St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1899-11-08

UGGQGu lOi llC ilINii uho' efit
over, there is no mention of stores of
lyddite at Ladysmith for rechargng
these shells.
Meanwhile vague remarks in the dis
patches point to the impending arrival
of further big Boer guns from johann
nesburg, to be mounted among the hills
within range of Ladysmith. Such con-
siderations explain the anxiety felt re-
garding General Whites movements and
position, not only by the public, but in
official circles.
The British retirement to Estcourt
has given the impression that 1t is in
tended to make stand there. Estcourt
is the last important town between the
Beers and the capital of Natal, and, If
the Beers swept past Estcourt, nothing
can stop them from laying siege to Pie
termaritzburg, which cannot be expected
to make protracted defense, while its
fall would be a tremendous blow to Brit
ish prestige through South Africa.
Already the British retirement south
of Colenso has given the Beers an OPP
portunity to make bid for the active
| support VI Tic dlodllCCtcu DutNA III ANdtdi
by proclaiming the annexation of the
upper Tugela section. Thus far the
Dutch colonists seem to have confined
their sympathy with the invading Beers
to a platonic emotion. Except for sur
reptitious assistance, there is no evil
dence that they have yet joined the Beers
openly in any appreciable numbers.
The reported British retirement from
Stromberg Junction, however, will he
followed doubtless by similar Boer
proclamation annexing the portions of
Cape Colony lying directly south of the
Orange Free State. These proclamc =
tons, as in the case of Bechuanaland
have been and will be Immediately fol-
lowed by British counter proclamations
but to the eyes of the Dutch farmers the
presence of one Boer commando is prob
ably more impressive than the eXpecta.
ton of the arrival of the whole British
army in the more or less distant future
The British newspapers publish list
of the transports due to arrive at Cape
Town from today. According to thi
some 10000 men should reach the Cap'
by the end Of next week, but the ad
| DllIdlly lSSutu CHilllAS wal hih0 ioo
evening to the effect that no disappont
ment must be felt by the public if tn
transports should not arrive at the date
mentioned, dates which, the war ofiic
=, says, are based in many cases upon to,
sanguine expectations
A dispatch from Estcourt, Natal, date
Nov. 4. noon says: A reliable messen
D ger has Just arrived from Ladysmiti
.. passing the Boer lines during the nigh
who reports that heavy fighting occurre
D on Thursday around Ladysmith. TIL
d hottest engagement was on Georg
=: Tathamss farm, on, the orange Ere
|. State side of Besters The British drov
the Beers back to their camp. TIL
4 enemy suffered great loss, and 80 mount
): ed Beers were captured.
J. The fighting was resumed Friday, tn
o Beers firing from Nosdwathshana hill
$ near Pepworth's farm. Again they wei
driven back with loss on their camp.
&c A large Boer force, with artillery, III
der John Wessals has taken up pos
v. ton on the left of Beacon, locating o
l. the Woodhouse, Pieciones and Lanl
25 varacht farms, facing Besters, and
small commander Is now encamped IA
3: ing the south side of Pieters station
in commanding the railway. The Boe
have torn up the culverts of the railws
near Pieters station and have burned Il
wooden portions.
No damage has yet been done
90 Colenso. The houses, stores, railwi
&C and iron bridges remain intact. III
nv messenger says he heard that the Doe
N would be in Colenso Saturday, and tn
IL the volunteers were leaving.
N. Much regret is felt at the unnecessa
alarm being created at Maritzburg whit
w. there is no need for it, The Natal nav
nd corps, with guns, will return to MART
IT, burg to reassure the inhabitants.