The record-union., 1899-11-18
General White Is Having a Lively
Time at Ladysmith.
The Town Bombarded Night and Day and
Said to be Hard Pressed.
Beers Make an Assault Upon the
Place, but Are Repu1sed With
Heavy Losses-Unconfirme Ru-
mors That Another Armored
Train Has Met With Disaster.

Heavy Losses-Unconfirm Ru-
mors That Another Armored
Train Has Met With Disaster.
LONDON, Nov. 1S.-Special dis
patches from Pietermaritzburg via
Lourenzo Marques says that Lady
smith is bombarded night and day and
hard pressed. On November 9th. hav-
ing, during the night, placed men close
to the town, the Beers after a heavy
bombardment began an assault, but
were repulsed at every point with
heavy losses. The Beers. have de-
stroyed one of the, bridges over the
Tugela River.
The Standard and Diggers News an
nounces that 5000 Beers are marching
through Zululand. 1t also says that a
deserter from Ladysmith reports some
anxiety among the troops to escape and
that the provisions are stored loaded on
wagons ready for the flight of the Brit
ish
There are rumors of another disaster
to an Esteourt train, and it is reported
that tvseiisv-five volunteers who formed
the escort are missing. There is, how
ever, no confirmation of these reports.
LONDON, Nov. 1S-5 a. m.-The alb
sence of authoritative news of any
serious movement against Ladysmith
seems to show that the Beers are rer
peating the strategy adopted by them
at Dundee, when they appeared in
front and endeavored to effect a sur
rounding movement This seems to
have been their object regarding Est
court, and since it is impossible that
relief should reach there for some days
to come, it is not unlikely that a
further retiring movement on Moot
River will be made.
: Colonel Wolfe-Murray has returned
to Piterermaritgzurg to take charge of
the line of communication, and Colonel
Young of the Royal Artillery has taken
command at Estcourt The forces now
at Pietermaritzburg are too weak to at
tempt to reopen communication. Artil-
lery and cavalry especially are badly
needed, and it necessarily will take a
long time to obtain either owing to the
difficulty of entraining and the necessity
of allowing ths horses to rest after the
long sea voyage.
From the indiseriminate distribution
of the various divisions at unexpected
points it seems clear that the original
plans of General Butler have been
wholly changed. Not the slightest word
regarding the new plans has been al
lowed TO escape.
1t has been reported that the Belmont
fight arose owing to the advance of a
British column to relieve Kimberley,
but this seems incorrect, all of the most
reliable accounts representing the en-
gagement as growing out of a recon-
noissance. The announcement of the
arrival of General Metheun at Orange
River, however, doubtless means that
arrangements are in a forward state
for an advance from that point if the
advance has not already begun.
Last Tuesday a Boer force of 600 en-
tered Ailwal North, Cape Colony,
hoisted the flag of the Free State and
declared the town and district to be a
part of the republic. The activity OF
the Beers in this locality would almost
point to the necessity of insuring the
safety of the column.
In view of the reticence of General
Butler, 1T is almost useless to speculate
70
relieve Kimberley. 1t can only be in
tended to withdraw the Beers, if pos
sible, from Natal The object of the oc-
cupation of Ailwal North is understood
to be to prevent the large quantity of
ammunition at Herschel being forward
ed to jamestown, and thence to the
Queens Own. The Beers have notified
the inhabitants that no footing will be
allowed.
There are reliable reports of mys-
terious movements of Free State com
mandos along the Orange River. and
important developments are expected.
Everything tends to show that the relief
of Kimberley could only be safely I'M
dertaken by strong column.
A dispatch from Lourenzo Marques
says: "A Pretoria newspaper an
nounces last Wednesday that 1000
Burghers had left General Joubert' S
force around Ladysmith to join Com
mandant Botha's force near Estcourt
with a view of assisting to intercept
the British advance to the relief of
Ladysmith.
General Lucas Meyer, the Free
State Commander, has asserted in the
course of an interview that he is con-
WINGED that the battle of Glands Laagte
will be the first and last Boer defeat of
the year.
IT is reported that the British Gov
eminent has purchased the creusot
guns ordered by the Transvaal, but not
delivered. An official dispatch confirms
the statement that Captain j. A. Hal
dane of the Gordon Highlanders, at
tached to the Dublin Fusileers and
lieutenant FARMLAND and thirty seven
non-commissioned officers and men OF
the Dublin Fusileers are missing. Cap
tain Haldane distinguished himself by
his service in India, for which he re-
ceived the d. S. o. Companion of the
distinguished service order). He was
also wounded at Glands Laagte.
Advices from Zululand testify to the
growing uneasiness of British residents
whose stores are looted by the Beers
with the result that the Zulu's them
selves are growing insolent, giving rise
to the fear that they may attack the
unarmed British population.