Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-11-07

LOINDOlN, INUNemDSr o. Al 1luIu6uSc
weight was lifted from the public mind
by brief official dispatch published
this morning, by which the continent
tai stories of disaster at Ladysmith
were proved to be false, although the
dispatch itself relieved the anxiety of
the more timid in another direction, as
it indicated that Gen. White, instead
of sitting tight and acting wholly on the
defensive, as it is held in many quar-
ters he ought to do, persists in making
sorties and risking another Nicholson's
Mex disaster.
of the dispatch showing that there is
no anxiety at Ladysmith as regards
tie ability of the beleaguered garrison
to hold its own, has had an excellent
effect on the country. From the fact
that Gen. White is able to take the Of
fensive and shell a Boer camp it seems
that Ladysmith is not so closely be-
sieged as was supposed.
Not much importance, however, is
attached to the Smelling of the Boer
lager, as the war Office has no confirm
alton of the story that the Orange Free
Staters' camp at Besters has been cap
tured. Were this true it might have
considerable effect on the future atti-
tude of the Orange Free State, which is
not SO directly concerned in the con-
fiict as the Transvaal.
The movement of Beers into Cape
Colony is beginning to awaken British
fears that they have greatly underesti-
mated the forces they will have to
meet and that even Gen. Buffers task
may not be SO easy as anticipated. 1t
is becoming apparent that all the Brit
islh calculations, based on the loyalty
of the population, are hopelessly at sea
or there has been a very serious leak
age of Dutch sympathizers from Natal
and Cape Colony. Otherwise there is
no accounting for the large forces of
burghers reported from all directions.
The war Office, consequently, is being
urged to have more troops in readiness
for all possible demands.
The evacuation of Colenso and the
reported withdrawal of the British
force from Stormberg are still unex-
planned. The former may be due to
either the Boer artillery rendering the
place untenable, or to the fact that
pressure elsewhere, possibly at PETER
maritzburg, has necessitated concentra-
tion at a point to all available troops.
1t is said that if the objective of
the Beers traversing Zululand was
Pietermaritzburg they ought shortly to
be heard from. That the position is
regarded as serious is apparent from
the fact that British cruisers are hurry
ing to the Cape station.
With regard to Stormberg it is
claimed that if 1t turns out to be true
that the place has been evacuated, it
may either be due to the impossibility
at present Of providing an adequate
garrison to defend such important sup
plies against the Boer raids or to
change in Gen. Buffers plans whereby
Gen. Mathuen's division will be landed
at Durham to relieve Gen. White If
the latter plan is decided on the nearest
available stores are those at Stormberg
and the quickest method of making the
necessary provision for an advance will
be to railroad those stores to East Lon
den, whence they would reach Durham
before the first troop ship.
A dispatch from Portland says that
the special service squadron has been
instructed to coal for a voyage and
that no one connected with the squad
ron is permitted to sleep outside the
port
Advices from Cape Town under date
of November 8. say martial law has
been proclaimed in the districts occu-
pied by the British troops, between the
Orange river and De Aar. The pre-
mier, Mr.. W. P. Schreiner, has sent
circular to the magistrates and others
warning all persons against all state
ments to the effect that the parliament
tary institutions and constitutional
government will be lost or detrimen-
tally affected He adds that the proc
lamation Of martial law is only mat
ter of temporary urgency in some dis
tricts and does not compel the Burgh-
ers of the colony to participate in the
"deplorable hostilities"
Prince Christian Victor. Schleswig-
Holstein, grandson of Queen Victoria,
and a captain in the Kings Royal Ri
fles and other officers have left Cape
Town for Ladysmith. to replace the
dead and wounded.
The Boer prisoners have been taken
on board the British cruiser Penelope.
They number nine officers and $50 men.
The Dutch farmers of Arrival North
have passed resolution making