Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1899-11-10
EUMORSOF DISASTER
In Absence of War News Lon
don Hears Evil Reports.
SOUTH AFRICAN CONDITION CRITICAL
EstcOurt, to Which the British Re-
tired From CoIenso, Is the Last
Barrier Between Beers and
the Natal CAPITAL.


Barrier Between Beers and
the Natal Capital.
LONDON, Nov. THE war Office an
bounced at midnight that no dispa tches
had been received beyond those already
made public and that nothing further
would be issued before noon today. Thus
not a solitary official item of news has
been posted for nearly 81 hours. This
has given rise to a crop of rumors that
Iadysmiths ammunition is exhausted,
that Sir George Stewart White is mortal
ly wounded, that both facts are being
concealed and that other unlucky hap
penngs have taken place. For all of
these reports there is absolutely no foun-
dalton. At the same time the Britisher
has had little to stimulate him within
the last 81 hours except the news of the
confident attitude of the Lady gar
rison and its slight successes last Thurs
day and Friday.
Advices from other parts of South AZ
RIGA are distinctly unpalatablc, and ev-
erything points to n critical situation in
Natal and the northern portions of Cape
Colony, likely to grow more acute until
General White is either relieved or de-
cisively defeated. Nobody dares to think
of capitulation. Rather than that he is
expected in last resort, if Ladysmith be-
comes untenable, to make a desperate
effort to cut his way through the Beers
back into lower Natal and to join hands
with the garrison there, which is now al
most certain to be re-cnforced by the
first arrivals of the army corps from
England and to be pressed forward to re-
new touch with him.
1t is generally assumed, however that
General White, with the aid of the naval
guns, will be able to cope with any bonn
bardmcnt and the idea that the Beers
could take Ladysmith by assault is scout
ed as absurd. The defense thus depends
upon the uninterrupted working of the
naval guns. Richt here arises the impor-
tant queStion-upOn which the dispatches
have thrown no light-whethcr the naval
guns, which themselves only arrived at
the last moment have with them suff-
cient ammunition to reply to a lombard
ment lasting possibly several weeks. If
not, it is hardly likely that works exist
in small town like LadySmith for cast
ing the special shell needed for the IL
gun; and, moreover there is no mention
of stores of lydditc Mt Ladysmith for re-
charging these shells.
Meanwhile vague remarks in the dis
patches point to the impending arrival of
VIZ lbp'l guns ll'ul
burg to he mounted among the hills with
in range of Ladysmth. Such considera
tons explain the anxiety felt regarding
General Whites movements and position
not only by the public, but in official cir
cles.
The British retirement to Estcourt has
given the impression that it is intended
to make a stand there. Estcourt is the
last important town between the Beers
and the capital of Natal, and if the Beers
sweep past Estcourt nothing can stop
them from laying seige to Pietermartz-
burg, which cannot be expected to make
protractcd defense, while its fall would
be a tremendous blow to British prestige
throughout South Africa.
Already the British retirement south of
Colenso has given the Beers an opportu-
nifty to make il bid for the active support
of the disafipcted Dutch in Natal by pro-
claiming the annexation of the Upper
Tugela section. Thus far the Dutch col
onistS seem to have confined their sym
pathy with the invading Beers to pla-
tonic emotion. Except for surrepttious
assistance there is no evidence that they
have yet joined the Beers openly in any
appreciate numbers. The reported Brit
ish retirement from Stormberg Junction.
however, will be followed doubtless by n
similar Boer proclamation anneXing the
portions of Cape Colony lying directly
south of the Orange Free State. These
proclamationS, as in the case of Bechu-
analand. have been and will he inmedi-
ately followed by British counter procla-
nations, but to the eyes of the Dutch
farmers the presence of one Bocr COM
mando is probably more impressive than
the expectation of the arrival of the
whole British army in the more or less
distant future.
The Daily Mail has received the fol-
lowing dispatch from Stormberg, dated
Friday evening:
IAN Orange Free State force 1000
strong is now at Pewen's farm. half way
between the Orange river and Burghers-
dorp. The Beers are waiting there for
the arrival of 1900 re-enforcements from
Rouxville and Bloemfontein before NOV
ing on Stormberg. There is Il third Free
State force at Colesberg. The signaling
in the Boer camp was plainly visible
from here last night"