Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-10-19
Big Fight Expected.

LnodOn Oct 19-There is no authentic
! news from Mafeking but all reports tend
| to confirm the belief that Colonel Baden
Powell is holding his own, and no credit
Is given to the vague rumors that a flag
OF truce had been displayed. A consid-
cradle engagement is anticipated in the
vicinity of Ladysmith today. The com
blned advance of Beers and Free State
| troops in this direction has been executed
with not inconsiderable skill, and shows
clear appreciation of the British posi-
tlon General Sir George Stewart White
has $4,000 men and 46 guns available,
! besides a considera BILE force of volunteers
| to hold Ladysmith and no anxiety is felt
on his account for the Natal country
where the engagement is expected is
fairly open and, although the work of
moving them will be difficult, the guns
are likely to do good work
The country is not favorable for Boer
! tactics, and it will be very difficult for
them to avoid the exposure of their flanks
, to attack by vigorous and mobile enemy
already occupying useful positions that
is, supposing they really mean to fight
! and not merely to attempt to draw Gem
eral White farther out with a view of
surrounding him. General White has a
! large body of excellent cavalry, which
will be put to good use.
The foregoing about exhausts the ac-
tual war news this morning. The worst
features of the situation are regarding
the probability of native risings, which,
whether in behalf of or against the Brit
a in fo
plicatons, besides danger to the few
hundred whites in these districts. The
havoc the Beers are making with the
railway and the telegraph lines will seri-
ously impede the movements of General
Sir Redvers Buffers army corps
There are conflicting reports as to
whether the Beers have or have not oc-
cupied Helpmakoar. According to the
best accounts the rumor that they have
done so is untrue, but if the Beers have
succeeded in this maneuver they are
completely around the right of General
Sir George Stewart Whites position and
will be able either to attack him at an
advantage or to move down into Natal
behind him. The Daily News points this
out and seems to think that if the Beers
continue their way to Zulu or Basuto
lands the natives ought to be permitted
to exact respect for their own territory.
-
apparent weakness for defensive action
with inadequate forces, and says that if
Colonel Baden-PoWell holds his own it
will be because his assai]ants are til
contempt.
The Times editorially complains of the
lax observances of neutrality on the part
of some of the states of the United States
in permitting the sympathetic recruiting
and enlistment of men openly and osten-
sibly for service against England in
South Africa.
Regarding shipments of contraband for
the Beers the Times says the shippers
must not complain if the goods are seized
by British cruisers, and notes that the
consignments seem to be mostly from
Hamburg. 1t says:
Perhaps, though this is doubtful, and
some shipments may have been made in
American ports If this is SO American
lawyers will be aware that they have
only to read Lorenzo Marquee is situated
near the Transvaal frontier for 'Mata-
moras is situated near the borders of the
confederate states to bring such con-
slgnments within the precise terms of
some of the best known decisions of their
supreme court. With respect to the real
destination of contraband articles this
country asks that the rules and usages of
international law should be impartially
applied"