The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1899-11-09
South African War.

The war office, at London, late Satur-
day afternoon, issued the following an
nouncement: 1.-THE colonial office has
received information to the effect that
the British troops have withdrawn from
Colenso and have concentrated farther
south, but we have no news of any en-
gagement in that neighborhood.
The Temps, Paris, corroborates the
statements of the Eclar that the Beers
have decided to employ privateers, and
says: There is an immense fleet of
transports now at sea carrying troops.
The Transvaal government cannot seri-
ously threaten these, but there is no
doubt that it has issued letters of marque
in Europe and the United States and
British commerce may suffer, even if
the transports do not"
A special dispatch from Ladysmith,
filed, Thursday afternoon, says: "While
the naval brigade was pounding away at
the Boer batteries, this morning, party
of British cavalry and volunteers were
sent out. Creeping around the hills,
they surprised and captured one of the
enemy's camps.
1.-THE investment of the town of Lady
smith appears to be practically complete,
1t is suggested that the Beers believe
that Badysmith is in their power and
that they are therefore anxious to have
us get up all our military stores before
they attack us. A reconnaissance by
Lancers and field battery, Thursday,
found a Free State laager which the
English shelled heavily, driving the
Beers out.
A dispatch from Durham of Nov. 3,
afo l,a Il
all the stores, tents, kits, etc. The
Beers numbered about 5000 men, COM
prising a fresh corps of the Orange Free
Skaters. The armored train did splendid
service, taking a detachment of the
Dublin Fusiliers to relieve an outlying
fort garrisoned by volunteers.
The officials of the British war office,
when shown the dispatch from Durham
said they had no further news regarding
the military situation in Natal. They
could not say whether the railroad to
Ladysmith was intact, but they admit
ted that Ladysmith was now completely
surrounded.
1t is announced in a special dispatch
from Cape Town, dated Sunday morn
ing, Nov. 5, that the British have been
victorious in an engagement at Lady
smith and that the Boer loss was very
heavy, including 1000 prisoners.
An estimate of Boeg forces is as fol.
lows: Around Ladysmith, 25,000;
traversing zululand, 1000; advancing
on Bughersdrop, 5000; Colesburg, 5000;
Kimberley, 1000; Mafeking, 1900, and
on the northern Transvaal border, 1000.
Exact information about the Boer
artillery is lacking but it is known that
General Joubert's detachment before it
was reinforced consisted of sixteen
Krupp field pieces of the latest pattern
and two heavy Creuzot siege guns which
but for the opportune arrival of the
British naval brigade would have rend-
cred Ladysmith untenable.
A dispatch from Estcourt, Natal,
dated Nov. 5, states that an armored
train went over the bridge the day be-
fore and found Colenso intact and also
found railroad bridges strong. An
Orange Free State force was sighted six
miles from Colenso on the Ladysmith
side. 1t was supposed to have been en-
gagged with the British force from Lady
smith, Thursday. The Beers suffered
heavily. 1t is rumored that the Natal
Dutch took part in the engagement.
Advices at Cape Town from Orange
river say it is reported the Beers have
destroyed one of the pieces OF Modder
river bridge, and there are rumors
emanating from Hope Town that an at
tack will be made on the Orange river
camps.