The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-11-13
THE SITUATION IN soUTH AFRICA

The belated dispatches coming from South
Africa only contain. for the most part. con-
lrmaton OF tho of1cial reports given gu.
during the past week. and announcements OF
the arrival OF transports with the advance corps
OF Gen. Buffers army. some OF which Instead OF
landing at Cape Town were sent on 10 Dur
ban. Beyond these. there 10 nothins 10 IN
dictate what the situation has developed since
Friday last. and the Impression seems 10 DO
gaining ground In London that the War and
Colonial Oflces are suppresslng important In
forma alton OF a serious nature. In the mean
time. the censorship at the seat OF war appears
to be utilizing the correspondents to misiead
and mystify after tho manner laid down In
Lord Wolseley's manual.
The despatch from Col Cough at the Orange
River post describing the reconnaissance TO
the east OF Belmont on Friday. incidentally
shows that the railway line is Intact up to that
place, The demonstration made aEainst the
Boer position by Col. Coughs reconnoitring
party. however. failed to draw the Beers. and
the sharpness OF their fire. opened uncxpec-
teddy. caused the withdrawal OF the troops en-
gagged with q serious loss In officers, whom the
Beers seem to be especially marking out.
Kim perley news 10 OF the general uniform
| character OF that coming from there. so far as
relates to the fighting. Tho sorties appear to
have little practical result. the Beers always
| refusing to light. retiring before the kimber-
Icy troops and then returning to con-
tinus the blockade on their with
drawal to the line OF defence. Accord
ing to the last news. provisions In the town are
| becoming scarce and dear. the purchasing
power OF money being -nfths below what
| It was before the war. This confirms the pre-
vious reports that the garrison and population
| were on shortened rations.
From Hafeking tbere 10 nothing authentic
since Dot. 81. the dispatches from there OF
| that aud the two previous days date having
| been sent out by messengers making q wide
| circuit through THURMAN to the westward to
avoid capture by the Boer patrols. Since
then a small Boer commando has
been sent TO Kuruman to proclaim the author
ity OF the Republic In that part OF Bechuana-
land. At all points on the west side OF the
| Transvanl and Free State borders the Beers
are combining themselves to blocksding tho
British posts as in 1SS0-S1. and patrolling the
| surrounding country.
| There Ia nothing new concerning tho sitna-
tion at Ladysmith or OF the Boer movements
| north OF tho Tugsla. which indicates
either that the position 10 unchanged or that
the blockade Is so complete that nothing is
getting out kilograms from Estcourt dating
| back to the 9Th merely confirm things pre-
viously reported.
| Active operations south OF tho Free State
border appear to have commenced. Yesterday
a command composed OF Transvaal and Free
State burghers with three guns, quantity OF
| dynamite and 400 horses. 10 reported to have
crossed Norval's Pont on the Orange
River into the Cape Colony. A small
force. probably that referred to Yesterday and
belonging to the above commando. Is also
stated to have been seen making for Hanover.
| place about midway on the railway between