New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-11-09
STILL IN SUSPENSE
Continued from frst page.


from Pretoria. with German artillery gunners
moving in a southerly direction. is taken TO
mean cooperation in the invasion Of the north
ern portions OF Cape Colony. an undertaking
which thus far has not made very rapid
progress.
Reports of a treacherous Of the white flag
by the Beers. coming from native sources. are
not received with complete credulity, but at the
came time their reiteration is making an unfavor-
able impression. one paper asks sarcastcally
whether President Krigers reference in his
message TO America TO staggering humanity
meant the Beer use OF the white flag 1t Is be-
iieved. however. that II the incidents occurred
reported. protests would have been made by
Generals White and Yule.
One Of the most important items to-day IS that
General French is goins TO Cape Town. This is
taken as a confirmation Of the statement that
the main advance of the British forces will be
through the open. fiat country of the Orange
Free State and the southwestern part of the
.Transyaal. Otherwise so skilful a leader as
General French would hardly have been with
drawn from Ladysmith at the present time OF
stress
There is much speculation regarding the next
Boer move. II seems clear that It will be i'm
possible for them 10 invest closely Ladysmith
owing to the fortunate arrival Of the long range
naval guns. which keep the Beers at least four
miles of. making the circle Of investment about
twenty-five miles in circumference. which. 1t Is
asserted II will be impossible for the Boer force
fully TO occupy. II Is beyond belief however.
that General Joubert viii remain long inactive.
and it is conjectured here that his present quies
cence is due TO the fact that he is awaiting the
arrival Of heavy guns from Pretoria and johann
nesburg 10 lombard effectually and render I'M
tenable the British position.
SLAIN BY THE "MEN-wOMEN"
Further reports Of the Groblerskloof affair
tend to confirm the statement that the British
were successful. Kafir declares that fully
hundred Beers were killed on the hilltop by the /
"nen-women" which is supposed TO indicate
that the Gordon Highlanders were there.
Cycst scouts have since been across the Tu-
gela Bridge. They a number Of killed lying
on the plain.
Apparently when the Colenso garrison evacu- /
ated that place on Friday the British troops /
missed q grand opportunity Of carrying out an
effective attack on the rear Of the disconnected
Beers The latter appear 10 believe that the
Colenso column evacuated the place as a ruse /
and are lying in ambush to surprise them If they
advance hence the immunity OF the town from !
occupation by the burghers
A dispatch from Durham gives details which.
though rather indefinite. seem 10 show that the
Natal Volunteers are moving the big guns,
which are not sufficiently mobile for field use
from Estcourt to Pietermaritzburg to assist in
the defence Of the latter in the event Of an
attack
AdviCes from Naauwpoort. Cape Colony nled
Monday morning say that on learning that the
Beers were relaying the rails al Norvals Pont,
the Railway Department the previous day de-
stroyed the culvert between Arundel and Tween |
dale.
II is asserted. under Sundays date from |
Estcourt that General White received mes |
sage from Sir Redvers Butler Saturday.
SO far. however. no message appears 10 have |
heen received in London from General White
concerning Thursday and Fridays sorties.
special dispatch from Pietermaritzburg |
dated Sunday. saws
1t is confidently expected that railway COM
runication will he restored with Ladysmith |
within a few hours.
Further details from Mafekng carrying events |
UP TO October -. indicate that the Boer firing
easing off. the garrison was in high spirits
and the siege becoming farce. The cor
respondent says that the people were in the
habit Of shouting from the housetops "'Ware
shells and that rabbit holes had been excavated
in the town. into which the would dive
when the smoke Of the Beers big gun was
seen. General Cronje is accused Of dropping
shells in the direction Of the women's lager
According to a dispatch from Kuruman Brit
ish Bechuanaland, dated Monday Colonel
Plumers column. marching from Fort Tuli TO
the relief Of Mafeking, had reached Asvogel |
Kop. opposite Ootsi. ten miles north Of Lohatsi
on October Is, and nearing Matching
Her Majesty has written a letter OF con-
dolence to the mother Of the late Commander
Egerton. Of the British cruiser Powerful who
was fatally wounded by the explosion Of shell
at the bombardment Of Ladysmith on Novem-
her :. when, as a gunnery Lieutenant. he was in
charge Of one OF the cruisers big guns