The record-union., 1899-11-01


end of next week 2S,0OO troops will
have landed in South Africa These
men are intended for General Sir Red
vers Buffers army, but they will un-
doubtedly be sent to Natal if the situ-
alton there should become perilous The
British army will eventually reach the
huge total of $500, of which 69,634
will be regulars and the other 10000
miscellaneous but excellent colonial
troops.
The disaster had an immediate effect
on the Stock Exchange, where consols
fell " South African securities drop
ped heavily, Rand lines falling points
Rio Tintos fell r.
The afternoon newspapers made only
brief editorial comments on the news
from Ladysmith, but their headlines
voiced the feeling of general sorrow
The tone of the editorials can be
summed up in the following statement
of the s"St. James Gazette:
"It is evident that the patriotism and
fortitude of the nation are to be tested
in real earnest by these operations of
ours in Natal against great odds. Gen
eral White had a; difficult task set him,
dogged GOODNESS which Britons know
how to display. We shall await the
final result without apprehension"
The Globe calls upon the British
empire ito receive this bitter and un-
palatable piece of news with the spirit
of a great nation that relies upon its
invincible reserves Of strength"
Advices from Cape Town show that
the Beers are gathering in considerable
force at Dewdrop, southwest Of Lady
smith, while large forces of Beers are
advancing over the Helpmaaka road
A big camp of Beers is to be formed
between Harrismith bridge and Pot
gietere farm camp at Dewdrop, which.
it said, will extend four miles. An
Englishman who has arrived at ALI
walnorth from Pretoria, whence he was
expelled, by way of Blomfontein, says
that when he left Pretoria all the stores
there were carrying on business as
usual, and President Kruger was still
there. He did not see any wounded at
Johannesburg.
Some of the Transvaal papers are
still publishing and contain glowing ac-
counts of the success Of the Boer army,
saying that Kimberly and Mafeking are
expected to fall at any moment, while
Bechuanaland is conquered and an
nexed; that the Republican arms are
Burghers are continuing their victori-
Gus march south, capturing British
prisoners and stores The papers ad-
nit that the battle of Glands Laagte
was a reverse for the Beers. who lost
thirty killed and many wounded, and
that eighty-five Beers were made pris-
oners. Ladysmith, according to the
Boer newspapers, is soon to be taken
The Englishman added that the
Beers are absolutely confident of their
ultimate triumph, and believe the whole
of Natal is already practically in their
hands.
A dispatch from vryburg, dated Oc-
tober 25th, gives report of speech
Of Cemmandant Delarey when hosting
the Boer flag there. He declared that
the flag of the republic was now float
! ing over the whole country north of
the Orange River, and that the Brit
ish flag would never again float there
unless hoisted over the dead bodies of
the Burghers. Complete order pre-
vailed at Vryburg.
Advices from Kimberly under date of
October 9th, received through a dis
patch rider at Orange River. October
Both, report that all the wounded are
progressing favorably.
1t also appears that as they are una
Bile to blow up the piers of the Modder
River bridge, the Beers are demolish-
ing them stone by stone. They have
from the Modder River to the Orange
River.
An armored train, strongly supported.
made a reconnaissance October 9th,
and found the Beers still at Spytfon-
tein-
There was an extraordinary military
parade at Aldershot yesterday, when
fifteen traction eng mes and forty trucks
We're inspected previous to their de-
parture for South Africa. A stretch
of Sandy Rock road was selected for
the tests. and gave excellent chance
to observe the points of the engines.
steep ditch and banks two and three
feet higher We're safely traversed.
though at times the wheels sank axle
deep, other engines pulled out the help
less ones The Duke of Connaught
and Prince Louis and Prince Victor
Napoleon attended the trials and wers
much pleased with the result. Twenty
four of these engines will be dispatched
to South Africa.
The preparation to call out the Sec
ond army corps. taken in conjunction
with the extraordinary naval activity
here, has again aroused the belief in
British circles that the Government has
good reason to anticipate European
hostility. No reason to justify this
latest reiteration of rumors of Russian,
French or German Intervention can be
found however 1t was learned on
good authority that the motive con-
| sists, to quote an official, In wanting to
show the other fellows what we can
do" and is on a line with calling out
| the militia, a purely precautionary
measure dictated by the necessity Of
bringing up the home military force to
its normal strength. or rather a
strength proportionate with the neces-
sites of nation engaged in foreign
war. Still,l it rs doubtful whether the
| second corps will be actually called OUT.
That development depends on two cir
cumstances, first the attitude of Ei-
ropean nations. as evinced by this first
serious British reverpe: second, upon
| the Judgment Of General Butler. who