Show F 1 1 SINCE PRETORIA Slnco the capture Pretoria by Lord Roberts the course of the war In south Africa has been confusing und rev newspaper renders have been able to git a clear Idea of what has been goint situation however can on The general lie briefly described Into When Roberts pushed forward the TranKvnal he left Gen DC Wet with of Boers In the a considerable force northeastern part of the 1 rco oiaic variously estimated to be from uOOU 10 his long line OL 8000 men To protect communications arralnst this force he disposed the troops of Cons hehly Kenny Brabant Bundle and Methucn to the cast of the railroad to Pretoria De Wets forces still in order to press farther back DC Wet however eluded tho British and struck Jit the line of the railway On the 7th of June the day r < nftcr Roberts entered Pretoria De Wet overwhelmed the Fourth battalion of the Derbyshlres at Roodevnl The burghers reported that 200 of the British wero killed and 700 taken prisoners But few escaped The capture of his I force t was followed by the tearing up oC twentyfour miles of the railway irom Roodeval to America Siding The prisoners were turned loose In July on the Ladysmlth side At this success of the Boers Roberts j sent Kitchener with such troops as cuuld bo spared to cooperate with 101 Mothuen and KellyKenny In clearing the line On the llth Melhucn met De WotB force at the Rhenoster river and the Boers had to fly with the loss of fthclr camp The road cleared Roberts turned his attention to Bothn who had retired just out of gunshot after the surrender of Pretoria Roberts found the Transvaal force In a strong position on the Middle burg road about fifteen miles from Pretoria p Pre-toria The position was too strong for a frontal attack ao French was sent to turn the loft flank Ian Hamilton the right with cavalry and mounted Infantry Infan-try After holding Robertss force un dor fire for two days the pressure be camo too strong and Botha retired on June 13th taking his guns with him Buller with the forces from Natal began the advance from this quarter two days after the surrender of Pretoria Pre-toria and spixcd a position commanding I Things Nek the railroad gateway 1 through the mountains into the Transvaal Trans-vaal Thr Boors evacuated their posi 1 lons about Mo1uba Hill und fell bade t1 lighting continuously The Tast of HIP Boor forcos on tho NatsLl border finally plit up thf TransvmlcrH going north 41J to Join Botha arid theJrree Slaters to i the P6uih Hi doin Stcyn and Lu Wot C n lunH LOtll fuller reached Paardekop thlr uM inies from Standei ton and i 1 I > df luler fleeted d Junction with J Ri r its army The Boer In he 2 Uru Fiec State were thus wholly cut ffl fr > ho Boom in the Transvaal h Tu othrr minor movements were in 4 progress ni the sime time Gen Hunter Hun-ter advanced from the lower Vnal clearing the district to within 100 miles southwest of Pretoria On the west BadenPowell marched S across from JMafeklng to RiuUenburg clearing out the small Boor forces in those districts On June 22nd the Free State Boers attacked at-tacked Bundle at Senekal but were repulsed NS re-pulsed after which they broke up Into small commandoes and harassed the British outDosts Bothas raiding parties were active toward the close of June and circled the left end of Robcrlss army but were checked when Roberts extended his line in to the Mlddlcburg hills Ui The operations were of the smallwar port yet tho amount of lighting tnt has been dorm may bo Judged by the statement that from June fith to July 5th the British casualties were about 2000 Including 1200 deaths Robertas main army is now to the ai cast oC Pretoria facing Botha and the remaining forces of the Transvaal Several Sev-eral British corps aro operating In the northeastern part oC the Free Stale trying to capture Stcyn and the last of the Free State forces Machndadorp has been proclaimed the Transvaal capital It Is a small place In the eastern Transvaal on the railroad I rail-road line from Pretoria to Lourenco Marques San Francisco Examiner |