Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1900-05-24
FELL INTO A TRAP.
Boers Fall Victims to an English
mans Strategy.
Besiegers of nIafeising are Allowed to
Capture a Fort and are Then sur
rounded and OyerpOwered
Dundee Surrenders To
Buffers Troops other
War News.

London, May 15.-Gen. Buller's
turning of the Biggarsberg position
was effected by a bold movement.
The Beers evacuated Helpmakaar,
but are making stand at Bleskop-
laagte, seven miles from Dundee. The
correspondents on the spot regard
this as a rear guard action intended
to cover the retreat of the army.
Last night Gen. IIildyard took lndoba
and it is reported that the Beers
withdrew in disorder.
Gen. Butler, who seems to be en-
ploying his full strength, is expected
to push on. His first marches were
45 miles in three days. He is thus
breaking into British territory which
had been administered for six months
by the Transvaalers as though it
were part of the republic, they hold
ing courts and levying taxes. His
success, therefore, has political as
well as military consequences.
While Lord Roberts infantry are
concentrating at Kroonstad, where
they will rest for Il day or two, his
horsemen have penetrated Is miles
northward. Two hundred Beers who
Kroonstad to escape service, surren-
dered to the British and took the
oath of allegiance.
London, May 16.-'Food viii last
until about June TO-" is the latest Off
cial word from Col. Baden-Powell,
the British commander at Mafeking,
sent to Lord Roberts under date of
May T. Five days later the Beers at
i
possible that they succeeded, although
| nothing is known of the attack or of
| its results except through Pretoria
sources.
Mai. Baillie has sent to the Morn
| ing Post from Mafeking, under date
of May z, tins message: This morn
ing the Beers attacked us. Result as
usual There is an aching void here.
Pass the loaf"
The Transvaal army has taken n
position at Blaauwbaschdoort Pass,
near Hebron Road Station, 50 miles
north of Kroonstad. Its rear guard
is still holding the hills north of the
Valsch river, while the Boer scouts
are in touch with British reconnoit
ering parties 20 miles north of KroOn-
stad.
|
| in larger numbers than after the oc-
cupation of Rloemfontein.
The relations between the Trans
vaaI and the Portuguese are strained
The Portuguese consul at Pretoria
according to reports from Lisbon,
has been ordered by President Kru-
ger to leave the country. The Por-
tugucse declaration making food and
clothing contra band has nearly de
strovcd the usefulness of Delagoa
bay TO the Transvaal.
4 dispatch to the Daily Mail from
Lorenzo Marquee, dated Tuesday,
says:
''There is now no doubt that there
was desperate fighting at Mafeking
Saturday, but it is belieevd to have
been in favor of the garrison.
| The war Office has received the fol-
lowing dispatch from Gen. Butler:
Dundee, May 15.-We have occu-
pied Dundee. About $500 of the en-
envy left yesterday for Glencoe. Their
wagons also left yesterday. Almost
every house in Dundee is completely
looted"
London. May 18.-EngIand still
waits with intense interest for news
of the relief of Mafeking. One thing
seems clear. The town still holds
out We're it otherwise the Boer
wires laid to the camps of the be-
leaguered would have flashed the
news.
Skeleton messages from Lorenzo
Marquee, based upon information
that leaked out at the Pretoria war
office, show that the Boer stormers
suddenly fell into a trap. Col. Baden
Powell permitted them to seize one
fort and he then surrounded and
overbore them before the large forces
near at hand perceived the strate-
gem. 1t was thus that Sarel Elotf
President Kruger's grandson, and
part of his commando were taken and
80 Beers killed.
Michael Davitt, according to a dis
patch from Lorenzo Marquee, is said
to have advised the Beers. while he
was in Pretoria, that if they could
hold out until the presidential cleo
ton in the United States. they might
feel ''pretty sure of intervention"
The Standard says! From pro-
| Boer sources we learn that the first
great stand by the federals will be
on the ridges near johannesburg.
This position has been strongly in
trenched and the burghers believe
they can hold it for some time. If
driven from that point, part of the
force will be thrown into Pretoria to
withstand siege, while the main
body will retreat to the Lydenburg
district, with the intention of keep
ing up a guerilla warfare from that
mountainous region
/