The record-union., 1899-10-30
Everything Hinges on Whites Judgment
and Resources.
Delay in Boer Attack Due to Jou-
bert's Non-Arriva1-Cens
More Active Than Ever-Later
Accounts of the First Battle
and the Evacuation of Dundee
Do Not Give Those Affairs a
Rosy Hue.

LONDON, Oct 30.-The position at
Ladysmith, without being alarming, is
sufficiently dangerous to excite anxiety.
Evidently the Beers are trying to re-
peat their Dundee tactics. Roughly es-
timated they have 1900 men as
against 1900 British.
General Sir Stewart White has the
better artillery, but his is of lesser
range. The delay in the Boer attack
is reported to be due to the nom arrival
Of Commandant General Joubert's col
umn. This has given the British a
much needed respite after their recent
exertions. Everything, it is now con-
sidered, hinges on General Whites re-
sources and Judgment. Nothing is
known regarding the progress of de-
fensive works for the protection Of
Ladysmith.
The censorship is more active than
ever. According to the Daily Chron-
icle'' correspondent, THE new regula-
tions limit the number of words allowed
for press messages to one-fourth the
number allowable before
Farmers in the neighborhood of La
dysmith have left their farms and stock
at the mercy Of the Beers and are con-
gregated in the town. Two guns the
Beers have mounted are powerful wea-
pons. They are the ones used in she'll
ing Dundee and it is a matter of con-
siderable surprise how they managed
to transport such heavy guns.
Again it is reported that President
Kruger accompanied General Joubert to
| the front in a splendidly fitted travel
ing wagon.
The -Standard's'' correspondent at
Ladysmith, telegraphing Saturday,
sends a statement that the Beers have
captured 1900 mules, a loss that must
seriously inconvenience British trans
portation.
The attempt of the Beers to cut the
| railway at Pieters was frustrated by
cavalry.
The wife of General Jan Kock has
! arrived at Ladysmi&h under a flag of
truce to nurse her husband
All the unwounded Boer prisoners
have been sent to Durham to pre- ent
any attempt at rescue. The explana-
ton Of the alleged Boer massacre at
Dundee appears to be that portion of
the town guard, although fairly war; ed
by General Yule before his retirement
continued to carry arms and thirty of
them were shot before the Boors dis
covered who they We're
The body Of Sir William Symons was
buried without a coffin, shrouded in the
Union Jack. Among the papers found
upon him was telegram from Lady
Symons congratulating him uuon his
success.
| Later accounts al irct hot
the evacuation of Dundee do not give
those affairs a rosy hue. Owing to the
shelling at Glencoe Camp the telegraph
operators were compelled to scamper.
When the Beers entered Dundee they
lndulged in general lootlng of stores,
but apparently did not otherwise modest
the populace.
In the first battle the Beers captured
the Maxims of the Sixteenth Hussars
but only after the entire crew of the
gun, with one exception, had been dis
abled.
The survivor effectually damaged the
gun. only two officers of the staff of
General Symons came off without a.
wound
Again it is asserted the moment the
Royal Dublin Fusileers reached the
| summit of the Kopje at Glencoe. the
Boers showed white flag, and asked
a truce to bury their dead The B.it-
lsh artillery was ordered to cease fir
| ing ana the Beers took advantage of
! the opportunity to retreat en- masse.
| Otherwise they would have been wipe6
out by the British fire. The speciaI
correspondent of the Daily Mali at
Ladysmith, telegraphing Sunday, de-
! scribes the arrival of the war balloon
! there on Sunday. It was welcomed
he said, with wild dances by the KAT
firs, who regard it as a Deity. Cen
eral White and General Archibald
| Hunter both ascended on Sunday and
reconnoitered the enemy's position.
According to the latest reports from
Cape Town General Joubert has TONED
hands with the Free State forces and
there has been some outpost fighting.
President Kruger has arrived at Glen
coe. There is no fresh news from the
western frontier. The miners are still
working at Kimberly, where there are
provisions enough to asst for about n ne
months. Cecil Rhodes has mounted
and fully equipped guard of 800 men
at a cost of $4,000.
A Durham correspondent of the
Daily Mali says: 1t is reported on
the authority of British residents in
Pondoland that the Pondos are in con-
stant communication with Durham and
they are anxious to help. The house
hold guard, it is announced, have re-
ceived orders to form a, composite reg
iment for South Africa including the
First Life Guards, Lieutenant Colonel
Sir Hart commanding, quartered at
Windsor, and detachments of the Sec
ond Life Guards Colonel the Earl of
Bundonald commanding, and the Royal
Horse Guards, Lieutenant Colonel
Brocklenhurst commanding The med
ical examination was begun yesterday
and it is expected that the regiment
will embark in about a week.
Emperor William wired a farewell
message to the Royal Dragons of
which he is honorary Colonel, saying:
May you all return unscathed and
! we'll"