Iron County register., 1900-05-31
ROBERTS ONWARD MARCH
An Irresistible Movement the Force
of Which the Beers Are
Recognizing.
MANY BUReHERs TREKKlNs HOMEWARD.
The Feeling of Enmity Between the Free
Staters and Transvaalers GROWING, and
Charges OF Treachery and Cowsrdice
Are Frequent-Johannesbu People
Excited.

Excited.
Grootviel (23 miles south of vereen-
fging), Sunday, May 27.-Lord Rob-
erts' northern advance force steadily
continues, and to-day the Transvaal
hills were sighted. Gen. French has
secured an excellent fanking position
on the northwest. There is something
irresistible about this advance. The
troops have been splendidly handled,
and the Beers, completely outma-
neuvered, have been forced to abandon
their positions at the first appearance
of the British thanking force.
Many Transvaal burghers are now
trekling homeward, and it is safe to
say that the most irreconciliable
Transvaaler at last recognizes the
hopelessness of the struggle. Most of
the farms in the northern part of the
Free State, where the ties of blood
with the Transvaal are strongest, have
been deserted. This section has been
cruelty; reports of the burning of
farm houses and the eviction of women
and children, in the hope of inducing
the burghers to remain with the COM
mandoes, but the evidence all points
now to the existence of permanent
enmity between the Transvaaalers
and the Free Staters, each accusing
the other of treachery and cowardice.
It is regarded as unlikely that the
Transvaal government will go to Ly-
denburg, where food is scarce.
of Sc
trekking hard towards Verenninging
from the direction of Heilbron. The
condition of the British troops contin-
ues excellent, although the cold nights
are very trying. They are able to
march three miles an hour.
The Beers have destroyed every
bridge and culvert. They are said to
regard Klipriverberg, north of the
Vaal, as a position of great strength,
and talk of making themselves inn
pregnable there.
1t is reported that the population of
johannesburg is in a high state of eN-
element. The Beers, who are passing
through northward, threaten to blow
up the mines, and, in view of their
Hanton destruction of everything else,
it will not be surprising if they carry
,ut the threat.
The British are more interested,
however, in grazing and in the water
supply than in the mines.
how MAFEKING TOOK THE BELIEF.
Heard the Sound of Firins-She1Ied
the Retreating Beers.
Mafeking, Friday, May 18.-This was
how Mafeking took the relief. Family
from the northwest, about 1870 p. M,
May 16, we heard the sound of artil-
lery. Col. Baden-Powell went up tG
the lookout. The women and children
were on the housetops. and most of the
men were manning the works.
Maj. Mackenzie, of the headquarters
staff, tumbled down stairs at three
with a pigeon in his hand. In few
seconds, the dispatch was on the ta-
BILE and the code books were out. Maj
Hanbury-Tracy cried out:
''They left Masibili this morning, and
are coming in
The fight must have lasted three
hours when, through our glasses, the
Beers could be seen stretching out in
retreat.
AT sunset the garrison seized the
Standard and Diggers' fort and shelled
the Beers as they passed.
Darkness was drawing on when Maj.
Karry-Davis, with eight horsemen, en-
tered the market square. The town
took the relief quietly. A trooper
stopped passer-by and said:
''Hi, we are the relief column"
''Oh, indeed" said the citizen. eve
heard you were outside" and the citi-
zen proceeded on his errand.
''Well I'm damned" said the trooper,
shut he takes it pretty coolly."
REPORT FROM LORD ROBERTS.
Saved the Coal Mines-Supplies CO. |
ing to Mafeking-IncredibieR Rapidly.
London, May 2s.-The war Office has |
received the following from Lord Rob |
erts:
''Vereeniging, Sunday, May 81.
eve crossed the Vaal this morning |
and are now encamped on the north |
bank. The advance troops which |
crossed yesterday were only just in |
time to save the coal mines on both |
this and the other side of the river |
Nxs