Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-11-06
RAISE BRITISH HOPE
Gen. Buffers Dispatch Regarding
Situation at Ladysmith.
AFFAIR At BESTER'S STATION
SpeciaI-Service Squadron Fitting
Out at Portsmouth.
HOERS IN BIG FOR c f

LONDON. November 6.-An immense
weight was lifted from the public mind by
Il brief official dispatch published this
morning by which the continental stories
Of disaster at T.adysmith were proved to
be false, although the dispatch itself re-
vivei the anxiety of the more timid in an
other direction. as it indicated that General
White instead of sitting tight and acting
wholly on the defensive. as it is held in
many quarters he ought to do. persists in
making sorties and risking another Nichol-
sons Mex disaster. Generally, however.
the CHEEKY tone Of the dispatch. showing
that there is no anxiety at Ladysmith as
regards the ability of the beleaguered gar
rlsJu to hold its own. has had an excellent
effect on the country.
From the fac, that Gen. White is able
20 take the offensive and shell a Boer camp,
# seems that Ladysmith is not 50 closely
be<ieged as was supposed. Not much i'm
portance. however. is attached to the shell
ing Of the Boer lager, as the Office
has no confirmation of the story that the
Orange Free Staters' camp at Besters has
been captured Were this true. it might
have considerable effect on the future at
,itude of the Orange Free State. which is
not 50 directly concerned in the conflict as
the TranSvaaI.
Beers Going Into Cape Colony.
The movement of Beers into Cape Colony
is beginning to awaken British fear that
they have greatly underestimated the
forces they will have to meet, and that
even General Buffers task may not be so
easy as anticipated. 1t is becoming ap-
parent that all the British calculations.
based on the loyalty of population, are
hOpeIessly at sea, or there has been very
serious leakage of Dutch sympathizers
from Natal and Cape Colony. Otherwise
there is no accounting for the large forces
Of burghers reported from all directions.
The war office. consequently. is being urged
to have more troops in readiness for all
possible demands.
The evacuation of CoIenso and the re-
ported withdrawal Of the British force from
Stormberg are still unexplained. The for
nIer may be due either 10 the Roer artillery
rendering the place untenable, or to the
fact that pressure elsewhere, possibly at
Pietermaritzburg. has necessitated the con-
ceutration at a threatened point of all
a. ailable troops 1t is said that if the OBJ
jrctive of the Beers traversing Zululand
was Pierermaritzburg. they ought shortly
10 be heard from. That the position is re-
garded as serious is apparent from the fact
that the British cruisers are hurrying to
the CAPE station.
With regard to Stormberg, it is claimed
that if it turns out To be true that the
place has been evacuated, ii may either be
due to the impossibility at present of pro-
Vid!ng an adequate garrison to defend such
important supplies against the BOer raids,
or to a change in Cen Buffers plans,
whereby Gen. AIethuen's division will be
landed at Durham 10 relieve Gen. White. Ii
the latter plan is decided on. the nearest
available. stores are those at Stormberg
and the quickest method Of making the
necessary provision for an advance will be
10 railroad those stores to East London,
whence they would reach Durham before
the first troOpship
Special Service Squadron Under Or
ders.
dispatch from Portland says a special
service squadron has been instructed to
coal for II voyage. and that no one con-
nccted With the squadron is permitted tn
sleep outside the port.
Advices from Cape Town under date of
November 3 say martial law has been pro-
claimed In the districts occupied by the
British -roops between the Orange river
and de Aar The premier Mr.. W P.
Schreiner, has sent a circular to the mag
istrateS and others warning all persons
against all statements to the effect that
the parliamentary Institutions and consu-
yuJiOnal government would be lost or detri-
mentally affected.
He adds that the proclamation Of mar
taI law Is only matter Of temporary
Igency in some districts and does not
compel the hurshers Of the colony to par
tiyipate in the "depIorabIe hostilitles,"
Prince Christian Victor Of Schleswig HoI-
stein. grandson Of Queen Victoria. and Il
captain in the Kings Royal Rifles, and
other officers have left Cape Town for
I.aIysmith- To replace the dead and
wounded.
The Roer prisoners have been taken on
{ ard the British cruiser Penelope. They
number . officers and $50 men.
The Dutch farmers Of AliwaI North
have. PASSED a resolution making strong
protest against the allegations of the dis
loyalty Of the Dutch in Cape Colony. An
official notice posted at the Landrosts Of
liz, at Vryburg October -. referring to the
Jombardment Of Mafeking, says:
The big Pretoria gun wrought great de-
s-ruction but the enemy obstinately holds
his own.
other ssdviceS from Nryburg say the Brit
i-h flag sJill flies over kuruman, but that
the Bocr force i about to proceed thithcr.
The DolarriS command has been reinforced
by &."p Beers and has gone to Kimberley.
British saved Their stores.
DURHAM. Natal November ;. evening
DELAYED i'm missionl.-It is said that
the Coleuso garrison saved all the stores,
tents kits. etc The Beers numbered about
5us' mon. comprising a fresh corps of the
Orange Free Staters. The armored train
did splendid service. taking detachment
OF the Dublin FuSiicrs 10 relieve an out
lying fort. garrisoned by volunteers
Rvassuriug reports have been received re-
earliug the position at Pietermaritzburg.
-.nnI,I, 4. MD SiIr,I In