The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-10-15

Losses Amounting to Fully Two
Thousand Men-DestructiOn of Ar
mored Train Was Startling Blow
to the Britons-Eatter Seem to Be
| Acting on Defensive.
| LONDON, Oct. 14-Flghting is on in ear
nest, according to reports published here
| in the various newspapers. 1t is said thai
the Beers are making a desperate attempt
| to cripple the British forces now in South
Africa before reinforcements can reach
that country, and that in so doing have
met with many reverses. One dispatch
| states that the losses sustained by the
! Beers will aggregate 1000 men.
FIERCE FIGHTING REPORTED.
Those who have been anxious for some
stirring news from the seat of war are
| getting 1t to the full this morning, as
according to dispatches, shooting must
| have been nearly continuous along the T.
entire borders Of the Boer republic, while
pitched battles have occurred or are oc-
curing at various points in Natal and
| British Bechuanaland.
| Most Of these reports. however, remain
| unconfirmed. As Mafeking is cut off
| Geographically, the stories from that
| point are generally of Kaff1r origin, and
| must be regarded with suspicion. While
| there is every probability that Gen. Corn>
| je's big command has begun the assault
upon Mafeking, reliable details must still
| be awaited.
Further details are at hand regarding
| the destruction Of the armored train at
| Kraaipan. They show that Capt. Nesbi t,
| who was in command of the train, was
| warned at MaribOgO that the Beers h7ld
| the line He replied that he was bound
| to proceed. Nearing Kraaipan the tran
dashed into a culvert that had been
blown up by the Beers, who were lying In
wait for the train. The Boer artillery
| Immediately opened fire and desperate
fight appears to have ensued, lasting for
| hours with the odds greatly against the
| British The precise details are uncer-
tain. 1t seems, however, that a police
patrol, attracted by the firing, approach
ed within 1900 yards of Kraaipan. saw
the train with the Boer artillery still
pounding it, but noticed no response. The
| Beers seemed afraid to approach until
| the wreck was complete and the police
patrol feared that as there were no signs
| of life near the train, the entire force
had perished in a desperate attempt TO
get the train back to Maafek1ng, Wnere
they knew it was anxiously awaited
with it's load of guns and ammunition.
| It was reported that the Boers losV
| heavily. but there is no means of veryfy-
|
ing it.
According to the latest reports matters
| so far as the train was concerned, was
hopeless as soon as the artillery began
| bombarding it. The driver of the train
escaped to the veldt and turned up at
Mariboga, from which place he tele-
phoned that all the persons on the train
| except himself were taken prisoners. An
engine was sent to Maribogo to bring
the driver to Vryburg. Besides removing
the rails the Beers have destroyed sew
eral bridges
Capt Nesbitt who was killed at kraai-
| pan belonged to the Mashonaland mount
ed police. He served in the Matabele war,
during which a daring exploit brought
him the Victoria cross. With thirteen
men he fought his way through the Mata-
beles. relieved a beeaguered party and
escorted them to Salisbury. Three of the
party were killed and five wounded, all
| the horses being killed or wounded.
NOT IN NATAL.
There is no official confirmation of the
! report that a battle has been fought in
Natal between Gen. Sir Stewart Whites
forces and the Orange Free State troops,
! although there is no question that the
Beers have crossed the frontier at sew
| eral points They are said to have
eighteen guns, but if, as reported, the
| engagement began before the Beers had
formed a laager and thrown up earth
| works, the British cavalry and artillery
| are liable to have had the best of the
| fighting.
1t is even reported that the British
have gained a great victory, that 1000
Beers were killed and that the British
loss was very slight, but this may be
without foundation, as another report
has been published to the effect that
Lord Rochschild was in receipt of news
of a great British victory. but when the
Associated Press representative ques-
toned him regarding the alleged dispatch
he replied:
II am sorry that I have not received
anything of the Sort"
The probability seems to be that there
has not been any fighting as yet in
Natal.
The following dispatch from Ladysmith
has been received at the war office:
Gen. Sir George Stewart White went
In the direction of Van Reenan's Pass, at
! o'clock yesterday morning (Friday) but
| failed to draw the Beers to the pass. He
returned to Ladysmith, where he now is.
No engagement has occurred
The Beers, 1t is reported, have seized
! the railway station north of Fourteen
| Streams, between Vryburg and Kim
berley. Fighting is still continued in the
| neighborhood
i In connection with the rumored attack
+ from Pretoria to the effect that the Rust
| enburg and Marico commanders have
| crossed the border ard entered the Roof
| gropd territory, between Lichtenburg
and Mafe<ing, blowing up the bridge over
| the Maloppo river and destroying train
| load of dynamite and the track AS Mafe-
! king depends upon Rooigrond for Its
water supply, the significance of this
move Is evident.
NESRET~T WAS PITTCI[Y
CAPE TOWN, Oct 14-The news re-
| specting the destruction of the armored
train was received here with feelings OF
regret, mingled with admiration and
praise for the pluck of Capt. Nesbitt.
| The mosquito bit hard before 1t died"
| is a common expression
| There is no sort Of apprehension among
| the people, though they are possibly in
| an angrier mood. Perfect confidence eX-
| lists that all will be right in the end, de-
| spite the small initial success of the
| Beers.
| Missionary Society Jubilee.
| CINCINNATI O., Oct 14-At the ju-
| bilee convention Of the missionary soci-
| eties of the Christian church the Chris
| tian woman's board of missions was ad-
! dressed today by Prof c. P Coler, Of
| Ann AIbor, on "Bible Study" The gen
| eral board of the American Christian Mis-