Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-06-13
ENCOURAGING NEWS
For the British Side Comes
from South Africa.
Gen. Roberts Restores Communication
and Butler Holds Laing's Mex.
Ioia, British Casualties. 36.811, Not Ineiud-
ing Sick in Africa.

| London. June 1880 A M.-Two
lpeces of news encOura gins to the Brit
| sh in the official dispatches are that
the broken commune alton Of Lord
Roberts are in fair way to be mended
by the forces moving northwards and
southwards and driving off the rowing
commanders. and that Sir Redvers
| Butler is at last master of Laing'S mex.
| Photographic communication with Lord
| Roberts is expected to be restored. to-
! day, as Il dispatch from Bloemfontein,
yesterday, says that the railway is in
| British possession again and that the
work Of repairing the line is going on
rapidly with the abundant material
Warehoused at Bloemfontein.
From the ubioined telegram it would
appear that Gen. Hunter was in com
mand Of the troops referred to by Gen.
Kelley Kenny in his dispatch from
Bloemfontein: "Blocmfontein. June r.
Cen. Hunter is coming up rapidly
from the northwest, having severely
defeated 4 large commando Of Beers
Who had destroyed two miles Of rail-
way north Of Kroonstad.'
The BOer government is also issuing
news cheering to its symplthizers.
The following bulletin, the Boer YER
sion Of the disaster to the Derbyshires.
was posted by President Kruger, Sun
day, at Machadodorp: "On June :.
four divisions of burghers commanded
by Steenkamn. Froneman, Duploy,
Fourie and Mel. attacked the British
1T Roodeval, killing 200, took 700 pris-
oners and captured immense stores Of
food and ammunition. a Maxim gun
fy-lJita eh4I1S SOM. food w
taken by the Boer farmers and the rest
was burned. The English mail was
taken. The burghers attacked from the
open veldt and gave evidence of I'M
precedentcd bravery"
Gen. De Wet was also fighting. June
II. whether at Roodeval or elsewhere is
not clear, but the Boer war office gives
out that H. captured 5000 suits Of cloth
ing. blankets. gloves and boots. Being
unable To carry them with him in his
sweep through the country. according
ID the TransvaaI war office. he burned
the whole mass. Gen. De Wet has also
reported that he put 1000 British out Of
action and destroyed property valued
at e1OO,0O0 AS Lord Methuen is Off
cially described as fighting, June Z, it
is possible that he was engaging Gen.
d. Wet.
According to 4 dispatch to the Daily
Express from Machadodorp. dated
June 10, via Lourcnzo Marques. those
around President Kruger say that
Louis Botha and Delarey have been Of
fered indirectly .e10,000 a year to lay
down their arms, and President Kruger
expects the same offer to be made to ,
himself. President Steyn and De Wet.
president L
British make these offers to close the
war on the principle that it will cost
less than to fight it out.
\ dispatch from Lourenzo Marques
says that 1900 Beers are reported to
be retiring on Middleburg from various
quarters and that after wedding out
the faint hearted, 10000 steadfast men
are still left
Gen. Butler was unable, Monday, to
follow up the Beers from lack Of cav
airy as well as water. The dispatches
describe him as fighting a spirited adj
vance over a rugged field under pro
1onged rife fire The Beers had two
guns which they got away. Few dead
cr wounded Beers were found. 1t seems
probable that the major portion Of the
Beers had withdrawn before the adj
vance was begun.
Lord Mcthucn. Gen. Rumble and Gen
Brabant are reported to have $4,000 men
and 80 guns engaged in enclosing the
Beers in the eastern part Of Orange
River colony.
The war office casualty list returns
up to June .. aggregate 1854 besides
1872 officers and 12,355 men sent home az
invalids but not including the sick in
South African hospitals.
London. June 12.-9.12 L. M.-The war
office has issued the following: "Bul-
Ter to the Secretary of War: 'JOu-
b"rt'S Farm, June 12.-5.05 Z. Min
four miles north of Nolksrust
Laing's Mex and Majuba were com
plctcly evacuated by the Beers. last
night. Gen. Clery. from IngOgO. is
now coming over the mex. have had
to camp here for want Of water. A
correct list Of yesterdays casualties
Will be sent as soon as received"
London. June 12.-10O5 Z. Mt is
Continued on page %