No Official News From Pretoria,
but • Londoners Believe the
Boer Capital Has Been
I Cx kx v~y I I *«''- " ''
JOHANNESBURG OCCUPPIED BY
THE INVADING BRITISH TROOPS
SAN FRANCISCO, FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 1900.
PRICE YIV& CENTS.
VOLUME LXXXyiH— NO. 1.
The San Francisco Call.
LONDON. May 31.— The Daily Mail saya
it has received cable dispatches this af
ternon from Pretoria completely confirm
ing Lord Rosslyn's dfapatch of yesterday
announcing the Imminent fall ot thm capi
tal of the Transvaal.
ROSSLYITS STOBY CONFIBMED.
Murders of Christians.
LONDON, June 1.— The Peking corre
spondent of the Time3. telegraphing
Wednesday, says :
"The damage to the railroad Is estimated
at £30,000. The Government supports
rather than condemns the Boxers. Not
one has been arrested yet. No foreigner
has been seriously Injured, though mur
ders of native" Christians are reported
daily from the country."
Count Casslnl. the Russian Embassador.
who is leaving the United States for a
visit to Europe, and called to say good-by
to Secretary Hay, is decidedly of the
opinion that much unwarranted anxiety
has been excited as to the action of the
Boxers. He feel3 confident that there la
little dancer to the life and property ot
foreigners in China to be expected from
the present uprising. There are, of course,
he admits, always disorderly elements In
a great city like Peking quick to take
advantage of any excitement, so that It
was probably wise precaution on the part
of foreign Ministers resident In the capital
to call for guards for their respective, le-'
gations, the presence of these small but
splendid organizations having a whole
some effect upon the would-be turbulent
elements In Peking.
Mr. Xabeshlma, Charge of the Japanese
legation, who also was among Secretary
Hay's callers, -was likewise disposed to
minimize the dancer of the Boxer upris
ing. He pointed out that at all times In
Chinese history the secret societies are
fomenting trouble, and the present dis
turbance, growing out of the operations of
the Boxers, was not. he said, nearly so
formidable as the preceding ones.
which has been done before by them, the
marines can cover it in about three days,
unless their march is opposed.
Diplomats Are Interested.
The Chinese Minister, Wu Tins Fang,
called at the State Department at an
early hour to-day to talk with Secretary
Hay. He had no Information from hl3
own Government as to the critical situa
tion in China and was anxious for news.
Resident representatives of nearly all
nations represented in the Chinese situa
tion were among Secretary Hay's callers
to-day; but. as In the case of the Chinese
Minister, none of them had received any
Information from hl3 own Government
bearing upon the situation.
Admiral Kempff Reports.
WASHINGTON, May 31.— The following
cablegram has been received at the Navy
Department from the senior squadron
commander. Admiral Kempff:
"TUNGKU, May 30.— One hundred men
landed and went to Tientsin yesterday.
Fifty of these go to Peking to-day. Other
nations also landed men. KEMPFF."
Although Admiral Kempff "s cablegram
Is dated yesterday, the Navy Department
officials are confident that the American
marines have cone forward to Peking,
even though the Russian forces may have
been detained at Tientsin by the technical
opposition of the Chinese authorities. The
very "• smallness of the force which the
admiral Is sending at Minister Conger's
request would. It Is felt, facilitate its ad
mission to the . Chinese capital, for It
could not be regarded by the Chinese Gov
ernment as a menace to Chinese integrity.
The admiral's dispatch indicates, that he
has not been able to take the flagship
Newark up the Pelho River beyond the
Taku forts, just above the entrance. From
that point to Tientsin, which stands at
the head of light-draught navigation and
is the terminus nearest the sea of the rail
road to Peking, is a distance of about
thirty-five or forty miles. It is said at
the Navy Department that the American
marines were probably towed In • small
beats by "the Newark's launches up the
river to this rayroad connection. From
Tientsin to Peking by rail is a distance of
seventy. miles, a three-hour Journey, ac
cording to Chinese schedules.
If obliged to make the distance on foot.
Tsingtau has orders to act In conjunction
with the naval authorities of the other
powers as circumstances may require.
The landing of men at Taku to go to Pe
king was "ordered. The "report from the
United States that 20,000 Russians are ad
vancing to help the Chinese Is baseless.
No power is sustaining China. We know
that Russia will not separate herself from
the others."
A cable arrived to-day, fgrom Tsingtau
saying that the German cruiser Kalserln
Augusta, having taken on board. an addi
tional officer and fifty marines, sailed for
Taku, the German gunboat Iltls following.
