Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1899-10-12

London, Oct. IA special from
Lady Smith says: The Beers occu-
pied Laing's Mex the moment the III
timatum expired They are pouring
into Natal, ana Ingogo Heights have
been occupied.
Official confirmation of the announ.
cement that the Orange Free State
burghers had entered Natal by Van
Reenan's pass is at hand. It leaves
no further room for doubt that acts OF
war have already been committed.
That news of the invasion on the
northern border is also generally ac-
cepted as reliable. 1t seems improb-
able that clash between the forces
of the British and, the Beers can long
be delayed, if indeed 1t: has not oc-
Cured already. 1t now seems that
the Beers intend to act in two col
umns, those from the, transyaal work
ing from the north and those from
Orange Free State from the west with
the object o. keeping the British
forces at Ladysmith and Dundee oc-
cupied while parties OF Beers slip
past to destroy the bridges along the
railway forming the line of communi-
cation between the British at Durham,
Natal, the advance base at Pieter-
maritzburg and the front
New York, Oct 12.-The CONNER
eial Cable company has issued the fol-
lowing notice: 1--WE are advised
that the Natal administration an
nounces that a military censorship
has been established over messages
to and from Natal"
london, Oct ia dispatch from
Nafelking under today's date says:
Colonel Baden-Powell sent a strong
British force from Mafeking toward
the border with field gun and ambu-
lances, presumably with a view of oc-
cupying advantageous decisive high
ground.
Paris, Oct 12-Secretary Vandeh-
hoeyen of the Transvaal European
agency officially notified the French
government this morning that state
OF war between the SCUM African re
public and Great Britain had existed
since last evening.
acknowledgements from Dur
ban, Natal, confirm the report that the
Orange Free State authorities had
seized train leaving Ladysmith yes
terday for Harrismith. They also
stopped train due. to leave Harri
smith in the afternoon. All rolling
stock has been ordered to the down
country out of reach of seizure.
Cape Town.-News has been .receiv,
ed that the British diplomatic agent
to the Transvaal, Conyngham Greene
paid formal farewell visits to Presi
dent Kruger and the high. Boer off
cials at Pretoria last evening.
London.-It is suspected that the
entire Boer concentration on the
frontiers of Natal may be merely an
elaborate feint to draw off the atten
tion from Mafeking which many ex
perts regard as the real objective OF
the. Beers. A successful dash there
would give the Beers great prestige
with the disaffected Afrikanders ol
Cape Colony:
Durban.AThe imperial reserves OF
Natal have been called out. Every
body has left Charlestown, the last
train bringing away the railway stat
to New Castles while the exodus from
New Castle also continues. The
fifth dragons arrived this morning
from India, and at once proceeded te
,the front 1%
Lorenzo Marques. Information has
reached here that the Beers nave
mined three piers of the bridge a.
Komati Poort. @~ .sA
AT WASHINGTON. ~ st
Washington,-Th following state
ment was issued by the state depart
ment today: The presluent has re
ceived a large number of petitions
signed by many citizens OF distinc
tion requesting him to tender th'
mediation of the United states 10 SCI
tie the differences existing betweei
the government of Great Britain AM
the Transvaal He received otne
retitions on the same subject, SOM
desiring him to make common caus
with Great Britain to redress wrong
alleged to have been suffered by Oul
flanders. especially by American cit
zeus in. the Transyaal, and otner
wislaiag him to assist the. Boer
saealnst alleged aggression. 1t is un
1orstood that the president does no
.fhtak it expedient to take action Il
anv Of these directions. AS to takinl
sides with either party to the disput
II Is not thought of. AS to media
NzIon the president has received no u
4imation from either of the countrie
tfhaf the mediation Of the Unite
states would be accepted. and In Tn
absence OF such intimation from Dol
narties there is nothing in the rule
Of international usage to justify a
offer of mediation under present cil
cumstances. It is known that IN
- president sincerely desires that no'
filities may be avoided but II unfo'
tunately they should come to pass
the efforts Of this government will D
directed as they are at present to se'
ing that neither our national inte
seEa nor those of our citizens sna
euIfeq unnecessary injury
Cape Town.--In the Cape house a
esmbly today Premier Schreiner mad
- impassioned appeal to the countr
ard press to preserve peace. Il
asserted that scbrelner refused