The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1900-05-25


London, May 10. -. England still
waits with intense and almost breath
less interest for news Of the relief of
Mafeking. A crowd, remarkable for
the number of men in evening dress,
and including many ladies, fingered
around the war Office even after mid
night, hoping for some announcement.
Only reluctantly did the people dis
perse when the Hobbies Of the war Of
fee were finally cleared with the word
that nothing had been received. One
thing seems clear. The town still
holds out. Were it otherwise the
Boer wires laid to the camp of the
beleaguered would have flashed the
news. Skeleton dispatches from
Lourenzo Marques. based upon infor-
nation that leaked out at the Pre-
toria war office show that the Boer
stormers Saturday fell into trap.
Col. Bader-Powell permitted them to
seize one fort and he then surrounded
and overbore them before the large
forces near at hand had perceived the
strategy. 1t was thus that Sarel Eloft.
President Kruker's grandson, and part
of his commando was taken and fifty
Beers killed. The Canadian artillery
contingent of the Rhodesian force is
now reported to have reached Bulu-
wayo May 2. The distance from Bulk
tn Cof :e,A Az
railway is open all the way to Pitsani,
twenty-eight miles from Mafeking,
where Col. Plumer is. the Canadians
may take part in the relief. Gen.
French, scouting northward, found the
Beers
In Strong Force
at Rhenoster Spruit, thirty miles from
Kroonstad. Generals Botha, Delarey
and Olivier. with artillery, were hold
ing the position. President Steyn, ac-
cording to one dispatch, has gone to
Pretoria. Another says lie is a fugi-
tive at Lindley. The Free Staters are
surrendering on all sides. A dispatch
from Cape Town says that proclama-
tons are being printed there, to be
published on the queens birthday, May
"a. anneXing the Free State. One of
President Steyn's brothers, who is a
prisoner Of Gen. Brabant, says that
the Free Staters will accept annex
alton. Those. who took up arms the
second time. he explains, had to do so
under threats of instant death if they
refused. Five hundred rifles have
been surrendered Mt Kroonstad in eX-
cess Of the number of Beers who have
taken the oath of allegiance. Lord
Roberts has directed the British COM
manders to receive all corners in
good spirit and to issue them passes
to go to their farms. Gen. Butler is
pushing straight ahead without oppo.
sition. He has only lost five wound
ed during the movement. Apparently
he is aiming at Laing's Mex, which is
the direct road to the Transvaal. al
though he may diverge to Botha's
pass. Gen. Hunters movements in
the Western Transvaal are
Rather Puxzlfng.
He has returned to Fourteen Streams
with one brigade. leaving another, Gen.
Barton's. at Christiana. Lord Methuen
is said to be advancing along the
south bank of the Wall Col. Keke-
witch is with him. The Loop railway
AAAO ASAOSS NAC SAA1 l9 .1GSl Acd1luH
completion. The probability is that
Gen. Hunter took back a brigade to
Fourteen Streams owing to the search
ty of transport. Gen. Rumble has cap
tured 10000 bags of corn. He is
marching slowly through district
which is described as literally teeln-
ing with cattle, sheep and horses"
Michael Davitt. according to a dis
patel: from Lourenzo Marques. is said
to have advised the Beers. while he
was in Pretoria. that if they could
hold out until the presidential election
in the United States they might feel
''pretty sure Of intervention. At Jo-
hannesburg the women are forming
a police corps, so as to release every
man for fighting purposes at the
front. DR.. Archer. who was at Dun
dee during the Boer occupation, as
serts that there are several hundred
Englishmen serving in the Boer
forces. who would desert if assured of
pardon from the British. President
Steyn saw the fight at Zand river.
The impression that he got there was
that his burghers could not face Lord
Roberts in pitched battle, and thus
resolved. according to a message from
LourenZo Marques, to evacuate the
Kroonstad works without battle.
Beers First Great stand.
The Standard says: From pro-
Boer sources we learn that the first
great stand by the federals will be on
the ridge near johannesburg. This po-
eition has been strongly intrenched
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 a siege,
while the main body will retreat to
the Lydenburg district with the inten-
ton of keeping up guerrilla warfare
from that mountainous region. They
believe they can indefinitely postpone
pacification of the country
This.plan is partly supported by a
dispatch to the Times from Lourenzoi
Marques which says: ":There is gem
eral talk in Pretoria of President
Kruger contemplating an immediate
departure from the capital. There is
no further doubt of the intention OF
the Transvaal to transfer the seat Of
government to sLydenburg and to
make a final stand there. The Rad 10
said to have Endorsed the project"
The Times also says that a num-
Der Of the Transvaal officials are pre-.