Daily Public Ledger

JOHANNESBURG.

Lord Roberts is Probably Now in Possession of That Important City.

HE EXPECTED TO ENTER IT AT NOON.

His Last Message Was Sent From Germiston, a Suburb to the Southeast of the City.

Further News Is Anxiously Awaited. There Are Fears That the Mines May Have Been Blown Up Upon His Entrance.

London, May 30.—The following dispatch has been received from Lord Roberts, dated at Germiston, May 29, 6:30 p. m.:

"We arrived here this afternoon without being seriously opposed. No casualties, so far as I am aware, in the main column, and not many, I trust, in the cavalry and mounted infantry. The enemy did not expect us until to-morrow, and had not therefore carried off all their rolling stock. We have possession of the junction connecting Johannesburg with Natal, Pretoria and Klerksdorp by railroad.

"Johannesburg is reported quiet, and no mines, I understand, have been injured.

"I shall summon the commandant in the morning, and if, as I expect, there is no opposition, I propose to enter the town with all the troops at noon."

Germiston is a suburb to the southeast of the Johannesburg railway junction, and Gen. Roberts mentions it in his message to the war office probably because Elandsfontein Station is further eastward.

Additional evidence that the mines are intact comes in a message received by a mining company here from its Johannesburg representative, dated May 28, via Delagoa bay, saying, "All right."

Lord Roberts' dispatch is regarded as announcing the virtual occupation of Johannesburg, and apparently the Boers have again effected a retreat, as there is no mention of any prisoners or captures except of rolling stock.

There will be some little anxiety pending the actual occupation of Johannesburg, as there are rumors that the town has been mined, with the intention of blowing up Lord Roberts and his staff on their entry into that place.

The Standard has the following advices from Pretoria, under Monday's date:

"The Transvaal government has opened or is about to open peace negotiations. It has cabled a final inquiry to its agents abroad, asking whether any hope exists of aid."

Without doubt the presence of Lord Roberts with 40,000 men at Johannesburg will hasten the Transvaal's decision.

The dispatches from Lourenco Marques yesterday described President Kruger as "wavering, but demanding a guarantee that he shall not be exiled to St. Helena."

The fighting burghers still continue to desert, and the total collapse of the Boer military organization is not far off.