The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1899-11-18
THE "AUNTIES" OCCUPY BACK SEATS
The News of Oubers Death Neither Denied nor Confirmed From
Any Reliable AuthOrity-Al Confidence
In Butler

Naw YORK. Nov. ia dispatch to
the Tribune from London, says:
While sensational dispatches respect
ing an advance Of portion Of General
Joul.ert's forces from Colenso and the
investment Of Es,cout nave not been
confirmed. the Beers have repeated the
earliest incident Of the war by attack
ing and destroying an annored train
which has been used for reconnOiteriEg
purposes,
The earliest accounts Of this afrair
differ IL details, but it Is evident that
the train was suddenly fired upon be-
tween Estcou& and Colenso and prob
ably deraned. The trains gun was
disabled, according to one account and
the men were forced into a hard fight
in which there were serious losses in
killed and wounded and probably pris.
oners as well
II was a good BOer trap and the Brit
ish force was apparently surprised.
Estoourt has already been reinforced.
and it is not likely that the Beers will
attempt to invest it.
AS the Mohawk has arrived at the
. Cape with III Twelfth Lancers. cav
airy viii be available in three days for
relief column. The embargo on news
at the Cape has been 50 prohibitive
that anything may have happened at
Ladysuith during the past few days.
For this reason rumor from Pretoria,
by way of LOrenzo Marqez that Gen
eral JOabert had fallen in action on
Thursday can nei:her BE- accepted nor
rejected.
Thar was the day on which the last
official dispatch with details Of the
bornbariment was sent through to
Durham. The rumor II his death fits
Ia with vague reports previously re-
ceived that the general firing that day
was unusually severe and that a close
approach was made to the British lines
OF defense. II was also exposed to the /
inheren; improbability that an engage
ment could have taken place and the
Boer commander been killed without
the world knowing something about itI
within eight days.
Reports Of an reconnaissance from
Orange River 10 Belmont accompany
accounts n the attack on the armored
train above Estcourt ana serve TO in
dica;e that Kimberly. as well as Lady
smith viii be relieved before a general
advance is made through the Orange
Free State The military experts now
agree that the Two exposed garrisons
on each flank will b. delivered from
attack by the enemy in superior
strength before the original plan, in
vasion Of the two republics and the oc-
eupatlon Of their capitals is carried
out and that the latter movement will
BE- deferred until the end Of the year,
when the new division now mobillzing
has disembarked in South Africa.
You can trust Butler" said one Of
his wanpest fri ,nds to me yesterday
TO choose his own time and field oi
operations. He is not man 20 allow
: the Beers to force him to fight where
they will have strong defensive posi-
tions in mountain passes. He will not
be drawn away from the open country
where the British troops will be free tc
operate their own way with irresisti-
bic force"
A similar view was expressed by a
prominent department chief who SPOKE
Of the necessity of overrunning botf
republics before the Dutch population
could he impressed with the hopeless
ness OF the struggle and induced II
surrender unconditionally Buller'i
march through Bloemfontein to Pre-.
toria. he added, would be a strong
SAFEGUARD for permanent peace II
south Africa and Butler would b'
nothing IL no. thorough in his plans OF
campaign.
Women Of rank and fashion are tax
ing the liveli4st interest in the war
Many of them drive from theaters ol
dinner parties to the war office nigh