| Show I i IKROONSTADEVACUATED J I I I I President Steyn Flees After Vainly Endeavoring I En-deavoring to Persuade Burghers to f I Continue Opposing British > 1I Lord Roberts and His Army Entered the Town Without Opposition i I The Whole Orange Free State is Now Practically in British PossessionRapidity of Rpbertss Advance toHave I r Robertss Appearsto Have t I Bewildered and Disheartened the Boers London May 13 4 n mThc situation situa-tion at the seat of war in South Africa I Af-rica Is as satisfactory from the BritIsh Brit-ish view point as the most sanguine friend could have hoped a week ago I The occupation of Kroonstad practically practic-ally places the whole Orange Free I I Stare in British possession The War office has received the following dis I patchfrom Gen Roberts r KROONSTAD OCCUPIED Kroonstad May 12 2 p mI entered en-tered Kroonstad at 130 without opposition oppo-sition today when the Union Jack was hoisted amid cheer from the few British residents PRESIDENT STEYN FLEES President Steyn fed last evening after vainly endeavoring to persuade the burghers to continue opposing the British The Transvaalcrs said thoy would no longer fight on Orange Free State sol and made off for the Vaal river Free Staters accused the Trans vaalers of having made use of them and then deserting Many of the Free Stators have gone to their homes ROBERTS ENTERING INTO TOWN The procession entering the town was headed by my bodyguard all of whom were Colonels and after my staff and foreign officers came the North Somerset Imperial Yeomanry followed by PoleCarews division consisting con-sisting of the Guards and the Eighteenth Eight-eenth Brigade Navals the Eighty third Eightyfourth and Eightyfifth batteries two fiveInch guns manned by the Royal Artillery company and the Twelfth Engineers The first of the force encamped around the town LINDLEY SEAT OF GOVERNMENT Before leaving Kroonstad President Steyn issued a proclamation a proclamaton making Lindley the seat of Government makln1 Free State Gens Botha and DeWet accompanied the Transvaalers I 7jT evident from LordfRobortsa last dispatch that thc dlslntegration has commenced The Free Stators arc scattering to their homes while the Transvaalers have gone northward de I dining to fight longer In the Oranga Orns Free State What little resistance the former still are likely to make seems to be centering a Lindley whither President Steyn has transferred his Government BEWILDERED THE BOERS It Is 1 evident that the strategy of Lord Roberts and the rapidity b his advance have bewildered and disheartened disheart-ened the Boers as their resistance since the British reached Zand river has been slight The only point whero they seriously attempted to check tho advance seems to have been on the British right where they defended with some vigor two kopjes which eventually event-ually were carried by the East Lan cashires and Sussexes the Boers finally retreating leavlirg a of retreatnS group gunner dead on the top of one oC the his PUSHING BURGHERS BACK The only point in the Free State where the Boers seem in any force except at Lord Robertss front is on the southeast where Gens Rundle Campbell and Brabant are holding them in check west of Fricksburg and Ladybrand and are gradually pushing them back as well as effectually dc foaling all their efforts to break through and threaten Lord Robert 9 communications RELIEF FOR MAFEKING There Is no further news regarding the advance of the relief readlnS Mafeklng but It is possible that Lord Roberts will result in forcing the Boer to raise the siege Pretoria advices via Lourenco Marques state that the Boers supply of smokeless powder is exhausted and that all attempts tc manufacture a fresh supply has been unsuccessful A dispatch from Cape Town dated f May 12th says that Lord Strathconas horses have gone to the front and that Lord Castlelown has been appointed commander of the Weponer district GATACRE ARRIVES IN LONDON I Gen Gatacre has arrived from South I Africa his coming being unmarked by a demonstration of any kind A dispatch received here from Cape town wiya that Gen Sir Char Wir = ° row has been ga ettetl Military Gov ernor of Cape Colony north of the > Orange river with the exception of KImberley |
