Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-10-28


TERAIARTTZBURG- WHITE
PREPARING TO ATTACK THE
ORANGE FREE STATE FORCES.
LONDON, October 27.-During the
momentary lull in the fighting in Ma
tai comes news from the western Dor
der which temporarily shifts the scene
of chief interest to the beleaguered
British force at Kimberley. The sharp
struggle there Tuesday appears to have
been the result of a sortie with view
of breaking the Gordon surrounding the
place. The British, apparently 500
strong, met 700 Beers, and, according
to the official and other accounts,
routed them after severe fighting, in
which the armored trains appear to
were entranched strongly seven miles
northward, and the British brilliantly
carried the enemys position without
serious loss. 1t is said that the Beers
twice unfairly used white Tag. Gen.
Botha, who was among the killed, was
a member of the volksraad and a ia
nous Dutch fighter. He distinguished
himself as q marksman at Brenkhost-
Spruit, when the Ninety-fourth British
regiment was moved down. He after
ward defended farm house against
the British. When he surrendered the
farm house Botha was found with five
wounds, bathed in blood.
A special dispatch from Cape Town
to-day gives details of the defeat of 700
Beers by the British at Riverton, north
OF Kimberly, Wednesday, in which the
enemy was routed with heavy loss, the
British loss being three men killed and
20 men, including two officers, wound
ed. This is probably the same fight,
though different date is given, as re-
ferred to in the Cape Town dispatch of
yesterday, in which it was said Off
cial reports from Kimberley Tuesday
announced that Col. Scott Turner, with
270 men, had an engagement with the
Beers, during which detachment of
$50 men OF the Lancashire regiment dis
tinguished itself, and the armored
train did good service. The Beers were
unable to withstand the splendid
charge of the Lancashires, who cleared
the hill occupied by the enemy at the
point Of the bayonet The Boer losses
are described as very heavy. Colonel
Scott Turner's force consisted of the
local volunteers, who, with the L.anca-
shires, completed the rout of the burgh-
ers after Murray's artillery had driven
them out of their entertainments
Botha commanded the Boer force.
The fight lasted four hours.
Before the sortie, Kimberley was ap-
parently in high spirits, as a dispatch
from there dated October 90 says every
one was cheerful there at that time and
that a wedding was celebrated there
that day. The dispatch adds: Great
enthusiasm has been aroused here by
the news of the British success in Ma
kal. Several farmers in the neighbor-
il oo6 of Kimberley have been noticed
inv the ranks of the Beers. A letter
FROM Father Rorke said 700 Beers with
loon wagons were laagered at Taungs
All 9he whites have left except the wo-
men, who sought refuge in the con-
vent. Ihe Boer commandant has prom
ised ton protect them"
The News from the northern border
indicatesS that the Beers are actively
trying to \prevent Col. Plumer from re-
lieying Maxeking, hence the absence .f
news since pretoria announced the
bombardmen( of the place is creating
considerable Aarm.
The newspapers are making the most
of what they claim to be significant
admissions" in the supposed Boer Off
eial kilograms.
The colonial Office has made public
the following telegram received from
Governor Hutchinson, dated Pietermar-
itzburg, October &c: THE following
Telegram has been received from Grey