. German naval officials, it is understood,
consider It Important to land large forces
In China, as despite the recent disap
proval of the Boxers by the Peking Gov
ernment the present small contingents are
Insufficient to awe the insurgents. In this
matter, however, the Foreign Office does
not agree with the Naval Department.
LONDON, June 1.— The Berlin corre
spondent of the Dally Mail says: "The
German Government takes a serious view
of the situation in China, The powers are
resolved . on armed intervention."
LONDON. May 31.— A: dispatch from
Germiston. a suburb of -Johannesburg,
says several hundred Boers have sought
GRENADIERS CORNER
J30ERS IN A MINE
Another correspondent, telegraphing
frcrn Germiston the same day, says: "I
learn that the Boers arc massing six miles
south, of Pretoria for a new and des
'perato stand, with a front of twelve
miles."'
Other rumors In the, camp of Lord Rob
erts are that President Kruger Is 111 at
Lydenhurg, and that the ammunition of
the Boers Is running short. M. ¦ H. Dono
hue, the correspondent . of the Dally
Chronicle, was captured .yesterday.
their riflemen through the town In the
afternoon. We captured nine engines and
over, a hundred wagons. 0 Two trains are
leaving to-r.Ight for the Vaal. We suc
ceeded In cutting the line In three direc
tions and Imprisoning all the rolling stock
in Johannesburg. It was a splendid piece
of work. The onenay were astounded at
the rabidity of our advance.":
CAUSE OF THE DELAY
IN TAKING JOHANNESBURG
LONDON, May 31.-The T^ar. Offlce has
rtcei%ed the following dispatch from' Lord
P.oberts, under date of Germiston,"? May
30:. ' . : . . ¦. ¦:-¦¦¦ ¦ ;
"•* "In answer to a flag of : truce.I sent to
GERMISTON. Transvaal, May 30, 3:30
p. m.— Johannesburg Is practically In.
British possession. The mines are un
injured. • Nine engines, a coal train and a
great Quantity of rolling stock were cap
tured. The: remnants of ; the Boer, guard
remained and fought ; in the streets of
Germiston. but they were 'easily cleared
by the grenadiers. The troops have not
yet occupied Johannesburg. General
French is now at Elands Laajrte. The
Guards hold Effandsfontein and Germiston.
The state entry Into Johannesburg will
take place to-morrow. The Boers have
gona to Pretoria. The railroad from here
to ths Vaal River Is uninjured.
refuge in a mine, where the British grena
diers have cornered them and barred all
escape.
BOER ENVOYS SAY ROBERTS
MY YET RUN INTO A TRAP
BOSTON, May 31.— Messrs. Fischer. Wessels and Wolmarans. the Boer en
voys, were received at the City Hall here tc-day by Mayor Hart 'and sub- 1
sequently called at the State House. The Mayor alluded to the day's news
from South Africa, and hoped that the adversity sustained by the Boers
might be for the best. Mr. Fischer responded, affirming that all he and" his
compatriots wished for was justice. The envoys- did not seem greatly .depressed ¦
by the news from Johannesburg and Preto'ria. Chairman Fischer, whenever op
portunity gave, did not fail to reiterate the statement that the war is by no
means ended. • .
"Have you noticed," he asked a reporter, "that the English forces have not
captured a single piece of artillery or any considerable munitions of war from
us since our men have heen executing their retreat? This material has not as
cended into the air. nor has it gone up in Lord Roberts' balloons, and the Eng
lish will find It out to their sorrow, I am afraid. Our grins, supplies, etc., have
been taken along with our troops, and they will yet be used effectively, if I
am not greatly mlstaken. ; The fact that President Kruger has retreated to "Wa
tervalboven and that this is declared the capital; of our government shows that
our people are still determined to win their Independence. Our capital Is where ¦
our President chooses to move It. The fact that Lord Roberts annexed the.
Orange Free State the other day means nothing." The United States could annex
Canada by proclamation, but Bomethlng more effective would have to follow to
make It a fact."
Mr. Fischer added the statement that" President Kruger would not surrender
while there was a bullock cart and sixteen oxen in the Transvaal to transport
him from place to place.
Mr. Wessels expressed much the same opinion as Mr. , Fischer, but he said
that, he looked upon the late news from South Africa with some suspicion. He
said that if President Kruger had been going to surrender he would have re
mained in the city, while the Boers would not have carried away their guns
and ammunition if they had Intended to capitulate. Roberts, he sa!d, may. yet
ran into a nice trap.
Fought B=ar Guard Action.
Mr. I'rovost In a dlr;>atch to th«* Morn-
Inc Pcki from Germ! si on, dated May 30,
Bays:
"The enemy fought a rear guard action,
retlrlr.jj from the qouth.to th? north of
the to«-n -txrith thcJr pompoms and artlt-
Icry in the taamir.s and v.-lthdrawine
Fighting Since Sunday.
