Connecticut western news., 1899-11-09
TRANSvAAL SITUATION.
Lamentable Lack of Late News
 From Seat of War.
FIGHTING AT LADYsMITH FRIDAY
Aesxenrer Gets Through Boer Lines With Report of British successes. Eight Hundred Dutchmen Killed or Wounded In Thur.day'x Battle.


 London. Nov. S.-This mornings news carries public knowledge with respect to hostilities in South Africa very little fur ther than the evacuation of Colenso and Stormberg. Those movements, taken to- gether with the admiralty announcement that the public must not be disappointed should the transports not reach their des- tination on the dates indicated in the published lists, may indicate some change of plan necessitated by the bad position of affairs in Natal. It was expected that the army corps would land near Cape Town for an invasion of the Transvaal through the Orange Free State, but the landing may now be diverted to Durban, Natal, whither it is fully expected Lieu tenant General Sir Redyers Butler will 20 within a week or two to investigate the situation for himself
 There is also a, possibility of a move ment through Delagoa bay, and the ad- miralty notice regarding the transports simply means in all likelihood that news of their movements Is to be suppressed.
 Stormberg was understood to be the de- pot where stores. tents, guns, ammuni- ton and all the commissariat details of the third division, that under Sir Will liam Gatacre, were in process of accumu- lation. The stores have been removed to Queenstown, and an obvious explanation of their removal arises out of the Boer advance from Bethulie and Aliwal North.
 In view of the near approach of British re-enforcements a Boer invasion of Cape Colony could hardly be regarded very se- riously There may therefore be another reason for the withdrawal, and the stores destined by repute for Queenstown may be intended for East London or Durban. It may be General Buffers intention to send on Colonel Lord Paul Methuen's di- vision, composed of guards and British brigades, to the immediate assistance of Natal. For the use of that division di- version may be intended of some of the stores of the third division, which are in the handicst position to be forwarded.
 Rosmead and Nasuvv Evacuated.
 Reports that Rosmead and Naauw Poort are also to be evacuated seem to eorroborate the idea that General Bull ler's first business win be to relieve Sir George Stewart White.
 It Is believed that the Orange Free State commanders now have 1000 men concentrated against Kimberley and on the Free State southern frontier. 0p- posed to them are only 1000 British
 
 attack are Anwal North. Burghersdorp, Steynberg. Barkly and Aiolteno.
 A dispatch from PietermaritEburg. dat ed Friday. reports that railway communi- cation with Ladysmith is severed, the Boers having effected n lodgment at Nel- thorpe, south of Ladysmith about seven miles.
 All the Cape railways are now in the hands of the military authorities. Five hundred tons of foodstuffs were seized on board the steamship Maria, at Durban, consigned to Delagoa bay for the Trans vaal Twenty missionaries have arrived at Durban from Swaziland, after many narrow escapes.
 There are renewed rumors of another engagement at Elandslaagte, with severe Boer losses.
 It is reported from Cairo that the Ger man steamer Zanzibar. bound for Zanxi- bar, arrived at Port Said without passen- gers, and that. having embarked 30 there, she sailed, followed and watched by the British cruiser Fearless.
 The Daily Mail publishes the follow ing dispatch from Kimberley, dated Wednesday, by way of Hopetown, Sat urday. Nov. 4:
 This morning the Boers fired the veldt near Dronield, seven miles from Kim berley, and this afternoon the flames set en fire the smaller of the two magazines, exploding the dynamite with terrific re- port. Fortunately no one was injured The veldt is still burning, and 1t is fear ed that the larger magazine. where there are 1.200 cases of dynamite, will be ig- nited."
 More Fighting at Lsdysmfth.
 A reliable messenger arrived at Est court. Natal. from Ladysmith Saturday, passing the Boer lines during the night. and reports that heavy fighting occurred on Thursday around Ladysmith.
 The hottest engagement was on George Tatham's farm, on the Orange Free State side of Bester's.
 The British drove the Boers back to their camp.
 The Boers are said to have lost 800 killed. wounded or captured. Thirty mounted Boers were captured.
 The fighting was resumed Friday. the Boers firing from Nosdwsthshana hill, near Repworth's farm. Again they were driven back With loss on their camp.
 The Natal naval corps, with guns. will return to Pietermaritxburg to reassure the inhabitants.