The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-11-09
DEPENDS ON WHITES WORK.
IF HE CAN HOLD OUT THINGS MAY
TAKE A NEW TURN.

His brilliant SOrties Have Afforded
Much EncOuraEement-MO
of n Strong Force From Estcourt.
There Are $500 Troops Ready for
an Advance TO COIensO-FOrtihcR-
tIOns ut Lndysmith Are BeinE
Strengthened.
London. Nov. 9-To the eye of military
experts the darkest page OF the war is
now being written.
But even that is Illuminated with bright
passages. such as Gen. Whites victorious
sorties. II he can keep the British flag
flying over Ladysmith until he is relieved,
the campaign will turn a fresh page. and
with the advance of Sir Redvers Buffers
force. the British public is promised more
cheerful reading,
This feeling of relief inspired by recent
good tidngs is, nevertheless. tinged by a
certain anxiety lest Gen. White should
again make some fatal mlscalcuatlon in
volving repetition of the Nicholson's Mex
disaster.
Her Majesty does not share this anx-
iety, and apparently is sangulne of his
ability to pull through successfully. 1t is
asserted she has written to Lady White
expressing sympathy with her husband in
the trials and difficulties he Is now expe-
riencing, and assuring Lady White of her
own undiminlshed confidence in his gener-
alship.
The purport of this letter has been ca
bled to Gen. White by the Marquis OF
Lansdowne.
Movement From EstcOurt.
The most interesting news tonight Is a
dispatch from Estcourt announcing the de-
parture of a strong force of mounted
troops and artillery for a destination not
given in the advices.
Another message announces the arrival
at Estcourt and Pietermarilzburg within
the last few days Of reinforeements from
Durham, and that $500 troops are now as
sembled ready for an advance to Colenso
when the opportuue moment arrives. The
latter dispatch throws light upon the for
mer, and the force which left EstcouTt
Monday has doubtless reoccupied Colenso,
and possibly now is advancing cautiously
up The railroad toward Ladysmith, Gen.
Whites sorte of Friday almost to the
banks OF Tugelo river, encouraging its
commander In the hope of joining hands
with him.
Gen. Joubert, the latest advices would
indicate, drew in his horns after Fridays
engagement, and mas since Withdrawn the
southern Boer contingents. leaving only
outposts on the line from Ladysmith to Co
lenso The Beers who occupied Colenso
about the middle of last week retired with
out damaging Bulwer bridge over the Tu-
geIo river or the railroad as far north as
the village Of Nelthorpe, seven miles south
of Ladysmlth Evidently they nurse
hope of eventually utilizing both in their
descent on Pietermaritzburg.
strengthening Lndysmith.
Meanwhile the British are also able to
use both, as they have already done. in
running up an armored train. which may
at the present moment be covering the
advance of the Estcourt force.
At Estcourt and Pietermaritzburg the
defensive works have been greatly
strengthened within the last few days,
and they are now believed capable of
holding their own against any Boer force
which Gen. Joubert would at present
juncture risk sending against either town.
Both are likely to be strengthened before
the week Is out by further naval force
and even by the first detachment Of Gen.
Buffers army corps.
Movement of Transports.
None of the troopshlps has arrived. The
one which it was predicted might reach
Cape Town at the earliest on Monday is
as yet unannounced, and even when 1t
does arrive there, II win have three days
steaming 20 reach Durham. As many as
six transports with 4.500 troops are ex-
pected TO be in Cape Town harbor by this
time, but the war office last evening is-
sued a statement to the effect that the
only arrivals Al Cape Town We're the Su-
matra from Durham with wounded. the
Southern Cross from Gibraltar with mules
and the collier Wenvoe.
OF course. 1t is possible that dispatch
boats have been sent to meet the troop
ships with instructions to proceed direct
to Durham, and in that event the war Of
fee statement that not one has arrived
at Cape Town would be literally accur-
ate, even though several should be half
way between Cape Town and Durham.
Brighter at MafeISing.
The situation looks brighter at Mafek-
ing, where the Beers are apparently dis
heartened at the unexpected resistance, a
large body of their force having been de-
tached to the south to assist in the invest
ment of Kimberley, around which the cor
don is drawing tighter. Evidently the
Beers intend TO make a concentrated ef-
fort to capture Kimberley and their arch
enemy. Cecil Rhodes.
The reported departure Of a Boer con-
tingent from Pretoria, with German artil-
Iery gunners. moving In a southerly di-
rection is taken 10 mean cooperation in
the invasion of the northern portions Of
Cape Colony, an undertaking which thus
far has not progressed very rapidly.
Reports of a treacherous use Of the
white flag by the Beers, coming from ma
tive sources, are not received with COM
plete credulity, but at the same time their
reiteration is making an unfavorable i'm
preston.
nIruRAy TROOPS' CLOSE CALL