The record-union., 1899-11-07

or dectGvely defeated. Nobody dares
to think OF equalization. Rather than
that, he Is expected, in last resort. II
Ladysmfth becomes untenable. to make
9 desperate effort to cut his way
through the Beers back into lower
Natal, and to join hands with the gar
rison there, which is now almost GER
tain to be reinforced by the first ar
rivals of the corps from England, and
to be pressed forward to renew touch
with him
1t is generally assumed, however.
that General White, with the aid of the
naval guns, will be able to cope with
any bombardment, and the idea that
the Beers could take Ladysmith by as
sault is secuted as absurd The de-
Tense thus depends on the uninterrupt-
ed working of the naval guns Right
here arises the important questions
upon which the dispatches have thrown
no light whether the naval guns.
which themselves only arrived at the
last moment, have with them sufficient
ammunition to reply to lombard
ment lasting possibly several weeks. II
not, it is hardly likely that works exist
in small town like Ladysmith for
casting the special shell needed for the
A. guns. and, moreover, there is no
mention of stores of lyddite at Lady
smith for recharging these shells.
Meanwhile vague remarks in the dis
patches point to the impending arrival
of further big Boer guns from johann
nesburg, to be mounted among the hills
within range of Ladysmith.
Such considerations explain the anx-
fety felt regarding General Whites
movements and position, not only by
the public. but in official circles
The British retirement to Estcourt
has given the impression that it is in
tended to make a stand there. Est
court is the last important town be-
tween the Beers and the capital of
Ladysmith, and if the Beers sweep past
Estcourt nothing can stop them from
laying siege to Pietermaritzburg, which
cannot be expected to make protract-
ed defense, while its fall would be a
tremendous blow to British prestige
throughout South Africa
Already the British retirement south
OF Colenso has given the Beers an OPP
portunity to make bid for the active
support of the disaffected Dutch in
Natal, by proclaiming the annexation of
the Upper Tugela section. Thus far
the Dutch colonists seem to have con-
fined their sympathy with the invading
Beers to platonic emotion Except
for surreptitious assistance, there is no
evidence that they have yet Joined the
Beers openly in any appreciable num-
bers.
The reported British retirement from
Stormberg Junction, however, will be
followed doubtless by a similar Boer
proclamation annexing the portions III
Cape Colony lying directly south of the
Orange Free State These proclama-
tons, as in the case of Bechuanaland,
have been and will be Immediately fol-
lowed by British counter-proclamation
but to the eyes of the Dutch farmers
the presence of one Boer commando is
probably more impressive than the ex-
pectation of the arrival of the whole
British army in the more or less dis
tant future.
The British newspapers publish a list
OF the transports due to arrive at Cape
Town from to-day. According to this
some 10000 men should reach the Cape
by the end of next week, but the Ad-
miralty issued a chilly warning last
evening to the effect that no disap-
pointment must be felt by the public
II the transports should not arrive at
the dates mentioned, which the War
ONCE says are based in many cases
upon too sanguine expectations"
The French press has been cheerfullv
announcing the issue of letters of
marque by the Transvaal Government.
and predicts the havoc which privateers
may work among British merchantmen
and even transports. In this Paris
journalism finds in part an explana-
ton for the mobilization of the British
special service squadron.
The view taken by the German press
of the same matter is interesting. Ber-
lin journalism treats the suggestion of
with skepticism. The ssvos-
sische Zeitung" says: ''Privateering is
no longer recognized by international
law. and the Transvaal is not in q po-
sition to issue letters of marque, as it
possesses neither ports nor harbors At
tempts at privateering must conse-
quently be regarded, not only by Great
Britain, but by neutral Powers, as un-
lawful warfare, and to be treated as
common piracy
The American hospital fund is in
creasing steadily. More than f11,O0O is
now in hand, including fl 900 from Mrs.
Samuel Newhouse, and f1O0 each from
Mrs. Eugene Kelley and Mrs. C. =.
Huntington The Executive Commit
tee decided that the whole personnel OF
the ship. doctors, nurses and crew, shall
come from the United States the only
Englishman being the chief medical Of
ficer. An allied fund will be opened N
Paris. Mr.. Harges of Drexel, Harges
& Co. has issued a call for a meeting
to form a committee
Lady Randolph Churchill has sent
him the following telegram: 1.-THE Ex-
ecutive Committee thanks you for your
cooperation, and hopes you may work
as effectively as we are working here"
Last evening her majesty wired in
reply to a. telegram from the Crimean
veterans banquet at Portsmouth:
The Queen wildly recalls your cam
paign, and feels sure that the Crimean
We , rams must feel proud of their
younger comrades now fighting in
South Africa
The DAILY Mail' has received the
following dispatch from Stormberg.
dated last Friday evening:
An Orange Free State force 2,OUCl
strong is now at Pewn's farm. halfway
between the Orange River and Burgh-
ersdorp. The Beers are waiting there
FOR the arrival of 1900 reinforcements
from Rockville and Bloemfontein be-
fore moving on Stormberg There is q /
third Free State force at Colesburg.