal river, their
last great obstacle, at three points.
The Vaal forms a curve of eighty
miles from Pary's on the west to Zand
Drift on the east. The concave of the
curve is toward the Free State. Thus
Lord Roberts, advancing along the
railway, as in a position to strike any
part of the crescent by shorter lines
than those by which the Beers could
re-enforce the threatened points. The
Beers retreated almost without show
OF defense.
General French and General Hamil-
ton apparently did not fire shot.
OF Lord Roberts immediate force
eleven men, belonging to the Eighth
mounted infantry, we're the first to
ford the river. They came upon a
Boer patrol looting at Viljoen's Drift
and skirmish lasting ten minutes
followed. Two hundred Beers tried
feebly to hold the Veredeniging col
liery, but they were dislodged.
TIE Boer rear guard is at Meyerton,
ten miles south of Veredeniging.
Their main body is moving toward the
Kip river hills, that cover the south
side of Johannesburg.
While Lord Roberts 10000 infan-
try, 10000 horses and $50 guns are
moving on johannesburg and Preto-
ria, through parched and deserted
country, the situation at the Transvaal
capital as it was last Friday, IS thus
described by an observer, who sent his
message by private hand to Lourenzo
Marques Saturday:
''The situation, both from military
and political point of view, has be-
come very critical. President Kruger
Thursday admitted that matters are
very grave. The Boer determination
is to trust everything to last stand
on the Cats Rabd mountains, to the
north of 'Potchefstroom, where 5000
kafirs are digging trenches. To that
point every available man and gun
have been sent.
"The whole of the western border
of the Transvaal from end to end is
defenseless and General Baden-Powell
can march in when he likes. Lord
Roberts, on the other hand, will en-
counter the greatest resistance. The
Boer endeavor is to lure the British
into appearing to threaten Johannes
burg with attack, az excuse thus be-
ing given them for the destruction of
property. The Transvaal government
will not dare destroy the mines and
property without an excuse. Much
dynamite has been sent down the line
and 16O, 900 cases lie ready at Zuur-
fontein, near johannesburg.
General Louis Botha and General
Lucas Meyer have pleaded for the
preservation of property. Both are
large landed proprietors and fear con-
fscation, but they have not received
satisfactory replies from President
Kruger.
''Meanwhile many French and Ger
man adventurers have come forward
with schemes and inventions for blow
ing up the British troops. Some Of
these have received tacit permission
to experiment.. One German inven-
ton is for use on a railway, where it
lies perfectly concealed until the
weight of passing train explodes the
charge.
President Kruger's proclamation to
the burghers asking their vote for and
against continuing the war is under
stood to say that they can quit now
with the prospect of retaining their
farms or continue to the bitter end.
Rumors are current in Lord Roberts
army that the Beers intend to sur
render.