The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-12-01
nv TEE BEsIEGED CITY.
English Correspondent at Ladysmith Says
the Only Hardship There IL Monotony.

the Only Hardship There IL honotopy.
Special Cable Ds,pdteh 10 TIE suS.
LONDON Dec. 1.-G. ". Stevens. war cor
respondent OF the DAILY Mail. In despatch to
that paper covers events In Ladysmith from
Nov 10 to Nov. 20. He says:
The siege is degenerating into a farce.
The sole hardship Is monotony. which
has been broken only by one reeonnois-
sauce and one night alarm. On Nov. IA
reconn oissance westward revealed the
fact that the Beers were weak. II Is stated
that only 1000 were disclosed. l believe the
number Is fewer. Our guns silenced the
enemy's. which reopened on our retirement
with loss OF one wounded. The Boer loss Is
reported to have been forty. This Is probably
IN exaggeration.
On Nov. Is at 1890 o'clock a dozen
shells fell In Ladysmith and rife fire was
heard. The troops turned out with the exccp-
ton OF one mldshipman. who said ne
had the middle watch and did not see
why he should be awakened. Nothing fol-
lowed On Nov II there was q lanRuld bonn
bardment. Yesterday NOV. 49, railway
guard was killed and three civilians and two
natives were wounded. The wounded are
doing well.
The Beers have mostly gone. leaving only
skeleton force remaining The force known
as Joubert's Transvaalers have marched
south The Free Btaters have also gone In
that direction. A few houses have been
hit lately. The smoking room OF the Royal
Hotel has been smashed. The same morn
ing Il shell burst under room
in which several officers. including
Col Rhodes were about to breakfast. A floor
p'ank was blown up and stuck In the ceiling.
Nobody was hurt and the officers were at
breakfast Ave minutes later. The health oil
the officers Is excellent though they are fatten-
ing from want OF exercise.
The latest ecc.ntricty OF the enemy was
manifested at 7.30 o'clock in tho evening oil
Nov IL, when they fred three rounds from a
howitZer. The second shot pierced the rooi
ot the Royal Hotel. ricochetted of wall
flew out the front door and kicked VI
paving stone without bursting Mr.. Stark
II naturalist. who was preparing BOOK
on the entomology Of Natal. was standing In
the doorway. He was hurled into the street
and both his legs were torn OIL. He said
Look after my cat and died. The same
afternoon shell fell among some Gordon
IIghanders who were playing football. anc
powed a hole in the ground. The men con
tinued their game. but afterward, finding thai
they offered too good a target. they substituted
mule polo for football.
At $50 o'clock on the morning OF Nov. II
awoke and found the enemy hring salv'
OF twenty guns. Though the fire was dis
trbuted evenly In the camp 1t sounded as !
each she'll was coming into ones bed
We rashy accused the Beers OF Sabbath
breaking, but their time was three
quarters Of an hour late and they merely In
tended to wind up the week In good style. Vi
Nov, 10 there was the usual Sunday truce
Noy, 20 there was some languid Smelling. N
tamngn was done except to q church. tn
rorch OF which was smashed by shot iron
the cnemy's Long Tom"
CAPE Town. Nov. 27.-Yesterday was tn
Day of Humiliation" In the Dutch Church