Evening star., 1900-05-31
ROBERTS HOLDS OFF
Agrees Not to Occupy johannesburg
Until Today.
0 PREVENT FIGHTING IN CITY
Beers Still Hold the Hills in the
Vicinity.
BRABANT LOSES FORTY MEN

LONDON. May 31.-The war office has
received the following dispatch from Lord
Roberts. under date of Germiston. May 30:
I'm answer to a flag of truce which sent
10 Johannesburg this morning the COM
mandant came to see me. He begged me to
defer entering the town for twenty four
hours as there were many armed burghers
still inside. i agreed to this. as I am most
anxious to avert the possibility of anything
like disturbance inside the town. and as
bodies of the enemy are still holding the
hills in the immediate neighborhood. from
which they will have to be cleared off be-
forehand.
.'Rundle reports that he attacked a large
party of Beers near Senekal on May %. He
said his casualties were not heavy.
'Brabant reports that May 2S two of
his patrols. consisting of two officers and
forty men. were cut off by the enemy and
taken prisoners.
The war office has received from Lord
Roberts another dispatch, dated Germiston,
May 30. pm. saying:
Hamilton Did the Fighting.
THE brunt of the fighting yesterday fell
upon Ian Hamilton's column. 1 have sent
him. as already mentioned. to work around
to the west of Johannesburg, in support of
Frenchs cavalry. which was directed to go
north near the road leading to Pretoria. I
have not heard from French yet, but Ham,
Iton, in a report which has just reached
me. states that at about o'clock in the
afternoon he found his way blocked by the
enemy. strongly posted on some kopjes and
ridges three miles south of the Rand. They
had two heavy guns and several field guns
and pompoms. Hamilton forthwith at
tackled.
THE right was led by the Gordons, who,
after capturing one extremity of the ridge,
wheeled around and worked along it until
after dark, clearing ii of the enemy, who
fought most obstinately. The 10th led on
the other flank and would not be denied,
but the chief share in the action, as in the
casualties fell to the Gordons, whose gal
liant advance excited the admiration of all.
Hamilton is now at Florida, due west of
Johannesburg and French is a few miles
further to the northeast The Gordons, the
cavalry the mounted infantry and the 1th
Division are holding the heights OF the
town. The 11th Division, with Batteries II
and @ and the heavy artillery, are South OF
Johannesburg.
Hamilton speaks IN high terms of praise
of the manner in which Bruce Hamilton
and Col. Spens of the Shropshire Light In
fantry handled their men, under Smith
Dorriens direction
Celebrations Were Premature.
Lord Roberts latest dispatches shed a
somewhat different light the military
situation. Before they We're received cele-
brations were organized in the country
towns in honor of the fall of Pretoria In
Chester a public holiday was declared,
while at Dover Portsmouth and many other
places in the provinces flags were fown
and rejuicings were general Pretoria, now
ever, Is not yet in the hands of the BRUSH,
though there is no reason to doubt the au-
thenticity of the report that Kruger mas
evacuated the place and that the munich
pality is ready to surrender when contront-
ed by superior numbers.
AT o o'clock last night the final forward
movement on the Transvaal capital had
apparently not commenced. All Lord ROD
erts' dispositions of troops appear to apply
to Johannesburg, and though the British
seem certain to reach Pretoria within day
or so they will not occupy it without hsht-
ing. if the opposition of the Beers around
Johannesburg is any criterion
Cen French's Movements.
General F'rench's movement appears not
SO much an immediate advance on Pretoria
as part of plan to surround Johannesburg,
from which last night he was only few
miles distant. Lord Roberts himself Is al
Elandsfontein junction.
His forces will be placed to the south,
west and north of johannesburg, subse-
quent to the surrender of the city. These
units will probably be reconcentrated while
Gen French advances from the advanta-
geous position he already occupies.
The main army is converging toward the
railroad. following closely on his heels.
Supposing that Johannesburg surrenders
at noon today. Pretoria should be reached
by June .. opposition or no opposition.
Gen. Brabant Loses Forty Men.
Gen. Brabants loss Of forty men IS
striking evidence that the annexation Of
the Free State by means implies its
pacification.
SO thoroughly Is the country here i'm
bued with the belief that Pretoria has
fallen that Mr.. Joseph Chamberlain. the
secretary of state for the colonies. speak
ing today at a meeting of the University
Of Birmingham, proposed a message to the
queen. con&ratulating her upon the cap
ture of Johannesburg and Pretoria, which
was sent to the afternoon newspapers.
The afternoon newspapers all acknowl-
edge the prompt friendliness of the United
States consul at Pretoria Mr.. Adelbert s.
Hay. In insisting on the release Of a num-
Der Of British officers to take command of
the British prisoners in order to avert a
disturbance among the latter.
ROBERTS TAKES JOHANNESBURG.
Surrender of COmmandant Kraus Re-
ported From LOurencO Marques.
LONDON May 31.-A dispatch from Lou
renco Marques. dated Wednesday, says:
"Commandant Kraus has surrendered Jo-
hannesburg to Lord. Roberts.
by tonight's train from Pretoria arrived
q few Greeks. who say they were told to
leave Pretoria Tuesday. They affirm tha,
the train In which they left was shelled by
the British. and that half Of the train was