Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-11-09
THE DARKEST PAGE
|Of the War Is Now Being
Written for England.
the Bright Spots Are the Recent Bril-
liant Sorties by White.
Strong Mounted Troops and Artillery Farce
Sent Out from Estcourt.

! London, Nov. $40 the eyes of mill
| tary experts the darkest page OF the
war is now being written. But even
that is Illuminated with bright pas
sages. such as Gen. Whites victorious
sorties. If he can keep the British flag
| flying over Ladysmith until he is re-
| lieved the campaign will turn a fresh
page and with the advance of Sir Red
vers Buffers force, the British public
is promised more cheering reading.
This feeling of relief inspired by re-
cent wood tidings is, nevertheless.
tnged by certain alloy of anxiety lest
Gen. White should again make some
fatal miscalculation involving a repe-
tition of the Nicholson's Mex disaster.
Her Majesty does not share this anxi-
ETY., and, apparently, is sanguine of his
ability to pull through successfully
1t is asserted that she has written to
Lady White expressing sympathy with
her husband in the trials and, difhcul-
ties he is now experiencing and assur-
ing Lady White of her own undimin
ished confidence in his generalshp.
The purport of this letter has been ca
bled to Gen. White by the Marquis of
Lansdowne.
The most interesting news, tonight,
is a dispatch from Estcourt announcing
the departure of a strong force Of
mounted troops and artillery for des-
tination not given in the advices. An
other message announces the arrival
at Estcourt and Pietermaritzburg with
in the last few days Of re-inforcementS
from Durham and that $500 troops are
assembled and are ready for a read
vance to Colenso when the oportune
moment arrives. The latter dispatch
throws light upon the former. and the
force which left Estcourt, Monday, has
doubtless re-occupied Colenso. and,
possibly, is now advancing cautiously
up the railroad toward Ladysmith,
Gen. Whites sortie of Friday almost
to the banks of the Tugela river en-
couraging it's commander in the hope
of joining hands with him.
Gen. Joubert, the latest adviceS
would indicate, drew in his horns af-
ter Fridays engagement and has since
withdrawn the southern Boer contin-
gents, leaving only outposts on the
line from Ladysmith to Colenso. The
Beers who occupied COlensO about the
middle of last week. retired without
damaging Bulwer bridge over the Tug
Ella river or the railroad as far north
the the village of Nelthorpe, seven
miles south of Ladysmith. Evidently
they nurse the hope of eventually util-
izing both in their descent on PETER
maritzburg. Meanwhile the British are
also able TO use both, as they have al
ready done, in running up an armored
train which may at the present mo-
ment be covering the advance of the
Estcourt force.
AT Estcourt and Petermaritzburg the
defensive works have been greatly
strengthened within the last few days
and they are now believed capable Of
holding their own against any BOer
force which Gen. Joubert would. at the
present juncture, risk sending against
either town. Both are likely to be
strengthened before the week is out
by further naval force and even by
the first detachment of Gen. Buffers
army corps.
None of the troopships have arrived.
The one which it was predicted might
reach Cape Town at the earliest, Mon
day. is as yet unannounced and even
when it does arrive there, it will have
three days steaming to reach Durham,
Natal. AS many as six transports with
$500 troops, were expected to be in Cape
Town harbor by this time; but the war
office. last evening. issued a statement
to the effect that the only arrivals at
Cape Town were the Sumatra, from
Durham. with wounded. the Southern
Cross from Gibralta with mules and the
collier Wenvoe. OF course it is possible
that dispatch boats have been sent to
meet the troopships with instructions
to proceed direct to Durham and in that
event the war office statement that not
Dne has arrived at Cape Town would be
literally accurate, even though several
should be half way between Cape Town
and Durham.
The situation looks brighter at Mafe-
king. where the Beers are apparently
at the unexpected resist
,nce, large body of their force having
been detached to the south to assist in
he investment Of Kimberley, around
which the Gordon is drawing tighter.
Evidently the Beers intend to make q
effort to capture Kimber-
ey and their arch enemy, Cecil Rhodes.
The reported departure of a Boer con-
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