Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-10-12
WAR HAS BEGUN
Beers Invade British
Territory
ADVANCING IN TWO COLUMNS
Attacks on Strategic Points
Momentarily Expected.
RUMORED REVOLT IN CAPE COLONY
Premier Schreiner Refuses to Sign
Miners Proclamation.
RUMORED REVOLT IN CAPE COLONY
N NATIVES TO AID THE DUTCH

LONDON. October 1.-THE Free State
burghers. according to a private message
just received in the city of London. have
crossed the Orange river into Cape Colony,
and have occupied Phiipstown. Their OBJ
ject 1t is supposed. is to cut the railway
at De Aar junction, which is considered an
important stragetic point.
A dispatch from Mafeking under today's
date says that Colonel Baden-PoweI has
just sent a strong British force from Mafe-
king toward the border. with field guns and
ambulances, presumably with a view of oc-
cGpying advantageous defensive high
ground.
A special dispatch from I.adysmith.
Natal, says that the Beers occupied La!ng's
Mex the moment the ultimatum expired
and are now pouring into Natal. Ingogo
Heights have been occupied.
Dispatches from Durham Natal confirm
the report that the Orange Free State au-
thorities seized the Natal train that was
leaving Ladysmith yesterday morning for
Harrsmth. They also stopped train due
to leave Harrismith in the afternoon.
All the rolling stock has been ordered
down the country, out of reach of the
seizure.
1t is understood that telegraphic commu-
nication with the Transvaal ceased punc-
tually at 5 o'clock yesterday afternoon
(Transvaal time).
Acts Of War Committed.
Official confirmation of the announcement
that the Orange Free State burghers have
entered Natal by way of Van Reenens
pass is at hand. 1t leaves no further room
for doubt that acts of war have already
been committed and that the campaign has
begun.
Of 81 on a
der is also generally accepted reliable.
1t seems improbable, therefore, that a
clash between the British and Boer forces
can long be delayed if, indeed. 1t has not
occurred already.
This mornings dispatches furnish ample
details of the situation on the frontier and
enable a clearer exposition of the military
status. 1t now seems that the Beers in
tend to act in two columns, those from the
Transvaal working from the north and
those from the Orange Free State working
from the west, with the object of keeping
the British forces at Ladysmith and Dun
dee occupied, while parties of Beers slip
past to destroy the bridges along the rail-
way forming the line of communication be-
tween the British at Durham, Natal, the
advanced base at Pietermaritzburg and the
front.
Boers Raiding ZuIuInnd.
1t is regarded as possible that the Beers
will attempt to occupy Estcourt, where
there are only a hundred men Of the naval
brigade; and the news that the Beers ara
raiding Zululand in the neighborhood Of
Eshowe is taken confirmation of thia
possibility.
An easy road connects Eshowe and Est-
court through Greytown and Pampoennekk
and from Greytown it is also easy reach,
to Howick, to the south. If the bridges
along the Umgeni river We're destroyed
this would enormously increase the diff
Guilty of reinforcing the British
However ii is still suspected that the en-
tire Boer concentration on the frontiers Of
Natal may be merely an elaborate feint to-
draw off attention from Mafeking, wnichi
many experts regard the real objective,
of the Beers. A successful dash there
would give the Beers great prestige with
the disaffected Afrikanders In Cape Colony.
Col Baden-Powells movement at Mafe-
king this morning is held to indicate that
he is not only prepared for sharp fighting.
but probably expects it at that point.
AS appenlant to his dispatch to America,
President Kruger has telegraphed the
Transvaal European agent follows:
''Transvaal. under date of October IL.
please convey the heartfelt thanks Of
the government Oh the SOutn AFRICAN re.
public to their friends in England for the
coura geous way in which they have de-
Tended The cause of right. Whatever the
outcome may he. the two republics will al.
ways gratefully bear in mind the assist
anee and support shown them in these
critical days
Pleased with Americas Action.
The afternoon papers express great sat-
isfaction that the American government
has undertaken to protect British interests
in the Transvaal. They say that the Amer
leans are certain to show the same tact
and devotion in discharging the RESPONSE
bility which aroused the enthusiasm Of
"our kin beyond the sea" when the British
undertook a similar task in their behalf.
A dispatch from Durham says the ar
rangements for forming an outlander corps
have been completed.
All kinds of rumors are telegraphed from
South Africa regarding the Boer move
ments Apart from the advance of the
yolksrust and Van Reenan commanders,
reports have arrived of the concentration
of the Utrecht and Vryheid commanders