The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-11-21
THE VAN IN SOUTH AFRIcA.

Following the policy they have so persistently
| pursued OF blockadnR the British garrisons
and surrounding them with cordons OF patrols
after cutting of their communications.
the Beers are now reported closing In
| on Estcourt. They are known to be
| posted at weenen and near Ennersda'e.
| where they are said to have several guns
In position they have been seen at Ulundi to
the southwest OF Estcourt. and by the latest
news had force at Willow Grange. south OF
Estcourt on the railway to Pietermarltzburg.
A force sent from Estcourt to drive them
on. failed OF it's purpose and returned
to its defonces. Gen. Joubert with con-
siderable body OF troops detached from
his main army blockadinR Ladysmith Is stated
TO be moving south with the object OF opposing
the relief column under Gen. Clery. This
column Ia deficient in cavalry and field artll-
lery which greatly hampers Gen. Clery's plans
and the want OF the first arm will be very In
adequately made up for by tho newly formed
mounted corps from among the Uitlanders
who left tho Transvaal before the outbreak OF
hostilitios.
Should the Beers succeed In isolatinR Est
court and establs them selves In the mountain
country between there and PietermaritzburR.
tho relief OF ladysmith may be indefinitely de-
layed. II Ia not therefore, surprising that II Is
contemplated to send second contingent
from India to 70 en- force that already sent from
there.
In Bechuanaland the Beers have stretched
out to Kuruman. about one hundred and nifty
miles southwest OF Yryburg. and small
force sent to install q Boer administration Is
said to have been repulsed by the police gar
rison consisting Of 200 men. According to a
delayed Cape Town despatch OF week ago
there seems to have been severe lighting at
Mafekng in which tho British suffered loss
and captured some Boer prisoners, but q
despatch OF yesterdays date seems to convey
the i'm preston that the place has fallen. The
next news from there will be interesting,
though 1t may for obvious reasons be delayed.
The British residents In Bechuanaland are re-
ported escaping from the country many max
ing no effort to save their property and effects.
The relief OF Kim berley Is not now thought
so likely to be effected speedily as was ut first
hoped. In addition to the difficulties already
enumerated n plague OF locusts Ia devastating
the country In the line Of the British advance.
which will compel the provision OF enor-
nous supplies OF forage for the trans
port animals and the cavalry and mr.
tillery horses. In the meantime the Beers
arc collecting strong force at a point
called Donkerpoort. from where they threat
on the communications OF tho Kimberley
column. II is not ret known by what route the
relief will march, but 1t will OF course depend
on the Boer preparations to resist and whether
they mean TO contest It's advance on every
opportunity or close in behind IL and got Il be-
tween two fires at some selected point.
The Free State columns that are patro,ling
the country between Queenstown and the
Orange River seem to be making un-
impeded progress. and arc at work cut
ting the communications eastward OF the
Stormberg. between jamestown and Dord-
drecht. The Dutch Afrlkanders have not
AZ yet openly declared for the Beers. but
appear to DO actively sympathetic. Sir Alfred
Miner has In consequence declared martial
law In all parts ofthe country occupied by the
Free Staters.
There are again circumstantial reports OF
heavy fighting at Ladysmth with great loss
TO tho Beers. They. however. need confirma-
ton. as there IL no apparent relaxation OF the
Boer operations. and they do not seem to pre-
vent the detachment OF considerable bodies
Of troops from the investing force for employ
ment south OF the Tugeln.
The total force which Gen. Butler will have
under his command when the last OF the troops
detailed from England have arrived. will. in
Guiding local leves OF all kinds. amount to
M, 300 OF all arms and ranks