Bennett Burleigh, writing to the Daily
Telegraph from ElanuVfonteln Tuesday
"Much rolling stock and seven engines*
fcavo been captured by Lord Roberta"
column. The principal losses in the tight
ing have been sustained by -the mounted
infantry, but thf casualties are trifling.
O**r.er?l Krr-nch and <JoncraI Hamilton
were encaged to the west of Johannes
burg.
"Fir.re Sundsy the western columns
have bo«-ti Sghtintr, but although kuiis
¦v/pre used, the actions wore nev«r serious.
In fact, they were only bin flclrmishea.
The Borri5 are retreating to Pretoria."
Boer Government Shifted.
The present seat of the Boer Govern
ment, according to a dispatch from Lour
enzo Marques dated yesterday, is Middles
burg, but it v.-ill probably be shifted far
th The C lfoArs lately confronting Lord Rob
erts appear to have gone toward the
Lydenbur* region. The . d efend< .rs of
Lalngs Nek, when their position becomes
too pfTillous, will probably trek straight
northward toward Lydcnburg. W htn
this concentration takes place there will
possibly be 20*00 men. who may hold out
for a time, with scattered bands of gueril
las elsewhere. The press dispatches from
the headquarters of Lord Roberts give no
estimate as to the number of Boers who
were fighting General French and General
Ian Hamilton Monday and Tuesday, but
they all agree that the Boers retired and
that the IJritish casualties were slight.
At noon yesterday, according to the dispatches, the British commander made his entry into Jo
hannesburg 1 in full state. The above picture from the Sphere shows a similar, ceremony at "Bloemfonteih.
LONEON, May 31. — The following dispatch from Lord Koberts has, been received at the "War
Office here:
"JOHAN1TESBTJB.G, May 31, 2 p. m. — Her Majesty's forces are new in possession of Johannes
burs and the British flag floats ever the Government buildings."
LONDON. Jure 1. 3:"^> a. m.—Be
lated messages from Pretoria con
firm the reports of t*w departure of
President Kru^cr with his Cabinet
and staff officials Tuesday night
and the selection at a meetirg of dtisens
of a committee to administer the city pro
vislonaliv. Since these telegrama '.eft en
\Vedne--dav morning nothing apparently
has reached Lourenzo Marques by tele
-raph from Pretoria. Possibly tho wires
have been cut. Possibly the Boer censor
ship at some intermediate point Intercepts
telegrams.
Although the War Office has not re
c-ived a word about it. no one in London
hlroors the idea that the Boer capital is
not already In the hands of the British
or about to be. The possession of Jo
hannesburg, at all event?, as Lord Rob
erts has telegraphed, is a fact. State. ,
Attorney Smuts did not depart with Presi-
ScntTrWr. but remained at Pretoria. ;
LORD ROBERTS' TRIUMPHAL MARCH.
FOREIGN TROOPS MAY BE OPPOSED
AT THE FIRST GATE OF PEKING
/ J »IEN TSIN. May 31,— A special train started for Peking this afternoon with
I ' the following forces: Americans, 7 officers and 56 men; British, 3 officers
il ! and 72 men; Italian, 3 officers and S3 men; French, 3 officers and 72 men;
I | Russian, 4 officers and 71 men: Japanese, 2 officers and 24 men. The for
', eign contingent also took with them five quick-firing guns.
, • It is rumored that foreign troops will be opposed at • the first gate of the
Chinese capital, outside the wall.
As the Russians were nearing the forts yesterday in boats the Chinese
opened fire and the Russians retreated. It now appears that the Chinese were only
firing a gun salute in honor of a mandarin who was on board a Chinese war
ship.
PEEKING, May 31.— At 2:30 a. m. to-day the foreign envoys received the
reply of the Tsung-H-Yamen to their ultimatum of yesterday, calling upon the
"Chinese authorities to consent to the landing of a force of marines to come to
-Peking to guard the legations. The ultimotum fixed 6 a. m. to-day as the hour
-at or before which the reply must be forthcoming.
The Tsung-li-Yamen agreed to withdraw opposition to the corning of the
guards.
BERLIN. May 21.— The latest news
from -China has given rise to much
anxiety here. An official of the
Foreign Offlce made a statement in
regard to the matter to-day as fol
lows: "The German naval commander at
V> Special Cable to The Call and New York Herald. Copyright, 1900. by the Herald Publishing Company.
