The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-11-26
Of the Town of Ladysmith.


The chief interest IN Ladysmith today
lies in its military position, writes q resi-
dent OF Ladysmith, the Boer-beleaguered
town. In the old days Of the first Trans
vaaI war we had troops here. and the
place was TO all intents and purposes
garrison town. But the soldiers were
eventually Withdrawn. and II was not IN
I'll 1891 that we were again familiar with
the flies and the drums In that year the
military authorities came up from Mar
itZburg and laid out q camp OF consider
able extent near the waterworks, rather
less than two miles 10 the west OF TIE
town We were right glad to see them,
and tried our best TO do them we'll. There
were never less than 2eso men in camp
under canvas and in so-called huts. and
three field batteries OF artillery helped 70
swell the number
Looking back today 10 the time when
the camp was re-estab lished. just over
two years ago. il seems TO me that there
was some mixing OF strange happenings,
even at that time. We talked vaguely
OF possibilities, but never realized the
dread actualities that have now come TO
pass.
At that time various real estate specu-
lators and others bought land IN the
neighborhood of the camp with a view
of building a hotel, some bungalows.
canteen or so. and other accommodations
for the troops. but owing 10 various
causes nothing tangible was done and
beyond the tents there are only some
dozen little brick buildings dotted about
the outskirts Of the regimental lines.
The soldiers came and went freely IN
the town, and caused an appreeiable I'M
+ provement in the trade of the place,
which previous TO that had not been In
a too aourishing condition
1t would be ridiculous in the extreme
TO pretend that Ladysmith IS impregaa-
Bile. II is nothing of the sort. To the
west OF the town there Is hne level
plain, in which Is the camp. The open
veldt rolls away for miles until II meets
the foothills stretching afar from the
Drakensberg Mountains. The Sand River,
with its aTluents, the Blaauwbank River,
| and Dewdrop Spruit or stream intersect
I the plateau, and the lip and Sand Rivers
/ join on the road leading across Van Rec
/ mems Pass TO Harrismith. There Is very
| little water in any OF these rivers save
/ after a thunderstorm. During the sum-
/ mer months these are pretty frequent.
/ and for at least few weeks IN January
| may be expected with almost clockwork
/ regularity between four and five o'clock
/ every afternoon. They usually only last
| for an hour or less. and though the down.
| pour is veritably tropical, for the time,
| the hot sun socn dries up the moisture,
! and the soil is parched and thirsty again
| by the next day.
On the east Of Ladysmith there are
| several hills, which are OF some import
/ ance. The Isimbulwana, for instance, Il
| dignified by the name of a mountain. but
! this is gross fattery: Lombard's Kop Is
/ y . ~
| and six of the camp. hopje "a hilloSk
/ is the diminutive Of kop. a hill Scatter
ed about the veldt on this side OF jhe
town are many kopjes, covered with
stones and capable OF making excellent
cover for the Beers, who. however. could
| be- and evidently have been, dislodged
by our heavy naval guns.
1t is entirely incorrect to describe La
/ dysmith as lying in a teacup. 4 fairer
| comparison would be 10 say that It lies
towards one side OF gigantic soup-plate.
/ with a big piece Of the edge Clipped on on
| one side. Through this chip comes the
! railway line from Durham.
There are a number of hamlets OF doz-
en- to twenty houses scattered about with
| in a score or so miles from Lad ysmith.
Leatherns. for instance. is fifteen miles
| away. Freers (Acton Homes. wnere
Gen. Whites first engagement took place,
is twenty-four miles; and Little Tugeia
Waterfall is about thirty. Roundabout
! are many more or less Isolated farms.
/ English farms, where they really do
farm, not Dutch farms.
/ Speaking as a resident. and che who
knows the country. there need De no fear
that we shall lose Ladysmith. The earth
| works surrounding the heavy guns are
| amply sufficient to protect the town. Ev-
| cry hill. SLUT. and distinctive point OF at
tack for miles round has bean carefully
measured for shooting ouroosas. The site
| Of the camp itself was chosen by a board
of officers specially appointed for nc
/ purpose. and the military position o. the
place has been studied and develops dG-
ring the past two years by tue most tx
pert local military advice.
The natural advantages and defences q
/ the town have been enhanced and
/ strengthened by carefully planned re-
/ doubts at any possibly Vulnerable points
/ The danger OF the place being rushed +
( absolutely nil, because the immediate SUI
/ roundings are open and bare 10 naked
ness. so that there is no possibility II sur-
prise. Any one approaching can be seen
for a great distance. and no near cover
/ Is available.
In short, I.adysmith Is the Aldersnot
of taL-Correspondence London Daily
| Mail.