River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1901-06-20
'BOERS PLAN A SURPRISE
Creep Upon Camp of Australians at
Steenkoolspruit and Pour
in Deadly Fire.
EIGHTEEN MEN KILLED, AZ WOUHOED.
only Two officers and 80 Men Escape
Report of Mortality in Concentra-
tion Camps in South Africa Calls
Forth Groans-Situation Causing
Dissatisfaction.


Forth Groans-Situation Causing
Dissatisfaction.
London, June 1S.-Lord Kitchener
has cabled from Pretoria, under Sun
days date, as follows:
Near Welmansrust. 20 miles south of
| Middleburg, $50 Victorian mounted rifles
from Gen. Beaston's column were sur
prised in camp at Steenkoolspruit by SUI
| perior force Of Beers at 1880 p. m. June r.
The enemy crept up to within short range
| and poured a deadly fire into the camp,
| killing two officers and 16 men, and wound
! ing four officers and SIS men, of whom -
! were slightly wounded Only two officers
| and so men escaped TO Gen. Beaston's camp.
| The remainder were taken prisoners and
released Two pompoms were captured by
the enemy Full details have not yet been
| received"
De Wet Is Defeated.
! London, June 1S.-Lord Kitchener
reports to the war office from Pre-
! toria as follows:
| During the march from Vrede Gen. Ell
| lots column engaged De Wet near ReitZ,
| June 6. After severe fighting they cap
| tured II loaded wagons As prisoners, SIS
| rifles, 10000 rounds of ammunition and 1900
| cattle. The Beers left II killed and three
| GERS and II men killed and one officer and "A
| men wounded,
! Mortality of Concentration Camps.
London, June 1S.-Replying to ques-
tions in the house of commons Mon
day, Mr.. Broderick, the war secretary,
said there were 4O,229 persons in the
concentration camps" of the Trans
vaal and Orange River colony The
| deaths in these camps for the month
| of May numbered 96 men and women
| and 31S children. The announce ment
! of the mortality was received with
! groans from tn, Irish members and
cries of "scandalous." Mr.. Broderick
added that the authorities were ar
ranging for the release of the women
| and children who had friends to re-
ceive them, but the government could
not undertake to feed them in isolated
| positions.
VIII Encourage the BOers.
| London, June 1s.-The serious re
verse which Lord Kitchener reports
| the first accident of the kind that ha
happened to the Australian contin
gent, and it is supposed to be due to
neglect of proper picketing. Although
it is offset by the defeat inflicted upon
| DeWet, the loss of the guns is regard
| ed as a serious matter which will en-
| courage the Beers to continue the
| struggle.
Little Prospect of Peace.
| More or less fanciful accounts are
| published on the continent of alleged
| peace negotiations, but there is moth
| ing in them, and nothing has come of
the interview between Mrs. Botha and
Mr.. Kruger beyond revealing the fact
that Mr.. Kruger will listen to no pro-
posals unless they are accompanied
with a guarantee of the independence
of the republics.
The Daily Mails Cape Town corre-
spondent says that Cecil Rhodes,
speaking at Bulawayo Saturday, pre-
| dicted that a federation of South Af-
rican states would come in three or
four years; but he contended that to
grant self-government to the republics
before federation would render feder-
alton impossible.
Situation Far from Satisfactory.
New York, June 1S.-The situation in
| South Africa is far from satisfactory
| Just now for Englishmen, says the
| Tribune's London correspondent. 1T
is believed that the Beers are gaining
many recruits from the Dutch dis
| tricts of Cape Colony, and in spite of
Mr.. Chamberlain's calm assertion that
| the embers of war are only smolder-
| c L. =
burst into fame.
A question will shortly be put from
| the liberal benches in the house of
| commons as to the proposed suspen-
sion of the constitution in Cape Col
| ony. There is a general belief that Mr.
! Chamberlain and Lord Miner will hest
tate before taking this step. Lawyers
are of the opinion that the only way
it could be legally accomplished would
be by an act of parliament, and in the
present state of public business the
| government will scarcely care to in
| vite opposition on such an issue
VIII Fight ON.
Denver, Col, June 1S.-Commandant
w. ID. Snyman, of the South African
republic, is in Denver on a lecture
tour, the proceeds of which are to aid
the Boer prisoners.
The struggle in South Africa is not a
! race anmosty," said Commandant Sny-
man. 1T Is an awful war political war
| brought about by political gamblers and
| spectators, and so long as they have life
the Beers will fight for their liberty Our
wives and daughters viii pray and fight
! with us Mothers send their sons into
battle with prayer. Widows and orphans
are suffering. yet believing that God will
| bring them finally TO victory"
Reaches Manila
Washington, June 1S.-The navy de-
par nent has received a cablegram
rom Rear Admiral Rodgers, aboard