,r,l HONGKONG, May 31. — For the first time in years a large steamer has been attacked on the
Yangtse River, near Chiiigkihg by pirates. An American captain named Flag» drove them oft. The
'¦^attack^took' place at the junction of the great_ canal from Tientsin. " ] This indicates that the. "Boxer"
'unuvyjjemerjt on Psking is spreading ' south, 1 "but. v «flectiv^ people realize 'that there is no danger -for the
because the "Boxars" are not armed.. The only danger is to .property and isolated foreigners
in'the interior. The whole movement will collapse with, thslfirst efforts" to suppress it. f .^_ ¦ .
PEIHO RIVER, CHINA, WHERE MARINES HAVE JUST LANDED.
While Foreign Troops Are Being
Rushed to Pekincf It Is Rumored.
China VVill Oppose Them
at the Capital.
INTERNATIONAL COMPLICATIONS
MAY FOLLOW "BOXER" TROUBLE
CAPE TOWN. May 31.— General Rundle
has defeated a Boer commando at Sene-'
kal.. His casualties were foriy-fjve killed
and many wounded. ¦ -¦ ¦
BUNDLE DEFEATS BOERS.
"Hamilton is now in the Florida, duo
west of Johannesburg, and, French Is a
few miles further to the northeast. The
Gordons, the \ cavalry, the . mounted Inf
fantry and the Seventh Division are holdi
Ing the heights of the' towhy" Th*>^Elev
enth Dlvisionr wlth'Katterles.H.'and Garni
th« • h$a r ryl artillery,-, tun-, j>mU»--»,f Johari-
nesburg. •. • •> p*
, "Hamilton * speaks * in"* high-.- terms of
praise of the manner • In which Bruce
Hamilton and Colonel Spens of the Shrop
shire; Light Infantry handled their men,
"under Smlth-Dorrlen's direction."
. "The right waa led by the Gordons, 1 who';
after capturing one extremity of the ridge'
wheeled around and worked along it until
after dark, clearing it of the enemy, who'
fought most, obstinately. The One Hun
dred and Fourth led on the other flank
and would not be deniea. The chief share
in the action, as in the casualties, fell to
the Gordons, whose gallant advance ex
cited the admiration of all. • • ; HJ&?>
"The brunt of the flght'ng yesterday fell
upon Ian Hamilton's column: I have sent
him, as 'already mentioned, to work
around to' the west of Johannesburg,^ in :
support of French's cavalry; - which was;
directed to-go north near the road leading,
to ;: Pretoria. I have ; not heard from'
French yet, but Hamilton, in a report"
which 'has just reached me. states, that',
at about 1 o'clock in th« afternoon he
found his way blocked by the enemyi
strongly posted on some kopjes and ridges:
three miles south' of the Rand. They had'
two heavy guns and several Held guns and
pompoms. Hamilton forthwith attacked.'.
LONDON, May 31 —The War Office. has
received from Lord". Roberts a dispatch
dated Germiston, May. £0, 0 p. m., saying:
HAMILTON'S COLUMN V
HAS HEAVY FIGHTING:
Pretoria has been confirmed. \:
General Huhdle defsats ¦'*£¦¦¦
Boer Commando at Senekal,
the British casualties bein g
forty-five killed " and "many
wounded. - 7* i
.-¦-... :-':>' '¦':¦' ' ', s ¦¦: i.
Johannesburg this morning the command
ant came to ree me. He begged, me to de-'
fer_ entering the town ¦ for /.twenty-four
hours, as there, were many armed "burgh
ers still Inside. I agreed to this as I. am
most anxious to avert the possibility: of
anything llko disturbance lnslde.the town,
and as bodies' -'"of the, enemy are still hold-
Ing thehiils.in: the immediate neighbor
hood from* which they .will !have to /be
cleared off beforehand. ) , ; • 'V .
, "Rundle reports, that . <he attacked a
large party of Boers near tsenekal on May
2S. He saidhis casualties were not heavy:'
"Brabant reports that on May 28 two. of
his patrols; consisting of, two officers' and'
forty men; were cut off by the enemy and.
taken prisoners." - "_ "»' .'•'";: ' "/"-¦'''
, Lord ; Roberts reports that
the British" troops 'are' in po's- ;
session of Johannesburg.
In London' it s is rumored
that President , Kruger has !
been captured near Pretoria,'
but the British "War Office has : ;
not received any information'
on the subject. '."^"'i.
Lord BosslynVdispatch an- :
nouncing the imminent fall of .
SOUTH AFRICAN WAR
NEWS BRIEFLY TOLD
Chinese 'Rebels in Junks Passing the Yang-tse Gorges, Near
Ichang; Szechuen Province.
It is here that the American sailors, with those from other foreign war vessels, who were landed
for the protection of the legations in Feking, have been stopped by order of tha Viceroy of Pechili.