Omaha daily bee., 1899-11-10
LADYSMITH INVESTED
Both the Town and the British Camp Are
Surrounded by the Beers.
DOM PAUl'S FORCES SLIGHTLY SUPERIOR
British Maintain Vigorous Defense and
Continue Fighting Daily,
WHITE GAINS NO IMPORTANT SUCCESS
Simply Holds the Town Against Continued
Assaults of the Enemy.
SITUATION IN NATAL IS VERY GLOOMY
Colonists Complain Bitterly OF the
Delay In the Arrival of Reinforce
mcnts Necessary to Hold
the Colony.

Copyright. 1899, by Press Publishing Coz
ESTCCURI. Natal, Nov. 6.-tNew York
World Cablegram-Special Telegram.)-tSpe-
cial ca Bile dispatch from war correspondent
at the front in Natal. Message delayed
threo dayo by British censors and evidently
edited. III have just received trustworthy
information concerning tho actual state Oh
afiaira in Ladysmith. 1t was from two civ
iliana whu arrived today, having escaped
from tho besieged town by evading the
British patrols and stealing through the
Boe: line, They tell mo that both the
town and tho British camp are completely
Invested and that artillery firing, back and
forth, is continuous. The bombardment is
hesv.. but its effect il represented to be
petty'. Tho Beers arc slightly superior in
strength, but the British forces maintain
vigorous defensive fighting daily
There were engagements on three sides
of Ladysmth last Friday, tho accounts OF
which previously received through native
runners CKaffirgrams) were exaggerated.
Tho rumora Kafirh circulated Of brilliant
British victories were beginning to be ac-
cepted aG true because, though not con-
firmGG, they were oot contradicted and 1t
was certain that General White gained no
important success. The main British at
tacl: waa on tho Boer batteries stationed at
Isimbulwana hill, to the eastward. The
British losa in that action was about $50
killed or wounded. 1t il supposed that the
Beers suffered far more
Reported Boer Defeat.
There was fighting also in the direction
Of Colenso. on the south in which strong
Poe; commando was reported by tho ma
tives to have been 'cut to pieces" but
havo not been able to get trustworthy in
formation as to its scope number OF cas-
ualtieS on either side.
Thi third fight was q smart attack made
by Colonel Brocklehurst on Free State Beers
posted neaf Dewdrop on tho southwest.
Tho British drove the Beers back there
and disabled one of the guns which had been
heavini; shells into tho British camp. The
British lost in that fight two officers-CHp-
tain Kelpp and Lieutenant Brabank-and
oigh. soldiers killed and twenty officers and
men wounded. Active operations continued
on Sunday.
General White requested Genera. joubert
to permit tho women. children and nom
| combatan males to withdraw from Lady
smith in order to escape the bombardment.
| General Joubert replied by inviting them all
| to come under the protection of the guns on
Isimbulwana hill, but he said that he would
of security, having borne arms, as prisoners
/ q, wa.
The mayor of Ladysmith called mass
meeting of all the inhabitants on Saturday
to consider the proposition. The townsfolk
| resolved to accept no terms from the
enemy" which was emphasized by singing
| the national anthem with the spirit charac-
teristc of the colony.
All Is quiet in Estcourt today. Brigadier
I General Wolfe Murray, with a mounted
| battery, Is accommodating in the direction of
Colenso. The efforts made to re-establish
communications with Ladysmith have thus
far been unsuccessful.
Advices from Pietermnritzburg.
Copyright, 1899, by Press Publishing Coz
| PIETERMARITZBURG Natal, Nov b.
New York World Cablegram-special Tele-
gram )-(Deayed by Censor. )-Communica
| tion with Ladysmith is stll interrupted
| The situation in Natal is gloomy, although
| there are persistent rumors from various
| sources of an important British success at
Ladysmith on Thursday. The colonists COM
| plain at the delay of the arrival of rein
| forcements necessary to hold Natal and the
evacuation of Colenso has increased the un-
certainty regarding the future. consider
able British force has been concentrated
at Estcourt under Brigadier General Wolfe
Murray to check further Boer advance, and
Pietermaritzburg is being nastily fortified
| by Colonel Knowle.
The Natal volunteer force is under arms
and force of imperial light infantry 10
being raised. All the vacancies in the Natal
light horse were quickly filed. The spirit
of the colony is admirable The townsfolk
are calm and the military are eager, but all
are suffering from heavy losses and great
anxiety. ] am going to Estcourt.
LIEUTENANT WINSTON CHURCHILL.