Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1900-06-09
BRITISH IN PRETORIA,
Roberts Announces Surrender Of
the Transvaal Capital.
soTHA AND HIS TROOPS ESCAPE.
Seer Commander Proposed an Ar
mistice to Discuss Terms, Bat Rob-
erts Demanded nm, Unconditional
Observation-Disclosures in England.

~ OchnAhoeu nm unconditional
Observation-Disclosures I'm England.
. London, June Queen Victoria.
surrounded by the Duke and Duchess
OF York. Princess Christian, Princess
Victoria and many other notables OF
her court. drank to the health of Lord
Roberts and the army at Balmoral last
evening. A great bonfire, lighted at
her majesty's command, blazed on
Graiggown mountain, Illuminating the
country side for miles around. The
nation Joins In the toast glorifyinZ
Lord Roberts and turbulently rejoic-
Ing In his victory.
The dispatches OF Lord Roberts. tell
Ing or the incident before the surren-
dering OF the capital by three civilians.
stand alone, as the correspondents
with him have not yet hand their turn
with the wires. Lord Roberts first
dispatch. dated Pretoria June 8. 1855
p. M, was as follows:
Just before dark yesterday the en-
envy were beaten back from nearly all
the positions they had been holding
and Ian Hamilton's mounted infantry
Followed them to within z, 900 yards OF
Pretoria, through which they retreat
ed hastily.
de Lisle then sent an officer with
nag Of truce into the town, demand
ing Its surrender in my name. Shortly
before midnight 1 was, awakened by
TWO officials Of the South African re-
puolic-Sandberg, military secretary to
Commandant General Botha, and a
general officer OF the Boer army-who
brought me q letter from Botha. pro-
posing an armistice for the purpose of
settling the terms of surrender.
L replied that would gladly meet
the commandant general the next
morning, but that l was not prepared
to discuss any terms, as the surrender
or the town must be unconditional. I
asked for reply by daybreak, as I
nao ordered the troops to march on
tia town as soon as 1t was light.
In his reply Botha told me that he
mad decided not to defend Pretoria
and that he trusted women, children
ana property would be protected. At
a m today, while on the line of
march, was met by three of the
principal officials with a flag of truce.
stating their wish to surrender the
town.
1t was arranged that Pretoria
should be taken possession of by her
ma1esty's troops at o'clock this af-
ternoon.
Mrs. Botha and Mrs. Kruger are both
IN Pretoria Some few of the British
prisoners have been taken away. but
the majority are still at Waterfall.
Over hundred OF the officers are I'm
Pretoria. The few I have seen are
looking we'll"
Lord Roberts also reports that the
Fourteenth Imperial Yeomanry 0rfsh)
surrendered to superior force MAY 81.
Gen. Botha and most OF his men got
sway from Pretoria. This is inferred
from Lord Roberts message. but the
presumption is that the Boer COM
mandant general cannot escape the
British without a fight.
1t Is asserted that when President
Kruger and his cabinet fed from Pre-
torta last week they took with them
$4,000. 900 in gold.
Operations elsewhere seem to have
awindled to nothing. Gen. Baden
Powell Joined Gen. Hunter on Sunday
ut Lichtenburg.
Sir Redvers Butler has not moved.