The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1899-10-24
LOOK FOR BAD NEWS.
Big British Disaster Appre-
,hended In London.
YULE COMPELLED TO FALL BACK.

YULE COMPELLED TO FALL BACK.
English Commander Finds 1t Necessary
to Retire From Dundee-Hostilities Re-
opened In the Vicinity of Glencoe--Boers
Open Fire on Dundee.
LONDON, Oct. 24.-No news yet re-
ceived tends to dispel the apprehension
caused by Lord Wolesley's brief sum-
mary of the situation. A Pietermaritz-
burg dispatch says now that the censor
permits no message to be sent from the
front. Other dispatches represent the
Beers as boasting that Dundee is abso-
lutely cut off and assert that despite the
British victories the situation is still un-
certain. The Pretoria dispatch giving
the report of General Joube1 to the
government evidently refers to the first
battle at Glencoe, and the reasons why
Commandant Erasmus failed to come
to the assistance of Commandant Meyer
cannot be fathomed. IF he had done so
the British victory might have been still
more dearly bought. Probably Com
mandant Meyer, arriving at the rendez-
vous first, thought to get all the glory
of wiping out the Britishers himself If so
the Beers suffered badly because of his
hastiness. 1t appears certain, however,
that the brilliant victory at Elandslaagte
was produced for effect as relief of
Glencoe, and the very reticence and
brevity of Lord Wolseley's communaa-
tions are only to ominous. 1t seems 70
be worded to prepare the public for bad
news, and it is only too likely that Gen
eral Yule has been compelled toabandon
the wounded and the prisoners at Dun
dee because his force is too weak to hold
the four and a half miles separating
Dundee and Glencoe.
Probably General Yule believes he
can better protect Dundee from an
enemy advancing from the northwest
by concentrating all his available
strength at Glencoe, where there are
now $500 men and three batteries. In
the meantime efforts will be made to
ments from Ladysmith.
1t is expected that by this time Com
mandant Erasmus has joined Com
mandant General Joubert and that
their combined columns amount to 10,-
| 600 or II, 900 men, while the Free State
Beers now threatening Ladysmith from
the east and column reported to be
coming through Zululand must also be
reckoned with.
| In short General White has been un-
able to follow up his successes and is
obliged to remain at Ladysmith without
being able to restore railway commune
cation, which is probably broken at
other points besides Elandslaagte. Thus
the enemy, though their original plan,
which is supposed to have been Colonel
Schiel's, failed, may fairly be credited
with having isolated General Yule's
brigade and divided the British force.
| in Natal.
General Yule may find himself in a
tight place, needing all his experience
in Indian and Burmese fighting to ex-
tricate himself.
| 1t is quite evident that the war Office
has news which has been withheld from
the public, and if the situation, as here
sketched, is confirmed, Boer divisions
may be expected at other frontier points.
Up to midnight the war Office was be-
sieged with inquiries, the heavy lists Of
British losses causing much heart burn
ing Said workingman who was
reading the list: "H this is the price
of suzerainty, good God, but we are
paying in full"
It is regarded as not impossible that
General White may yet be compelled te
concentrate all the Natal forces at Lady
smith and await the arrival of the army
corps.
A dispatch to the Times from Coles
burg, Cape Colony. says: "The situa
ton IL grave. The Beers are S5(
strong and will be reinforced from
Driekop. No defense is possible. Ths
town guard will retire on Naauwpoor
on the appearance of the enemy. The
Driekop force is estimated at 1,50O men
The report Of the fighting at Glencot
has been placarded at Bethulie, the
frontier town on the east London line
as brilliant Boer victory"