Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-10-25

| LONDON. October 2i-Al;hough there
Is no reason to doubt the accuracy OF the
dispatch from Cape Town 70 the Daily
Mail, regarding General Yule's move
ments, II Is curious that General Whites
telegram to the war Office Is also dated
at L. NJ, but makes no mention OF the
Joining Of forces When the war Office
dispatch was issued, just after midnight.
the officials announced that nothing more
would be communicated until Wednesday
morning so that It is impossible 10 con-
firm or deny the news.
General Yule had n heavy march Mon
day over the Strattord slopes and the
Zurfontein table, both over 5000 feet high.
and arrived after dusk at Beth. which IS
I half way between Rorkes Drift and
Waschbank He mad a still heavier march
before him. and was hardly expected to
join General White at Ladysmith until
to-day.
His movements were actuated by sound
! judgment, since he would soon have been
surrounded and In a desperate position.
The combined forces al Ladysmith, now
amounting TO some 12,0o0 men, viii be am
ply sufficient to act on the defensive.
HEAVY LOSS OF OFFICERS.
A few more victories like Glencoe and
i
troops without officers. While the Beers
have failed to take advantage OF their
strategic position. owing to the incompe-
tence or haste of their leaders, the Bri-
fish have no cause for cOngratulaiion
over the result of the Natal opera tons:
They have suffered heavy losses In men,
and their victories have practically gone
for nothing, the whole Of Northern Natal
being now abandoned TO the Beers.
II would have been better TO have con-
centrated on Ladysmith in the first In
stance. but General White and General
Symons had to yield to political eXigencies
and to the local reluctance 20 abandon
an inch OF territory more than was ne
cessary.
1t IS not expected that the wounded
left at Dundee will suffer, except IN be-
ing prisoners Of war.
THE BAsUTO UNREST.
The news Of unrest in Basutoland
causes some anxiety.
The correspondents who were taken
! prisoners IN the train at Elandslaagts
| have escaped They report that they
| were well treated by the Boelv, and that,
I'm collecting and assisting the wounded,
Beers and British seem TO have been
mutually helpful.
At Cape Town it IS proposed to raise
| Cape irregular force.
KIMBERLEY SITUATION.
CAPE TOWN, October pa dispatch
| from Kimberley, dated october 2lst and
brought by a dispatch rider TO the orange
river. has just arrived here. Ii says:
THE position in Kimberley is TN
changed. The siege continues. Hester-
| day the armored train found the enemy
I'm the same position IN the Spytfontcia
neighborhood
"The prisoners who were captured When
the armored train was destroyed by the
Beers at Kraalpan are now reported alive
and well treated.
ANNEXATION OF TERRITORY.
"The Beers hoisted the flag Of the
Transvaal over Nryburg on October 18TH,
and are about issuing a proclamation
! that Bechuanaand now forms part or
the Transyaal. This IS regarded as a
move on the part of the enemy to induce
the Colonial Dutch TO join the republic
without mourning the risk hereafter OF
the charge of high treason, If the Beers
are ultimately defeated
Colonel Keckwoch. on hearing Of 1t,
Immediately issued a proclamation mott
flying the people that if any British SUBJ
iects were found assisting her Majesty's
enemies, either directly or indirectly such
person would be punished summarily as
n base rebel Several arrests OF Cape
Dutchmen were made here yesterday"