The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1900-06-02

London, May 29.-When Gen. Rob-
erts wrote his first dispatch on Trans
vaal territory yesterday afternoon
shortly before 3 o'clock he was fifty
one miles from johannesburg and sew
enty-seven miles from Pretoria. His
immensely superior force had safely
passed the Vaal' river, their last
great natural obstacle, without oppo-
sition. The Beers retrcated almost
without a show of defense. Gen.
French and Gen. Hamilton apparently
did not fire a shot. OF Lord Roberts
immediate force eleven men belong
ing to the Eighth mounted infantry,
were the first to ford the river. They
came upon a Boer patrol l0oting at
Villjoen's drift and a skirmish lasting
ten minutes followed. Two hundred
Beers tried feebly to hold the Vereen-
Tying colliery but they were %dislodgcd.
The Boer rear guard is at Moyerten,
ten miles south of Vereeniging. The
Main Body IL Moving
toward Kip river hills that ove the
6Outu 1luc VI JOHANNESBURG.
Lord Roberts 10000 infantry, 10000
horse and $50 guns are moving on Jo-
hanresburg and Pretoria through a
parched and deserted country. the
situation at the Transvaal capital. as
it was last Friday, is thus described
by an observer who sci his message
by private hand to Lourenzo Marques
yesterday: -.
1.-The situation. both from a military
and a political point of view has be-
come very critical. President Kruger
yesterday admitted for the first time
that matters are very grave. The
Boer determination is to trust every
thing to a last stand on the Gates
Rand mountains, to the north of
Potchsfontein. where 800 Kafirs gre
digging trenches. To that point every
available man and gun has been sent.
The whole of the western border OF
the Transvaal from end to end is de-
fenceless and Gen. Baden-PowCll can
march in when he likes. Gen. Rob-
erts, on the other hand. will encounter
The Greatest Opposition.
The Beers will lure the British into
threatening johannesburg as an ex-
0lse for them to destroy property. The
Transvaal government intends to de-
stroy the mines and property without
an xcuse Much dynamite has been
sent down the line and 10000 cases
lie ready at Zurchsfontein, sixteen
miles from Johannesburg. Generals
Botha and Meyer have protested
against the destruction of property.
Both are large %proprietors of land and
fear confiscation. hut they have been
unable to obtain satisfactory assur-
ance from President Kruger. Mean
while French and German adventur-
ers have come forward with schemes
for blowing up the British troops.
Some Of these have received tacit per-
mission for experiment. One German
plan is to mine the railway where It
Hes perfectly concealed until the
weight of a passing train explodes the
charge. Gen. Lucius Meyer says that
surrender would be welcomed by the
Beers but everybody fears the igno-
miny Of making the proposal. He
says he Is assured his men will not
stand. President steyn and MI.
Reits, the Transvaal state secretary,
are strongly
Opposed to Peace.
but Mr.. kruger is not so mush against
It,"
President Kruger's proclamation to
the bulghers asking their votes for
or against continuing the war is
equivalent to saying that they can quit
now with the prospect Of returning to
their farms Or continuing to the bit
ter end. The Indications are that the
majority of the Beers will favor sur
render. Some correspondents te;e-
graph that there ara 100000 foreign
ers in the Beer army. but this is hard
" credible. Indications are that there
will be a pitched battle at Laing's
Mex, where Gen. Butler faces the
Beers, reinforced to an estimated
strength Of from 5000 to 10000. The
achievements include a large part of
the Ladybrand and fresh commanders
from Pretoria. With the exception Of
a few shots exchanged with the re-
firing burghers at Verseniging. the
only fighting during the past three
days with all the
Armies i'm the Field
appear to have. been two small en-
Free State. At .Ficksburg on aSatur-
Ody lAc oOCIS NlIhShCu tIC AAltlSA
holding the town but they were forced
to retire toward Slabbeston Mex. At
Ficksburg a correspondent reports
that nothing is known as regards cas-
ualties. The same day Gen. Brabant's
scouts encountered 200 Beers in
trenched near Clocloan. The scouts
advanced to within 200 yards, when
the Beers fred heavily. The scouts
retired and four are missing. Gen.
Rumble is slowly sweeping the eastern
portion Of the Free States. Occasion
ally his squadrons come acros parties
Of Beers, two or three in number, and
usually on foot. who are YEARLY going
to their farms. Some Of them carry
saddles on their backs. Wholesale
s%urrenGers are expected, but thus far
they have not occurred. Small COM
mandoes are described by correspond
ents az wandering round and finding
every road blocked.
Roberts Refused to Retreat.
The Times has the following from
q correspondent at the front, via
Kroonstad. May %: when Broad
wood occupied the hills overlooking
Lindley the chief storekeeper came
and stated that President Steyn and
al the leading officials had left with