The record-union., 1899-11-23


eral Hildyard had not been strong
enough to hold out he would some time
ago have been ordered to retire to Pie
termaritzburg. Therefore, small cred
ence is given the story.
Nothing is known regarding the food
supplies Of the garrisons thus isolated.
1t is believed that Estcourt is well pro-
| vided, but there is less confidence in the
case of Mooi River.
| There is no further news from the
western frontier except the list of cas-
| ualties, showing that one trooper was
killed and nine were wounded at Kim
berley on November 10th. and confirm
ing the accounts of the sortie previously
reported from Boer soprces-
1t was ,announced from Paris that
Colonel Vile de Boise Mareuil. a
French officer, has accepted the post OF
chief of staff to General Joubert, in sue
cesson to Colonel Schniel. the German
| officer who was wounded and taken
prisoner at Glands Laagte. From the
same source it is reported that the Rus
sian officers, Lieutenant Colonel Con-
etzki of the guards and General Zeletzi
of another crack Russian regiment,
have resigned and are going to join --4e
Beers.
BOER MOVEMENTS HARD TO
KEEP TRACK OF.
LONDON, Nov. - There has ap-
parently been no communication with
Estcourt, Natal, sinces noon Tuesday,
and the Beers now co1ikrol the railroad
thence to the Mooi River Consequent
ly, momentous developments may be
| YTyl,< r
seems, are swarming sOnthward. Large
bodies are reported all around Estcourt.
and parties appear to- be threatening
Pietermaritzburg. The Beers encamp-
ed at Highlands Station are we'll sup
piled with artillery, and all evidences
| tend to show that the various Boer
forces are being largely increased by
accessons from the disaffected Cape
Burghers.
! The serious deficiency in cavalry IS
being felt by the British, who are un-
able to keep in touch with the mobile
Boer forces, whose presence is hardly
reported before they are lost sight Of
only to reappear at another vital point
along the line of communication. Gen
eral Hildyard's force, anchored at Est
court by the naval guns, can do little
but await an attack. until General
C1eary's command is capable of taking
! the field.
| According to a Cape Town dispatch
General Methuen's division left Orange
River and reached Witteputs, half way
to Bellemont, yesterday, and advices
/ from Orange River to-day show that
the Beers occupy Bellemont in force
and that the neighboring hills are
crowned with Boer cannon.
A patrol of Lancers which has re-
turned to Orange River came unex-
pectedly on two Boer laagers. Three
shrapnel shells burst close to the Ian
GERS, who, however, were unharmed.
| The British transport Kildonan Cas-
tie, said to be the largest transport in
the world, which left Southampton
November 4th with 5000 men, their
kits weapons, machine guns, ammu-
milton, balloons, pontoons, wagons. etc,
arrived at Cape Town this morning.
About 81, coo of General Buffers army
corps have now arrived. The trans
port Nubia, with the First Battalion of
the Scots Guards, has sailed from Cape
| Town for Durham. The transport
Carinthia arrived at Cape Town yester-
day. The British transport Montezuma
has also arrived at Cape Town.
Advices from Cape Town say Mr..
! Collet, the correspondent of the Lon
don DAILY Graphic who was arrest
ed by the Beers while conveying a mes
sage from Mr.. Schreiner, the Premier
of Cape Colony, to President Steyn of
the Orange Free State, and who was
taken to Bloemfontein, has been re-
| leased and sent back with President
| Steyn's reply.
| It is reported that Mr.. Hoffmeier the
Afrikander leader, has taken an impor
| tant step in the hope of fastening the
close of the war. He is said to have
charged Mr.. Sauer, the Minister of
Public Works, to get in touch with
the Free State forces, in an endeavor
to arrange that the Beers shall apply
for an armistice The ostensible OBJ
ject of Mr.. Sauer's trip is to induce his
constituents at Aliwal North to remain
passive.
The Boer requisitioning of men and
supplies proceeds briskly on the north
ern border of Cape Colony, but General
Gatacre hopes soon to be in a position
to push the Free Staters back within
their own borders. The reoccupation
of Nauwpoort by the British is the
first step in this direction but strong
forces of Beers are laagered at Coles
burg, and threaten a further immedi-
ate advance from there.
Various officers of the Admiralty have
been interviewed by representatives of
the Associated Press regarding the
London "Chronicle's" bad beef asser-
tions, and they say they have not re-
ceived a single complaint as to the
quality of the food furnished on the
transports. The chief of the victual-
ing department said:
1.-The first we heard of the matter
was through the press, and though
doubtful of it's accuracy we have set on
foot inquiries on the subject. The
only specific instance mentioned is that
of the Nubia. We bought large guam
titles of provisions in New York, but
we have there responsible agents who
are not likely to accept rotten meat or
meat which has already been refused
by other Governments. 1t is under
stood the term 'embalmed meats is ap-
piled to canned meats. We have not
bought any of these. Our supplies are
confined to salt meats and pork packed
| in casks, commonly known at sea as
| salt horse the same as served in all
| the navies of the world for years past.
| We have not so far heard a word
against this form of food, and judg-
! ing from the health of the men in the
United States navy during the war
L \