The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1899-11-17
Dispatches From South Africa
Tend to Show That the Brit.
ish Are Holding Ably.
CONFIDENCE IN GEN. WHITES ABILITY.
There Are Sig,ls Of Greatly Increased
Boer Activity In Natal and on
the Western Frontier.
The Beers Bombsrdment of Iadysn,ith
Has Been to- some Extent Effective
The British Have Plenty OF
Lrddits Ammpnition-

| LONDON. Nov Is 80 Monday morn
ing's news from the seat OF war in
South Africa continues fairly satisfac.
tory. The official cables are not very
detailed with regard TO the Belmont
incident which, except for the loss OF
Col. keith-Falconer, was not a very
serious fair.
| There are signs OF greatly increased
Boer activity in Natal and along tse
western frontier. All the dispatches
tend to show that the British are hold
ing ably. Col Baden-Powell reports
that all was we'll at Mafekinr on No
vember o Ladysmith's latest date
is November v. While nothing averse
is heard from the latter point and
ontidence 10 felt in Gen. Whites abili-
ty, previous experience having shown
that the Boer artillery is not very ef.
fective, it is beginning to prove that
the acquisition OF artillery which has
destroyed the former mobility OF the
Boer forces has also failed to give
them any compensating advantage.
On the contrary the reverse Is the case.
II is held here that. IL the Beers had
not been hampered by the trans por; OF
heavy guns and their rescue from tight
places, Gen. Joubert might ere tots
aave been in Pieterinaritzourg. Tn
less the Boer heavy artillery
justiaes Itself by reducing
L4dysmith 1t will again hamper him
o the eventua! retreat from Natal
when Gen. Butler sends the relieving
force. /. is believed that the Bocr 70.
treat will be made over the Draken~
burg range INTO the Zoutpansberg dis
trict, where every preparation for pro.
visioning and maintaining the 10, rs
IS said 10 have been made for the last
stand. and where ii will be difficult 10
d.slooge them. Already IL is rumorcd
that they are in straits for food around
Ladys i'm, and may, therefore. TO
obliged 20 abandon the siege.
kspatches rom E,tcourt say Il has
rlalncd that the British have
h.dsso for firing The
Svas guns showing that there
for the fear that tho
lyddite ammunition AZ Lady smith has
been exhausted. IL il also reported
from the same quarter that some fires
nave been seen IN LadySmith, indicaJ-
ing that the Boer bonn ua RI mcnt has
been To some extent effective. \
special Dispatch from Cape Town con-
Irms the earlier report that Ia was
Gen. Butler who ordered the Brit "a
evacuation OF Storm berg and Naau.y-
Doort as he considered the fruu Ter
inc too weak and TOO much extended.
II is understood. however that
NaaUwpo ort will DC occu led again as
soon a. The vance from Quec nsyown
is ordered. Strong bids are being
made oy the Beers for the support Of
the Cape Dutch. but without much sue
cess. although 1t is believed th.t tuc
Dutch farmers, especially in Picquet-
berg district, are armed 18th Mauscrs
and are watching the course Of events
ne lore o,ning the Beers From Storms
yerg it IS reported that the Free 5 .te
forces are working slowly tow "a
Burdrecht " III view OF sttsSN iug
Queenstown and cutting of the towns
the northern districts OF Cape Co
ony. The wounded are recovering IA
a remarkable manner. The Mau-er
wounds are small aud heal rapidly.
Many Of the wounaet apply for per-
mission TO return 10 the front.
The fact that the attest two official
dispatches were received from Gen. sir
Fore stler Walker, and not from cen.
Butler, seem, to indicate that the lat
Ter may have are dy left Cape Town.
A Brussels telegram asserts that he
mas actually reached Durham. This is
certainly premature, but he may have
started.
An unofficial statement is publis he'd
that the troop ship Gascon. soon after
her arrival at Cape Town, left for Dur
han and Delaroa bay.