The record-union., 1899-10-26
Insinuatsd That Reports of the
British War Office
Are "Dociorsd" Before They Are Given
Out to the Public at London.
The Hiding of the News Respect
ing the Hussars and Fusileers,
Who Were, Apparently, Cap
tured at the Battle of Glencoe,
Calls Forth Severe Criticism at
the Hands of the British Public.

LONDON, Oct 26.-With uncon-
scious humor, a Cape Town correspond
ent telegraphed yesterday:
THE censorship, which is always a
delicate matter, is working smoothly
and without a hitch''
This exactly hits off the state of af-
fairs to-day. An ominous veil is still
drawn over the movements of General
Sir George Stewart White and General
Yule. Beyond belated Ladysmith dis
patches concerning the Glands Laagte
fight, which are still filtering in, the
British public is left in complete dark
ness and to conjecture over cooked"
War Office dispatches. The officials of
the War Office last evening said that
very few dispatches have arrived, and
that nothing further was to be ex-
pected until morning.
Since it is practically certain that
General Yule has now effected a juno
ton with General White-although this
was not brought about Tuesday night,
as announced by the Daily Mail" but
some time on Wednesday-an as both
are now in position of safety, conjec-
ture concerns itself chiefly with the
manner of General Yule's retreat. That
it was hasty was evident. Was it dis
orderly? Was any considerable camp
equipment abandoned? Was there any
fighting on the way? Such questions
and others like them the public is anx-
iously asking.
Since the receipt of General Whites
curious first description of the Lady
smith fight, in which the British lost
a hundred men, but little reliance can
be placed on the official dispatches
While the concealment of the facts re-
garding General Yule's retreat can be
amply justified on the ground of keep
ing the intelligence from the Beers, the
hiding Of the news respecting the Hus-
sars and Fusileers who were apparently
captured in the battle of Glencoe. is
severely criticised, no intimation even
having been given that the officers were
missing.
The heavy loss of the British troSpe
IN facing only some ) S,0e0--B0ers ere
commented upon as what the rifle
means to-day in the hands of even un-
disciplined men who can shoot fairly
straight and stand their ground. Com
parsons are made with the first en-
.ployment of the magazine rifle in the
Hlspano-American war, and il is CON
sldered that the American losses at E
Caney and San Juan would have been
much heavier if the Spaniards had dog
gedly stood their ground like the Beers
General Sir Redvers Butler is expect
ed to arrive at the Cape early next
week, and the indications are that some
troops have already arrived at the
front and been in the fighting whose
arrival has not yet been announced
There Is every probability, therefore
that reinforcements are now moving
up. This is calculated to hasten Com
mandant General Joubert's attack or
Ladysn1ith and news of a big battle
is daily expected.
About half complete army corps is
now afioat, and lull has occurred in
dispatching the remainder of Genera.
Buffers forces, owing to some diff
Guilty in obtaining transports The mob.
ilization and embarkation of 21 OO(
men, however, have proceeded with the
utmost smoothness and completeness
extorting admiration from even the Sc.
Verest critics of the War Office organ.
ization
Although news has arrived that Gen
eral Sir William Penn Symons is doins
Well, there is no indication as to his
whereabouts. 1t is presumed that ht
Is at Dundee in the hands of the Beers
Speaking at Dublin yesterday to the
departing troops, General Lord Fred
erlck Roberts of Kandahar said tha
however important previous campaign!
in South Africa had appeared at tn,
time. they had dwindled into insignifi
canoe when compared with the grea
event in which the British troops wer,
about TO engage.
GENERAL WHITES REPORT.
LONDON, Oct. 25.-General Whit
has telegraphed TO the War Office from
Rietfontein, under date of October 24th
saying that in the fighting near Lady
smith twelve of the British force wer
killed and eighty-nine wounded, an,
that five are missing, the casualtie
being mostly among the Glouceste
Regiment.
A special dispatch from Cape Town
dated $40 this morning, says ther
has been another battle at Ladysmith
and that the Beers We're repulsed TIL
British casualties We're placed at fou
killed and seven wounded, all rank an,
file.
A special from Ladysmith, dated DC
tober 23d, says the troops of tn
Eighteenth Hussars, which got astra,
in pursuing the Beers after the battl
of Glencoe, have arrived at Ladysmith
the troopers having fought their wa,
through with the loss of three horses
The War Office this evening mad
public the following dispatch sent b.
General White from Ladysmith at } >
this afternoon:
THE advance. guard of the force
sent out by me this morning to get il
touch with and help General Yule's col
umn. was within three miles of tha
column, which had temporarily halte
at Sunday River about noon. / nav
occupied all the strong positions o.
the road to Ladysmith, and I have n
further anxiety about them. I hav
received from Lieutenant Kendricl
signaling officer of the Queens Regi
ment, who has ridden in, and also fror
Colonel Fartnell of the Natal police
who commanded the column, the bes
account Of the spirits and efficiency Q