The record-union., 1899-11-05

Investment of Ladysmith by the
Beers, but Making the Relief of
General White an Extremely
Difficult Operation.
LONDON, Nov 1.-The War Office
has issued the following announcement:
THE Colonial office has received in
formation to the effect that the troops
have Withdrawn from Colenso and have
concentrated further SOUTH but we have
no news of any engagement in that
neighborhood.
Another special dispatch from Lady
smith bearing date of November I'd
says: The artillery duel is proceeding
splendidly. The British guns are firing
three shots to the Beers one
A special dispatch from Cape Town
cupied Colesburg, Cape Colony, on
Wednesday, meeting with no resist
ance from the local police, who yielded
to superior force
South Africa loaded with troops is now
an event of daily occurrence, but the
departure of the steamer kildon Castle
from Southampton last evening merits
notice, as she is the largest troopship
in the world, and has more than three
thousand souls on board with their kits
and weapons
LONDON, Nov. 5.-The evacuation of
Colenso is undoubtedly a most serious
matter for the British in Natal, as it
not only testifies to the complete in
vestment of Ladysmith by the Beers,
but makes the relief of General Sir
George Stewart White an extremely
difficult operation.
Colenso is the point where the rail-
way from Ladysmith crosses the Tu-
gela River, which is now in food. The
, town itself is of the utmost i'm eortance.
1t is dominated by the hills on the
north side of the river, and so was un-
tenable, if the Beers have advanced as
they seem to have done. Moreover,
only small naval and colonial force
was stationed at Colenso
The seriousness of the evacuation
iioNCFSL, lies III lne TACT lnat COM
mandant General Joubert, while COM
pletely investing Sir George White at
Ladysmith, can seize this Tugela
bridge, and. if he has sufficient troops,
can detach a force and send it south
ward on Petermaritzburg, and, in any
case, by destroying the bridge and rail-
way, can prevent any relief expedition
reaching Sir George White for some
time.
Military men optimistically predict
that General Joubert will withdraw
from Natal Immediately Sir Redvers
Buffers force enters the Orange Free
State, but the latter cannot be far on
his way for at least three or four
weeks, and even then General Joubert
may not decide to intercept the British
ON the Free States open belt. which
would suit the British admirably, but
he may wait until the last moment. and
then proceed by train back to Pretoria
and take up strong defensive positions
on the range of hills lying in front of
johannesburg and Pretoria
Thus General Joubert might remain
in Natal several weeks longer, endea-
voring to force Sir George White into
capitulation, the destruction of the Tu-
gela River bridge helping him by cut
ting off British relief Moreover. an
other Boer force is reported to have
marched through Zululand in the direc-
ton of Durham and already to have
reached the Natal frontier.
Thus it will be seen the position in
Natal, taking into consideration possi-
bic uprising of the disaffected Dutch, is
most disquieting, and, in fact, may be
described as critical
= British reinforcements in any num-
Der cannot reach Durham before the end
of next week.
A dispatch from Ladysmith, dated
November I'd. morning, says:
During the night the Beers moved
near the British position, and mounted
guns in fresh places. Meanwhile the
naval guns have been moved to more
favorable positions nearer the town
and commanding some of the Boer
batteries.
AT q o'clock this morning General
White ordered the bombardment of the
enemy, and the blue jackets opened
the ball. The Beers replied vigorously.
They fred straight and some of the
British We're hit
"A terrible artillery duel has been
proceeding over three hours So far
the naval guns are the only ones that
have engaged the enemy"
RUMORS THAT LADYSMITH HAS
BEEN TAKEN.
NEW YORK, Nov. A dispatch to
the Herald" from Amsterdam says:
One newspaper office has been thronged
all day by inauirers for information
about the report that Ladysmith has
been taken. This rumor is heard on
every hand, although it is hard to say
on what it is founded.
CAPE COLONY TO BE INVADED.
LONDON, Nov 4.-The fact that the
British War Office has received no
news of the situation at Ladysn.stli
seems to effectualy dispose of yester-
days continental rumors of General
Whites capitulation and kindred sto-
~ries, as if the General had sustained a
lsevere reverse. there is no reason to
believe but that General Joubert would
be only too glad to forward General
Whites official announcement of the fact
to the nearest telegraph station, while,
ii is added, had news of such a serious
character reached foreign Government