St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1899-11-22
WAR IN THE TRANSVAAL.


rising Of the natives throughout Cape
Colony They are ready at any mo-
ment to make common cause with the
Beers.
Yesterday the Beers occupied Camp
bell, in West Griqualand.
Beyond the fact that the Beers are
daily receiving fresh reinforcements and
supplies there Is practically nothing
new. The Boer invasion Of Cape Colony
continues steadily and rapidly. There
are 1900 Beers at Colesberg, and news
has reached East London that Lady
grey, near Aliwal North, has been de-
serted by the British and IS now in the
hands of the enemy
A Pretoria dispatch announces the ar
rival there, among the British prisoners,
Of Major Haldane, Lieutenant Brochie
and Lieutenant Hallway. 1t also de-
clares that the British on Sunday made
two unsuccessful attempts to GUST the
Rustenburg commando from position
near Mafeking, and that severe fighting
took place.
From Delagoa Bay come reports Of
the arrival of more German officers and
artillerymen who have volunteered to
serve with the Transvaal forces.
The war office semi officially asserts
that all news received from Africa has
been published with the exception of
demands for the renewal of stores, war
materials and the like. There Is an I'M
confirmed rumor that more troops have
been ordered from India to the Cape.
The plan of operations on both sides Is
slowly unfolding itself. General Jou-
bert Is evidently moving south to pre-
vent If possible. the junction of the
British relieving force with the forces
at Estcourt and Ladysmith, while, on
the Orange river border, the Beers are
believed to be concentrating at Bonker-
poort to oppose General Buffers ad-
vance. 1t is said that 5000 Beers have
already laagered at Donkerpoort.
The English plan seems to be three
fold advance-from Durham to Lady,
smith, from Orange river to Kimberley
and from East London by way Of
Queenstown to Burghersdorp.
General Butler has wired the COM
handing officer at Queenstown an
nouncing the dispatch of General
Gatacre, with the first battalion of the
Seventh brigade, to East London. This
was the place from which it was orig
inally intended that General Gatacre's
column should start Thus it Is pos
sible that General Buffers first plans
have suffered less modification than
have been supposed. General Gatacre
will be able to keep the Beers on the
Orange border sufficiently occupied to
preserve General Methuen from undue
molestation, especially If rumors from
various sources are well founded that
describe the Free State burghers as in
no wise enthusiastic for fighting.
1t has been reported that General
Butler will take up his quarters at De
Aar, but this seems doubtful. De Aar.
where vast amount Of stores has been
collected, is the base for General Meth
uens' advance, and General Butler may
have been there for day or so. 1t is
believed. however, that he still has his
headquarters at Cape Town.
Although Kimberley is supposed to be
the objective point of General Methuen.
many military critics are of the opinion
that his advance will be not toward
Kimberley, but across the Orange Free
State, i'll order to secure complete COM
mand of the Orange river.
The debarkation of troops at Cape
Town is proceeding in the most salts
factory manner. Eighteen hundred and
fifty railway carriages have been COL
lectod there for the conveyance of troops
northward, and there is talk of sus-
pending the suburban traffic, so as to
accelerate military work.
A report from Ladysmith, Thursday,
Nov. 16, by runner to Estcourt, says:
"All well here, with nothing important
to report. We are amply supplied with
ammunition and confident of our ability
to hold out. Information from outside
Is very scarce, but it is believed here
that the Beers now investing the town
are only a small force. The heavy
weather continues, and the rain is ham
pering the Boer operations severely"
Details of the assault by the Beers on
Nov. 8 purport to show that it was re-
PEELED without difficulty, and with great
loss to the ttacliing burghers. The
fact that the Beers have excellent COM
munication with Pretoria is shown by
the prompt arrival of the British prison.
ers from the armored train disaster of
Wednesday in the Boer capital.
On the west there is promise of speedy
action. The column for the relief of
Kimberley began to assemble at Orange
River Station on Wednesday last, when
a brigade of the guards reached that
point from Cape Town. Other regi-
ments have no doubt joined them. Lord
Methuen commands the advance, and
the column is in light marching order
and appears to contemplate pushing
forward by forced marches. Not the
least of the British difficulties in this
advance will be the keeping open of their
lines of communication with their base or
bases on the coast whence their haver-
sacks and ammunition belts mus be re-
plenished.
This line appears to be seriously
threatened ny IHe Free Cldte DUETS
operating from the line of the Orange
river east of Orange river station, where
they await General Buffers advance.
These Beers have already overrun the
extreme north Of Cape Colony. Aliwal
North has been in their hands for some
days, and they have occupied and IAN
nexed" Burghersdorp,
On the other hand, the statement Is
made that the predatory raids Of the
Beers into Cape Colony have incensed
the Cape Dutch, who have suffered to
such an extent that they are no longer
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