The Owosso times., 1899-12-15
NEWS OF LADYSMlTH.
Life of the Garrison There Not a
Happy One.
BOERS SHELL THE PLACE HEAVILY.

British Troops in Every Way Preparing
to Meet the Assault Which 1t Is Antici-
pated the Beers Will Garry Out in a
Final Effort To Reduce the City-General
Butler Says Beers Do Not Admit the
Real Mum ber of Their Losses.
London, Dec. Ca budget of news
from Ladysmith, which arrived, brings
the history of the beleaguered garrison
up to Nov. 20. In spite of the rumors
Of a retrograde movement upon the
part of the Beers, the stories just re-
ceived show that the garrison, al
though still strong, was suffering from
confinement, restricted diet, and the
increasing volume of the Boer artil-
lery fire, especially that of additional
heavy caliber guns placed in position
5000 yards from the western defences.
The dispatches relate that the Beers
had discovered the most vulnerable
points of the garrison and that shelling
was becoming disagreeably effective.
The rations had been reduced and
there was a great deal of sickness.
Nevertheless, the troops of the gar
rison were in every way preparing to
meet the assault which it was antici-
pated the Beers would carry out in a
final effort to reduce the city.
Disc6rd Among the Burghers.
The belief was current in Ladysmith
that the Beers were preparing for a
retrograde movement after another at
tack. Several bodies of burghers were
rana,to1 fa hox
moving in the direction of the
Drakensburg range, while Nov. 20,
detachments were observed Journey
ing northward with wagons. Discord
between the Transvaaler's and Free
Staters was also reported. There
was no indication, however, that the
Beers were preparing to dismantle
their gun positions, but that the idea
was prevalent in some quarters of
Ladysmith that the continued shelling
of the place was intended to cover the
retirement of other Boer forces to-
wards the Transvaal frontiers. The
Pretoria dispatch (of Saturday, Dec. 2,
via LourenzO Marques, Monday, Dec.
~, however, announced that n Boer
council Of war Dec. was planning a
renewed assault on Ladysmith. A dis
patch from Frere, dated Sunday: Dec.
3, reports that in Colonel Lord Dun
donald's reconnaissance near Colenso.
fifteen Beers were killed and many
wounded. The road bridge across the
Tugola river is intact.
what Kruger Wants Done.
The same message reports that Pres
ident Kruger is anxious that the
burghers leave Ladysmith in order to
oppose the British marching i'm the
direction Of Pretoria from the west.
Advices from Putter's kraal, the head
quarters Of General Gatacre's division,
dated Saturday, Dec. q say the Beers
entered Dordorecht that morning. This,
1t Is added, Is probably Groebler's force
Of 1,500 men from Stormberg. The
war office has received the list of cas-
ualties during the sortie from Kimber-
ley Nov. %, as follows: Killed-Ma-
jor Scott-Turner, of the Black Watch;
Lieutenant G.. w. Wright, of the Kim
berley light horse. and twenty non
commissioned officers and men.
Wounded-Captain Walleck, Lieuten-
ants Clifford and Watson and twenty
eight on-commissioned officeres and
men. There is possibility, IL General
Butler asks for further reinforcements,
that brigade Of militia will be sent
to south Africa with the view of con-
ciliating the militiamen, who think
that branch Of the service has been
sighted in favor Of the reservists.